This year's edition of the Group 2 Zipping Classic shapes up to be a thrilling race.
Leading market contenders Sound, Brimham Rocks and Future Score have all come through the Hotham on Derby Day.
Meanwhile current favourite Avilius looks to recapture his luckless flashing light run in the Caulfield Cup, after failing to fire in the Melbourne Cup.
It's the feature race on a cracking Sandown card, as the Melbourne Spring carnival has it's swan song.
The rail is in the true position on the Hillside track and the forecast for Melbourne is warm weather and clear skies.
At this set-up, you can expect the track to play fair and all runners to get their chance.
Sometimes Sandown can dictate to the leaders, so watch the early races to get a guide on the pattern before diving in late in the day.
The Map
There's no clear speed engaged in this small field over a mile-and-a-half, so I expect Levendi (2) to kick up from barrier 3 to lead while Brimham Rocks (3) and Sound (9) roll across from the outside to settle in the box seat.
This will allow Future Score (5), and Lord Belvedere (6) to take a midfield position with cover while Princess Jenni (8), Avilius (1) and Attorney (7) can be ridden towards the tail.
Analysis & Tips
1st Avilius $4.00
Keen to be with the class runner in the race, despite his most recent failure in the Melbourne Cup.
He clearly doesn’t stay two-miles and will appreciate dropping back to 2400m, where he boasts multiple top three finishes including a Group 1 Tancred Stakes scalp and more recently a flashing light Caulfield Cup run.
While he hasn’t won a race in over 12 months, this is the weakest opposition he’s faced in a long time. If he can recapture his run in the Caulfield Cup where he should’ve run top 3 with clear air, he’ll be winning here and winning well.
2nd Sound $4.40
The deserving second favourite in the race after only just being denied entry into the Melbourne Cup, when Ashrun nailed him on the line in the Hotham on Derby Day.
While he’s not in the same conversation as Avilius from a class perspective, he’s clearly going well enough this time in to be the main danger to the favourite.
The lack of early speed in the race will only benefit this galloper, as Kah will be able to roll across from outside and settle into the box seat without having to do too much work to take up a position
He’s the map horse in the race and will get all the favours up on speed, in an event which lacks genuine front-runners.
He may well be able to kick away and prove hard to run down if he can maintain his recent level of performance.
3rd Future Score $5.00
I thought his run in the Hotham was superb when running on into third after a luckless effort.
Now fourth-up, I expect him to be ready to peak at a distance that he boasts three top two finishes from three starts.
He’s a winner at this track and trip, he maps to settle midfield with cover from the favourable draw and with luck in running I expect him to figure right in the finish.
4th Brimham Rocks $7.00
This ever-consistent stayer is a must include in all your exotics and quaddie legs.
While he doesn’t win out of turn at his best, he’s good enough to be winning if Avilius isn’t on top of his game.
Now dropping back slightly in trip to 2400m from recent attempts over 2500m and 2600m, expect him to be hard to catch rolling along up on speed in a race that lacks any genuine tempo.