Well, it's Christmas Day…for blokes anyway, and nine top quality races are ready to be studied in what is Australia’s best day of racing for the year.
More than 60,000 people are predicted to be on course at Flemington on Saturday with the Flemington carnival kicking off.
The track is currently rated a Soft 6 and the first race gets underway at 12:20pm.
Brendan Bunworth brings you his free horse racing tips with previews and best bets for every race on the card.
Flemington Racing Tips: Saturday October 29th
Race 1
(12) Pungo for arguably the best trainer/jockey combination in Australia, Chris Waller and James McDonald combine with this So You Think colt who was backed into $1.70 on debut when he won at Warwick Farm on a Heavy 8 surface. He led all of the way that day and from barrier one he should be able to push up early.
(1) Tijuana is fit and may look to take the sit behind Pungo from barrier two. He can handle the Soft going. Despite running fifth he was beaten less than a length in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas last time.
(2) Sandpaper is second up from a spell, and he has a good record second up as well. The James Cummings team is firing, and he did battle on well when winning at Caulfield last start.
(4) The Fortune Teller has barrier 12 which is a negative over the mile trip but is down in class a little.
(6) Elkington Road also has a wide barrier in 11 but was only beaten 1.7L when 10th in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.
(12) Pungo WIN
$3.50 (2 Units)
Race 2
(3) Chapada gets the blinkers on this time and has been running fairly well without winning. Despite being trapped wide in the Caulfield Cup he wasn't too far away when 12th only beaten 4L. He will be big odds again, but he has been working well at the Moroney stables and the team does know how to train a stayer. He hasn't placed in his last 10 starts but he hasn't been disgraced either and the stable has won this race before.
(6) Makram is racing well and did run on well in the Herbert Power for 2nd before running another good race in the Geelong Cup (3rd). The Hayes stable are confident, and Craig Williams is on. Likes Flemington.
(7) Realm of Flowers likes Soft tracks and had no luck in the Metropolitan when third and has come in a couple of points since the market opened.
(8) Surefire has been supported by punters his last five starts and is 100 percent fit now. Is the likely fav but may be too short in odds.
(3) Chapada WIN
$26 (1 Unit)
Race 3
(4) Sirius Suspect will try and lead this field with Willow on board. He loves Flemington and loves Soft ground. He won the Aurie’s Star at this track (Group 2) two starts back and he is slightly down in class.
(5) General Beau is fitter now but don't want any rain on the day. He has never been out of the placings at Flemington.
(6) Gravina loves Soft tracks but i think they may be too slick for him. Will be running on.
(8) Triple Missile will settle in the back half of the field but does have a powerful finish on him but I worry there might not be enough pace on in this race.
(4) Sirius Suspect WIN
$16 (1 Unit)
Race 4
(3) So Dazzling ran on quite well at Newcastle when third three weeks ago and trainer John Sargent does have a high opinion of her. Ollie is on and she has proven that she can handle rain-affected tracks in the past. She will likely settle midfield or just worse and will be running on.
(8) As Time Goes By has the inside barrier and the blinkers go on. She was only 2.7L behind She’s Licketysplit at this track two starts back.
(1) Jenny Jerome has been racing in harder races than this but has drawn badly in 14. Patrick Payne has her fit but will she get caught wide?
(2) Pavitra may lead this field and she won well when doing just that at Kembla Grange three runs back.
(3) So Dazzling WIN
$9 (1 Unit)
Race 5
(8) Old Flame was luckless last start when seventh at Caulfield. Whether or not Jamie Kah rode the horse poorly on that occasion is up for debate but JMac hops on for Peter Snowden this time. Barrier two should see him get a nice run and he will likely settle midfield. Before his seventh last start he probably should have won at Rosehill too when second beaten half a length.
(7) Turaath won well at Geelong last start, and she does go well on wet tracks. She will settle back in the run and if the pace is on, look out late.
(5) Crosshaven wasn't too far away in a Listed race at Caulfield last time and should appreciate the rise in distance.
(3) The Inferno will find this a little easier than the Group 1 Moir Stakes.
(8) Old Flame WIN
$5.50 (3 Units)
Race 6
(2) Best of Bordeaux is an on-pace runner who is very tough. From barrier 17 Ben Melham, who has won on him before can get plenty of room on the outside fence and hope to pinch a break before the run-on horses arrive late. His third in the Manikato was brave but this is likely his Grand Final.
(15) In Secret is almost my top choice but the price is a bit short i reckon. He goes back from 1400m to 1200m for Team Cummings and he will settle midfield. He is the best horse in the race, but the value just isn’t there.
(14) Coolangatta will be in this for a long way but will get swallowed up over the last 100m i feel. Craig Williams is on which is a plus.
(6) Buenos Noches will be making his run down the outside after drawing barrier 15. He likes the wet and he trialed up nicely in readiness for this.
(2) Best of Bordeaux WIN
$19 (1 Unit)
Race 7
(12) Beradino at nice odds is a genuine stayer and will be one that is making up lengths late. He probably doesn't want too much rain on the day and his best run of the campaign has been the second to Mr Maestro two starts back when he stormed home. Are others better than him? Yes, definitely. But at the big odds and with Ollie on, I think he is way over the odds. He was fifth beaten 5L behind the favourite in Berkeley Square last week but that was over 2040m. The step up in distance will be appreciated.
(2) Berkeley Square ticks all of the boxes really. Loves the track, in-form galloper, two from two at Flemington and did win well last start. The current odds of $3.50 is too short though. Add another dollar to that and he is probably my top tip. Willow gets a good barrier in five and he should position up around midfield. He had a gun run last week but if he doesn't this week, can he still win?
(4) Mr Maestro just got there for punters in the Norman Robinson two weeks ago but barrier 17 is a big concern.
(5) Pericles will take a forward position, but will he run a strong 2500m? He likes wet tracks and will firm in the market if it rains on the day.
(12) Beradino E/W
$41/$7.00 (0.5 Units E/W)
Race 8
(14) La Crique will run in Australia for the first time but is one of New Zealand's finest. JMac is on and she is three from three on Soft ground. She is third up for this race and she has won third up before.
(2) Nimalee is a very consistent racehorse and goes well in these conditions. She was beaten less than a length when third at Randwick last start (Soft6) and she did beat the well fancied Palasipan three starts back.
(7) Palasipan will settle on-pace and has the experienced Chris Munce on top. She ran on nicely for second behind the talented Chain of Lightning last time.
(5) Excelida likes Flemington and worked well up the straight midweek.
(14) La Crique WIN
$2.50 (3 Units)
Race 9
(3) Zapateo slowly plugged away and got fourth at Caulfield last start, but I feel she may have been in the wrong part of the track there and they weren't really running on. She was well backed in that race on the efforts of a great win at Caulfield the start before that. She will go to the grandstand side down the straight and should get a good run in transit.
(7) Written Beauty is ready to go now for the Waller team after two fair runs after a spell. She goes well on Soft ground and she almost got there in the Golden Plume when a couple of lengths in front of Zapateo.
(16) Veranskova was a two-length winner at Flemington two starts back after she ran on very well. If they go silly up front, then she will be one to watch late.
(17) Shalstar will go forward for Willow and the Paul Messara team does have a very good winning strike rate. Has won three from four on Soft ground.
(3) Zapateo WIN
$8.50 (2 Units)
