2010 Aurie’s Star Handicap Preview & Tips

2010 Aurie’s Star Handicap

There is an eight race program at Flemington and the track is currently rated as heavy. The feature race is the Group 3 $150,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap over 1200 metres and there is a field of eleven runners.

Runners in the 2010 Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington

The topweight is the ten-year-old Royal Ida who will carry 57.5kg and hasn’t been far away at his two runs in from a spell. Headway is the only Group 1 winner in the field but hasn’t won since the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes last October. She returns from a spell and has never won first up. Elusive Touch has only been unplaced once in 8 runs and has had a recent pattern of a month break then a run and has come first and second at his last two. I feel he could win again here.

Both The Handsome One and Uxorious are very lightly raced and both have excellent strike rates. The Handsome One is from the Greg Eurell stable who won this race last year with Mic Mac. The Viking Turf Belle has been going well in mares races but seems to be a Moonee Valley specialist. Grand Duels often manages to place on the straight track at Flemington while Cheronbutch will race well fresh.

2010 Aurie’s Star Handicap Early Betting Market

The early betting at IASBet has Headway as $4 favourite ahead of Elusive Touch at $4.20. Next in the market is Beltrois at $7, The Handsome One at $8.50, Royal Ida at $9, Grand Duels and Viking Turf Belle both at $13, Spacecraft at $15, Cheronbutch and Uxorious both at $16 and Leica Larrikin at $31.

Jo’s Tips:

1. Elusive Touch, 2. The Handsome One, 3. Royal Ida