Happy Birthday to the racehorses on what is the first day of August for 2026. On that note we hope they all run well and can get around safely on the day, while producing us here, some winners. The Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap is the feature with War Machine the current favourite. Touchdown is the shortest priced favourite of the day at $2.10 and he will be popular in the quaddie legs.
Flemington has returned to a Good surface but a Soft 5 is still an outside chance. It’s a good day of racing and my best three plays are below. Race one of the day starts at 12:15pm (AEST).
Flemington Racing Tips: Saturday, August 1st 2026
Race 3: Phar Lap 100th Birthday 2000m - 1:25pm (AEST)
(1) Smokin’ Romans has another win Left in him I reckon. The old boy Has been racing very consistently and with this being his third try over the 2000 m this prep, he has the miles in the legs. He will race on pace again and if Johnstone can get cheap sectionals in the run he is going to be hard to run past down the straight.
(4) Star Of India has placed twice before at Flemington and the swooper will get the last crack at them if it's a fast run race. On July 18 he ran 3rd at Flemington at big odds.
(2) Glory Daze was poor last start but before that led and one at Rosehill. He Has never won on a dry track in 13 attempts which is a worry but if the track gets downgraded to Soft he is a big chance.
(1) Smokin’ Romans WIN
$4.60 (1 unit)
Race 4: Victorian Jockeys’ Association Trophy 1410m - 2pm (AEST)
(11) Fear No Evil for Waterhouse&Bott has won second up previously. He has drawn the inside and I can see him positioning up behind the leader in this race with Jordan Childs on top. I think the stable will want to pick up a better race than this in a couple of months time but he could be forward enough for this and he should get a cozy run.
(7) Sought After will get back in the run but he really does like this distance. He won at Murray Bridge in May but has been out of the placings since. Fitter now and I can see him flashing down the outside late.
(4) Darkbonee has a bad barrier with 17 but does get Mark Zahra on for the first time. He has trialled up well at Caulfield but with 61.5kg on his back and a wide draw, it's going to be hard. He is the favourite though and must be respected.
(11) Fear No Evil Each-Way
$7.50/$3.00 (1 unit)
Race 9: Vrc.com.au Sprint 1100m - 4:55pm (AEST)
(11) Just Like Gaby gets a preferred dry track here and despite having never won over the 1100m she's the favourite. She goes well when fresh and She tried up well behind Star Patrol a couple of weeks ago at Cranbourne (2nd). Last prep she won when coming from midfield after having a wide barrier (12) and with her getting another wideish barrier here (9), I think she can be too powerful for them late again. Jabez Johnstone rides her for the first time under race conditions but he is in great touch and would have ridden her in track work you would have thought.
(2) Moby Dick is a strange cat but is down in class for this. Likes Flemington and did win at the track on June 6.
(3) Naval Academy has drawn wide in barrier 12 and Ethan Brown will likely bring him over from out there. A Soft track would be better but he is very fit now.
(11) Just Like Gaby WIN
$2.80 (3 units)
Quaddie Tips
Leg one: 10
Leg two: 1, 2, 5
Leg three: 2, 4, 7, 10
Leg four: 3, 11
