VRC St Leger Stakes Sandown Tips & Preview

VRC St Leger - 3000m, Sandown R8

The three-year-old’s step out in the VRC St Leger over the testing 2800m course.

The first five saddlecloths have all come through the St Leger Trial and Galilee Final over 2200m and 2400m respectively, so have had a good grounding for this kind of trip.

All five of these horses, Midnight Glow, Nightsun, Highland Hill, Kentucky Nick and Roaring Engine, essentially ran to market expectation in the Galilee.

Midnight Glow was the one that beat them all home comfortably, only just missing out in a driving finish to Bengal Boy. The John Salinitri gelding has been knocking on the door for a while now in these distance races, and would be a deserving winner.

Roaring Engine could well be next best on that formline, given he should stay until closing time and as the mostly lightly-raced of that group, may have more upside.

The others behind Midnight Glow have some work to do in order to finish in front of that horse, and it’s not immediately obvious where the necessary improvement is going to come from.

Musgrave carried 60kg’s over 2200m against older horses last start in a benchmark 58, which in itself was a big drop from the weights he’d been carrying in highweight races. He faced a few of his rivals here earlier in his career over shorter distances, but if anyone can spring a surprise at these staying trips it’s the Maher/Eustace stable.

Winning Bid is the only filly in the race, but will have no shortage of fitness with four runs over 2000m+ leading into this. Yes, they were all in maidens, so she has to find a length or two here.

Selections: 1.Midnight Glow 2.Roaring Engine 3.Musgrave 4.Winning Bid

Cameron rose's Tip

MIDNIGHT GLOW

WIN

Vrc St Leger 29 April 15:55

1. Midnight Glow

Win

Place

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

ANZAC Day Stakes - 1400m, Sandown R5

The ANZAC Day Stakes sees a line-up of mostly unproven two-year-old’s tackling each other at 1400m. Only three of the 10 juveniles has actually won a race, and all but two of them are seeing seven furlongs for the first time.

The VOBIS Showdown, run for $1M at Sandown a week and a half ago, should be the best form reference given the prizemoney that was on offer there. Shesallshenanigans was a dominant winner there, and while she isn’t here, four of those that chased her home are.

Treasurway, Mistavain and Arizona Activist all crossed the line together there, but Treasurway was the one that looked to be crying out for an extra 200m. The Jason Warren filly has run third in all five career starts in a busy first preparation, and keeps finishing off her races well but running out of time. If she is still sound, 1400m looks to be her ideal distance and she’ll take beating.

Legacies, from the Peter Moody yard, was a nice winner on debut in a Cranbourne maiden, and there is some suggestion it could have been a handy maiden, even if the form is yet to be truly tested.

Chill The Krug is one of two horses that has seen 1400m, winning over the distance at Sandown last time out. Was it the step up in trip or the soft ground that led to stark improvement? It’s worth remembering she did run second to a decent Godolphin filly on debut, so does have some form, but also a big weight to match.

Alectrona was no match for Chill The Krug in that race, but she was only on debut there, and can expect to have taken great improvement from the experience. Mistavain was similarly on debut in the Showdown, and defied his $51 quote. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be better again either.

Selections: 1.Treasurway 2.Chill The Krug 3.Legacies 4.Mistavain

Cameron rose's Tip

TREASURWAY

EACH-WAY

Anzac Day Stakes 29 April 13:55

6. Treasurway

Win

Place

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

Anniversary Stakes - 1400m, Sandown R9

We’ve got a good little race on our hands here, with a host of honest 1400m horses taking each other on in this Listed affair. Most of these have been around a while, and we know what they can and can’t do.

Buffalo River will certainly set the pace, but often goes too hard or gets caught up in early fireworks, and needs a wet track to produce his best. Crosshaven carries big weights well in these type of events, but doesn’t win out of turn. Cherry Tortoni likes the cut out and is capable of a big finish, but might prefer 1600m rather than staying at seven furlongs.

Imperial Lad seems to run in all of these, and got his win with 51kg’s on his back two starts ago. Bermadez seems to have trained off in recent times. It’s been almost three years since Riddle Me That won a race, even though he rarely runs poorly.

Cardinal Gem might be the most talented horse in the race, and almost certainly has more upside to come. He does seem to be showing a preference for soft tracks though, which he may not get here. Barrier 1 could prove tricky, and he has to carry 60kg’s.

Lady of Honour is by far the most lightly raced horse in the field, and may well prove to be the best. Two of her best career runs have been when third-up at 1400m, which is the circumstances she meets here. She’ll get every chance to park behind the speed, meets Cardinal Gem 3.5kg’s for running third to him last start, and her previous form around the likes of Aegon, Bandersnatch and Kissonallforcheeks is plenty good enough for this.

Megamea does have some talent on her day, but has proven inferior to Lady of Honour in the past.

Selections: 1.Lady of Honour 2.Cardinal Gem 3.Crosshaven 4.Megamea

Cameron rose's Tip

LADY OF HONOUR

EACH-WAY

T'bred Club Anniversary Vase 29 April 16:30

6. Lady Of Honour

Win

Place

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

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VRC St Leger Stakes at Sandown: feature races tips and previews

VRC St Leger - 3000m, Sandown R8

MIDNIGHT GLOW

ANZAC Day Stakes - 1400m, Sandown R5

TREASURWAY

Anniversary Stakes - 1400m, Sandown R9

LADY OF HONOUR

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