The tradition continues as Derby Day greets Australians and Internationals as Victoria’s best meeting of the year awaits us. It is a later start this year, with the Carbine Club Stakes the first on the program at 12:20pm (AEDT). The track will stay Good and the last of 9 Group races will conclude at 5:40pm (AEDT).
Find our best bets for Derby Day below and make sure to head over to our Racing Tips page for more best bets from around the country this Saturday!
Flemington Racing Tips: Saturday, November 4th 2023
Race 1: Network10 Carbine Club Stakes Group 3 - 12:20pm (AEDT)
(2) Heman for Peter Snowden and Mark Zahra has drawn well here in barrier 2 and if he is to be slowly away like he has done a couple of times before, he should be able to bury up on the rails settling in around 6th position in the run. He stormed home in the Tapp-Craig stakes last time after he was 8th at the 400m mark. He ran on very well to run 4th, only beaten 1L. He is third up from a spell and should be ready to fire.
(1) Brave Mead got a lovely run to score for punters in race one on Cox Plate Day and Jamie Spencer will be hoping for the same, albeit at a totally different home straight with Flemington being almost 3 times the size of The Valley straight.
(3) Kaizad is the likely leader on his preferred Dry ground but its a long straight to lead all of the way on and there are some powerful finishers in this race.
(5) Influential has a good barrier in 3 and will settle in the top few early. The A-team of Chris Waller and James McDonald combine and this horse will attract a lot of support.
(2) Heman - WIN
$3.80 (2 Units)
Race 2: Lexus Archer Stakes Group 3 - 1pm (AEDT)
(5) United Nations was unlucky in the Caulfield Cup (10th) and he fought on pretty well really. He should settle around 4th again and if Spencer can get him to sleep, he will definitely run through the line. He has had 1 look at Flemington for a 3rd and he has placed over the 2500m on 2 occasions.
(3) Athabascan was 7th in the Moonee Valley cup but only beaten 1.8L in the end. The John O’Shea trained gelding will start fav as he tried to get into the Melbourne Cup but the worry is he has only finished in the top 3 once in 7 tries on Good ground. He is better on wet tracks.
(2) Kalapour likes the Dry ground and gets Damien Oliver on top in his final Derby Day appearance as a jockey. He gets back a bit and will be one of the best finishers late.
(4) Mostly Cloudy runs well at Flemington and has a good winning strike rate. Another who will be running on over the final 200m.
(5) United Nations - WIN
$5.50 (2 Units)
Race 3: The Furphy Sprint Group 3 - 1:40pm (AEDT)
(6) Rose Quartz has put in 2 good efforts since resuming from a winter spell and has finish runner- up on both occasions. A Dry track suits here and she does like Flemington having won at the track twice before. She hasn’t won in a year and a half which is a concern so we don’t really want to take any short odds. Blake Shinn rides her for the first time and trainer Graheme Begg has had a good 2023.
(4) Red Card is an interesting one. We tipped him in both of his Victorian starts since coming over from Sydney and he failed really. He is the likely leader but can sometimes pull in his races.
(7) Willinga Beast is one at odds that can finish close to the winner. She was 6th at Caulfield in her first run for the Spring Carnival but was only beaten 1.75L. Ollie hops off and Spencer gets on.
(10) Dancing Alone has won 2 races over this distance and may start fav in this. She has won 6 races this year including an on-pace win at Caulfield last start.
(6) Rose Quartz - Win
$4 (2 Units)
Race 4: Racing and RIsing Fast Stakes Group 3 - 2:20pm (AEDT)
(3) Gravina hasn’t won in over a year but just loves racing over this distance. He comes across from Queensland and trialed well enough at Warwick Farm behind Dashing Legend on October 19. The Cummings team have kept him very fresh for this race and his first-up form is pretty good. Good odds.
(2) Chain of Lightning found Asfoora too good last time but did plug away quite well. He is up to 1200m now which is his preferred distance.
(5) Triple Missile is the likely fav and deserves to be for Lindsay Smith. He gets his preferred Dry ground here and gets the services of JMac. His 2nd in the Gilgai at this track is a good lead up run for this.
(7) Spacewalk was beaten a neck in the Caulfield Sprint last start and didn’t have much luck.
(3) Gravina - WIN
$13 (1 Unit)
Race 5: TAB Wakeful Stakes Group 2 - 3pm (AEDT)
(1) Zardozi hasn’t performed on Good ground yet but did win at Flemington on October 7 so she can handle the track. JMac is on for Team Cummings and the Godolphin owned filly will likely come from midfield or just back of to threaten late.
(3) Konasana was 4th at Caulfield over 2000m last start but should improve with the miles in the legs for Waller and Kah. She has won on a Dry track before and she can position up handy or midfield.
(4) Harlow Mist has drawn inside and has won 2 of 3 starts on the Good. The John Sargent trained mare is 1 from 1 at this track.
(7) Subrising is pretty fit now and did make up late lengths at Caulfield last start when 4th.
(1) Zardozi - WIN
$2.50 (3 Units)
Race 6: Coolmore Stud Stakes GROUP 1 - 3:40pm (AEDT)
(1) Shinzo run a sound 9th in The Everest (beaten 3.75L) and is just a bloody good horse. He has won for JMac previously and the distance is ideal with him already won 2 times from 4 attempts over it. In the Golden Rose he was a long way back too on the turn and didn’t have much luck late when also 9th but only beaten 2.6L. He will get back again but with luck will be storming home again.
(2) Cylinder beat SHinzo last time and he does love a Dry track. The blinkers go off and barrier 14 might actually be advantageous at this stage of the day.
(5) King’s Gambit has had his runs spaced out which he enjoys. He won well at Rosehill last start and has jumped out well since in a quality field.
(6) Steparty goes back in distance which has surprised us but we can’t leave him without a mention. Blinkers go on.
(1) Shinzo - WIN
$6.50 (1 Unit)
Race 7: Penfolds Victoria Derby GROUP 1 - 4:20pm (AEDT)
(2) Verdad led and was a beaten favourite behind Apulia last start and he probably did put too much speed into the race early. He is on the quick back up and he will appreciate another Dry track here. He is a versatile horse so it doesn’t matter where he settles in the run and the Griffiths team will be up and about if they do win as they have shares in the horse as well as training it.
(3) Air Assault will be handy to the speed and will be fitter again after running 2nd in The Vase at The Valley. The bigger track may suit.
(4) Riff Ricket is the fav and has an explosive turn of foot. He was dynamite winning the Super Impose but then got gunned down late last start in the Norman Robinson (2nd).
(5) Sunsets has a bad barrier in 16 and will likely go back. When last on the turn 2 starts ago at Flemington he powered home for 4th. Will be running on again.
(2) Verdad - WIN
$6.50 (1 Unit)
Race 8: TAB Empire Rose Group 1 - 5pm (AEDT)
(1) Alcohol Free always runs in the good races and has an excellent record doing so. The Waterhouse&Bott trained mare was 4th at Randwick last start but was only defeated .6L and despite missing the placings her last couple she gets a suitable Good surface here. The mile is a good distance for this mare as she is proven over it. She has a good winning strike rate and is good odds.
(2) Princess Grace has drawn awkwardly in 12 but has won 3 races over the 1600m. Failed at this track as fav last time but improvement is expected.
(3) Hope In Your Heart has drawn the inside barrier but will drift back. She has won on 3 occasions for Tim Clark.
(4) Atishu has won at Flemington before and is another who will be looking for late gaps. Got too far back in the King Charles when 13th.
(1) Alcohol Free - WIN
$6.50 (1 Unit)
Race 9: The Damien Oliver Group 2 - 5:40pm (AEDT)
(10) Here To Shock was unlucky in The Toorak when 13th but before that he was running very well without winning. He has won 4 from 9 races over this distance and 5 races on a Good surface. He is tactically versatile and he has won for Dan Stackhouse before who stays on. A worry is though that he doesn’t go well at Flemington but we will trust the Hayes team here.
(15) Lord Vladisvostok goes well third up and was unlucky at this track last Spring. He ran on well from last at Murray Bridge last start when 3rd and he does enjoy a Dry track.
(12) Kalino likes this trip and likes Good tracks. He has had 1 start at Flemington and that was a winning one.
(8) Munhamek likes this track and has been freshened up for this.
Also Backing:
(15) Lord Vladisvostok - WIN ($14.00 at VicBet) 1 Unit
(10) Here To Shock - WIN
$10 (1 Unit)
Quaddie Tips
The easiest way to place your Quaddie bet is to click on the BoomBet BetShare button below! This will add our Flemington Quaddie selections straight into your BoomBet bet slip! You can then enter how much you wish to wager and with one click, your Quaddie has been placed!
Leg one: 1, 2
Leg two: 2, 3, 4
Leg three: 1, 2, 3, 4
Leg four: 10, 12, 15
