G1 George Main Stakes and G1 Makybe Diva Stakes Day - 16.09.2017

Two very short priced favourites in the features tomorrow but a string of good support races so I'm going to mix it up a bit this weekend.

Rather than an in depth look at any race in particular we'll have a quick look at a few.

Who's Hot? 

Jockey Blake Shinn rode a double at Canterbury on Wednesday and a city winner last Saturday.

He has a bunch of rides at Randwick tomorrow but the pick of them look to be Tom Melbourne (Race 4 No. 3), English (Race 7 No. 5) and Chocante (Race 8 No. 3).

RANDWICK

*** At time of publication the track was rated a Good 4. The forecast was for a partly cloudy day. ***

The Shorts (Group 2, 1100m, set weights plus penalties)

Current Sportsbet market

 *** There are no early scratchings ***

A small but select field here. I'm tipping Redzel simply because he is up and running whereas everyone else bar Nieta is first-up and apart from Ball Of Muscle I really don't see any other speed here. If he controls the race from the front as he did last start he'll be hard to run down. His last second-up run he was just pipped by stablemate Russian Revolution (below) in the G1 Galaxy when conceding that colt 3.5kg. Since that day Redzel is unbeaten.

I know Chautauqua has great stats at the track and the trip but he is a 7-y-o now so I think he'll need the run and will probably be better at 1200m. English is three from four fresh and is a four-time winner here but I just feel she's going to be giving them too much start in a race devoid of tempo. Fell Swoop is a knockout hope because he can sit on pace and track the leader/s and his last two starts here he's been placed in the G1 T.J. Smith Stakes.

Locky's Selections

2. Redzel WIN

Tea Rose Stakes (Group 2, 1400m, 3-y-o fillies set weights)

Current Sportsbet market

 *** There are no early scratchings ***

Tulip maps very well here and probably would have won first-up if the Moonee Valley straight was 175m long instead of 173m. She gave the winner 2.5kg that day and I'm just looking to some fresh form. 

The reason I'm doing that is that there hasn't been a lot between the likes of Champagne Cuddles, Alizee and I Am Excited lately and they've been sit-and-sprint affairs so the 1400m has to be a query. My best roughie is Cellargirl. Queensland trainer Kelly Schweida has only been to Randwick once since the beginning of the new season - for one winner. Pandemonium and Acqume for trifectas and first fours.

Locky's Selections

1. Tulip WIN

FLEMINGTON

*** At time of publication the track was rated a Good 3. The forecast was for a partly cloudy day with a high chance of morning showers. ***

Bobbie Lewis Quality (Group 2, 1200m, quality handicap)

Current Sportsbet market

 *** There are no early scratchings ***

So Si Bon looks to have returned in fantastic order this prep and it seems they are going to stick to the shorter trips with him this time in. All three of his straight track runs at Flemington were full of merit and he just missed Voodoo Lad last start and meets him 2kg better off here.

Still Voodoo Lad and Redkirk Warrior due look well placed at the weights and both are proven Flemington performers. Attention is one at odds that could be thrown into wider exotics. Team Snowden could train a rocking horse to win at the moment and Kerrin McEvoy is riding better than anyone in the country. Four starts back (below) he was less than a length off Black Heart Bart in a G1 Futurity Stakes. The Kiwi Savile Row has been trialling well.

Locky's Selections

9. So Si Bon EACH-WAY

The Let's Elope (Group 2, 1400m, set weights plus penalties 4-y-o and up fillies and mares)

Current Sportsbet market

 *** Ana Royale is an early scratching ***

Schism is drawn well and is a four-time winner at 1400m. Two of those victories came here at Flemington from just three attempts and eight wins from 18 starts is an impressive strike rate. She put together three wins on end before being well beaten by Vega Magic and Brave Smash in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes but so was everyone else.

Obviously she has to turn the tables on the likes of Oregon's Day and Swampland but she gets a 3-4kg weight swing here from that pair compared to their last start meeting. I am A Star is the class runner here and has been well supported. This is much easier than a G1 Memsie Stakes. Jennifer Lyn did enough first-up and races well here at Headquarters (2:1-1-0) and at the trip (4:3-0-0) and if the emergency Pure Pride gets a run she's certainly not the worst longshot I've ever seen. She wasn't far off I Am A Star (below) in the G1 Myer Classic. Smart As You Think is suited back to fillies and mares grade and her fresh run was solid. One for wider exotics.

Locky's Selections

10. Schism EACH-WAY

OTHER BETS

Snitzson (Flemington Race 3 No. 6) flew late last start and his splits for the final furlong were some of the best of the day. The Hayes / Dabernig yard is flying and Mark Zahra is also in pretty good nick and he'll lob in a lovely spot from the good draw. He has won previously at the track and trip and let's not forget he did finish third (below) to Hey Doc in the G1 Australian Guineas here at Flemington six months ago. Each-way.

Tom Melbourne (Randwick Race 4 No. 3) should be renamed Tom Sydney according to prominent tipster Ron Dufficy and it's hard to argue with that looking at his form since coming to the Waller stable. Tom Melbourne that is, not Ron Dufficy. But I digress. The horse had no luck first-up when he ran into more dead-ends than Shaggy and Scooby-Doo and last start he held off bar Happy Clapper in the G2 Tramway Stakes. Maps well.

Amelie's Star (Flemington Race 9 No. 3) won the G2 Queen Of The South Stakes third-up last prep at a mile and that was the first and only time she's been ridden by Damian Lane. When he combines with Darren Weir - beware! At her next start this mare was only a length and a half off Sense Of Occasion in a G1 Doomben Cup. She can cut the corners from barrier one but she'll need luck.

Good punting!