MANIKATO STAKES - 1200m, Moonee Valley R8

The Manikato Stakes has assembled a small but select field this year, with many rivals scared away by the presence of the all-conquering Imperatriz. Connections of the star New Zealand mare elected to avoid the Everest and focus on the Melbourne sprint races instead, a decision that has paid dividends so far with two wins from two starts, and the promise of more to come.

Imperatriz finds herself nine ratings points clear of her nearest rivals, which gives her a decisive advantage at weight-for-age. Her last three runs, all of which have been at Moonee Valley, have seen her run two track records at 1000m, and also a Group 1 win over the 1200m that she runs on Saturday.

The mare that Imperatriz beat into second last start, Asfoora, came out and won the Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield by three lengths, franking the form even further. It’s impossible to find a weakness, and it’s almost a case of “any odds are good odds”.

Buenos Noches has to be seen as the main danger, if only because form from The Everest stands up year after year, and deserves to be trusted until proven otherwise. That said, he was one of few disappointing runs in that race, and it could be that he much prefers the sting out of the track as opposed to firm going. That being the case, Moonee Valley should be to his liking.

Uncommon James and The Inferno were third and fourth respectively behind Imperatriz in the Moir Stakes. Uncommon James is an Oakleigh Plate winner that always runs well, and is capable of giving the favourite a scare if she is not at her best, while The Inferno has been going okay but often gets a long way back and finds it hard to win.

I Am Me is a bit of fresh blood, even though she’s a five-year-old mare. A winner of nine races from her 16 starts, her Sydney Stakes win last start was against a good field, and shows that she hasn’t reached a ceiling yet.

Jigsaw will lead this field and is better suited around a turn than he was down the straight first-up at Flemington. He’s won at this course and distance, and if the rail is hot as can sometimes happen at the Valley, he’ll shorten in the market and take some catching.

Selections: 1.Imperatriz 2.Buenos Noches 3.Uncommon James 4.I Am Me

Cameron rose's Tip

IMPERATRIZ

WIN

Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes 28 October 16:20

6. Imperatriz

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

CRYSTAL MILE - 1600m, Moonee Valley R5

The Crystal Mile has attracted a very classy field, despite only having the six runners. Tuvalu and Antino are fighting out favouritism in the early markets, and they are both easy to like.

Tuvalu has won a Toorak Handicap at 1600m, and been placed in an Underwood, Cantala and Rupert Clarke and Group 1 level too. He crossed the line with Attrition in the Feehan Stakes two back, and that horse then won a Toorak himself, while his last start second to Alligator Blood in the Underwood says he wouldn’t be out of place in the Cox Plate.

Antino doesn’t quite have the record of Tuvalu, but he is still so lightly raced for a five-year-old, having had only 12 starts for 9 wins. He’s clearly still on the up, and was just nosed out by Attrition in that Toorak, so tying the form together suggests there is nothing between the two favourites here. It might just be advantage Tuvalu from a more inside barrier, who may be in front of Antino in the run?

Prowess is the x-factor Kiwi mare, who was on a Cox Plate path until a setback in August left the James/Wellwood stable with too little time to get ready for a tough 2040m. She was beaten as an odds-on favourite first-up in New Zealand, but perhaps didn’t relish the shifting track – the stable felt she was going to need the hit-out, but is she going to be half a run short here?

Bankers Choice ran second in this race last year after finishing 10^th in the Toorak, and now comes into having finished third in the same race. He’s a good horse on his day, but isn’t the most reliable performer, although the Moroney stable is having a hot little patch at the moment.

Selections: 1.Tuvalu 2.Antino 3.Prowess 4.Bankers Choice

Cameron rose's Tip

TUVALU

WIN

Mccafe Crystal Mile 28 October 14:30

1. Tuvalu

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

THE VASE - 2040m, Moonee Valley R7

The Vase sees the three-year-old’s tackling the Cox Plate distance of 2040m on their way to the VRC Derby, or possibly the VRC Oaks for the lone filly in the field.

It’s hard to ignore the Caulfield Guineas as the premium form reference for a race like this, and only one horse in this line-up, Verdad, comes from that race. Apart from a few horses that dropped out, it was a race of little change given the moderate tempo, and most finished roughly in their settling position.

While Verdad finished four lengths off the winner Griff there, the start before in the Stutt Stakes here at the Valley, he was less than half a length away from him in second. In that race, Autumn Angel ran third, and we saw here come out and win the Ethereal Stakes last Saturday. So Verdad is proven at the Valley, has mixed it with subsequent winners, has long been seen as a distance horse by Griffiths & de Kock team, and should still be improving lining up for his fourth career start. He’s hard to go past.

Apulia has been going along nicely as he tracks towards the Derby, and the one week back-up after a nice run in the Norman Robinson strikes as suitable. There is a nice bit of speed in this race, and if he gets a suitable tempo, the son of Fiorente out of a High Chaparral mare is bred for endurance.

Sydney form usually measures up in Melbourne at this time of year, particularly in the three-year-old races. Snowman comes down from the Gloaming Stakes, where he was honest in defeat, and now has two 1800m runs as his platform for this 2040m assignment. Both Snowman and Apulia have been chasing Riff Rocket in recent times.

Air Assault is a point of difference, coming over from Adelaide. He’s had an unusual campaign of two 1200m runs before stepping sharply up to 1800m in the Hill Stakes last time out. He was a dominant winner over a couple of handy types in that race, and will surely have taken great benefit from it.

Selections: 1.Verdad 2.Apulia 3.Snowman 4.Air Assault

Cameron rose's Tip

VERDAD

WIN

Drummond Golf Vase 28 October 15:40

3. Verdad

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

FILLIES CLASSIC - 1600m, Moonee Valley R6

The Fillies Classic has brought together an even field of up-and-comers, with no real standout among them on paper, and it strikes as the sort of race where many in the field could jump out of the ground without surprising.

Carina Queen has only had the three starts, and despite winning two of them, could easily be unbeaten. First-up this prep she ran into all sorts of strife when cramped for room at various stages, but still hit the line pleasingly. Stepping up to 1400m last start, she chased hard to get the better of the smart Enna’s Dream, and Moesha, who ran so well in the Tranquil Star last Saturday. 1600m suits now, and she looks a lovely each-way play from a nice draw.

Skybird is unbeaten from two starts, both wins with authority from back in the field on the country circuit, and she deserves her crack at some black type now. Beau Mertens will have to go back from a wide gate, and she’ll need the speed to be on, but looks a filly that will flourish even more at a mile.

Captain Amelia brings the Group 1 form to the race, coming down from the Flight Stakes in Sydney. She ran a closing fifth there after starting at $81, having been $101 in the Tea Rose the start before. It’s not exactly the SP profile of a coming winner, but she is down a notch here, and a repeat of that Flight run wins probably this race.

Aprilia has been running honestly and building to a win in the fillies races over the spring carnival so far. Many of them have been racing each other and having their chance, but no real hidden gems have emerged. Still, you know this filly will keep fronting up and giving herself a chance.

Selections: 1.Carina Queen 2.Skybird 3.Captain Amelia 4.Aprilia

Cameron rose's Tip

CARINA QUEEN

EACH-WAY

3 Point Motors Fillies Classic 28 October 15:05

3. Carina Queen

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

TESIO STAKES - 1600m, Moonee Valley R3

The Tesio gives the mares a chance to get a Group 3 win over 1600m on their breeding page, and some of these will no doubt continue on to a Matriarch Stakes in Melbourne Cup week.

Wishlor Lass is coming here off two wins in a row, jumping at $2.20 both times, and she presents at a similar quote again. Her Ladies Day Vase win at Caulfield was full of merit given it was Barbie’s Fox and Foxy Frida in the placings behind her – both are proven as classy mares around this distance range.

Wishlor Lass goes forward to either lead or take a sit, and is proving hard to run down. Having only had three runs this campaign, she shouldn’t be at the bottom yet and will clearly be the one to beat.

Macarana couldn’t go with Wishlor Lass last start, and was beaten some four and a half lengths, but gets an appreciable 5kg turnaround now. It could keep her in the game if the favourite starts to labour under a bigger weight in this grade.

Soul Choice may challenge Wishlor Lass for the lead, given Linda Meech has been engaged, so it will be an interesting tactical battle early between those two. Soul Choice was competitive in the Angst Stakes last start in Sydney, and getting 5kg’s off the favourite may prove telling if the two are going to the line together.

Thalassophile also ran well in the Angst, finishing just in front of Soul Choice there, but meets her 4.5kg’s worse for it now. She was quickly 1200m up to 1600m there, so will be better for the run, but it might just be one more needed for her.

Selections: 1.Wishlor Lass 2.Soul Choice 3.Maracana 4.Thalassophile

Cameron rose's Tip

WISHLOR LASS

WIN

Powerflo Solutions Tesio Stakes 28 October 13:20

2. Wishlor Lass

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

RED ANCHOR STAKES - 1200m, Moonee Valley R10

The Red Anchor will take some working out for punters, with a few proven types taking on several horses that have had very limited exposure.

Barber was very good first-up with a big weight, and while only fair last start, he still was only two lengths behind King’s Gambit – that colt is equal favourite for the Coolmore Stud Stakes on Derby Day, so the form can easily measure up in this lesser race.

Maharaba is a nice type that won here at the Valley last start, beating subsequent winner Brave Mead. Archo Nacho was a disappointment in the Danehill after winning a funny race in the Poseidon Stakes the start prior. Both are in the game.

There are three horses here coming off big maiden wins, that are very difficult to line up. Loose On Gin won a Hamilton maiden by almost four lengths after running Scentify close previously, Schwarz won a Gosford maiden by a similar margin on debut and presents here second-up, while Le Parrain did the same on the same day, with both of those horses winning from the front.

Leaning toward the two Gosford winners as the main threat to Barber and co here, with both having several trials under their belt before those debut’s, but it’s a race where not much would surprise.

Selections: 1.Barber 2.Schwarz 3.Le Parrain 4.Maharba

Cameron rose's Tip

BARBER

EACH-WAY

Sharp Eit Solutions Red Anchor Stakes 28 October 17:50

1. Barber

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds