Track: Wet    Weather: Rain

The early scratching of Forever Free leaves a field of seventeen for the $140,000 Cap D’Antibe Stakes.  Expect further scratchings with plenty of rain predicted for Melbourne on Saturday.  Six horses are first up and the rest come through a myriad of different form lines.  The resuming Minhaaj is the early favourite and she was ultra impressive the last time we saw her on her home track down the straight.  Parlophone is next in line in the betting, a filly with great talent but she has a nasty habit of bucking once the gates open.   Swats That and Letzbeglam are lightly raced and resuming.

On the next line of betting is Mildred who was last seen in the Golden Slipper.  Jenni’s Rainbow will be looking to bounce back after a testing last run at Moonee Valley.  Yosemite and Smokin’ Val were both impressive maiden winners and take the big step up to group 2 level.

1. Mildred

Mildred resumes off a run in the Group 1 Golden Slipper and is one of the few horses in the race proven down the straight.  Has been jumping out okay at Caulfield.

2. A Beautiful Night

The stable is flying but she was well beaten in an easier race first up.

3. Letzbeglam

Progressed quickly through the grades in her first prep winning a maiden and then a group 2 before running 6^th in the Group 1 Blue Diamond.  Has jumped out very well at Cranbourne in readiness for this and is a winning chance.

4. Minhaaj

Very similar to Letzbeglam, progressing quickly from a maiden to the group 1 Golden Slipper in her first preperation.  She was well fancied in the Slipper too after bolting in down the Flemington straight at her second start.  Judging by a recent jump out she looks to have come back really well and is a major hope here.

5. Forever Free – SCRATCHED

6. Parlophone

A filly with plenty of talent but has a bad habit of bucking out of the barrier.  She has done that twice, both times with Damien Oliver aboard.  Jye McNeil hops aboard here.  Right in this should she jump well.

7. Supreme Idea

Started long odds in the Group 3 Quezette but ran well.  Meets the A graders here and not sure she is quite at the level.

8. September Run

Started well in the market first up in Sydney where she ran 5^th beaten 3.1 lengths.  Always need to respect a horse that is trained by Chris Waller and ridden by Craig Williams.

9. Swats That

Swats That won the $250,000 Gold Rush at Bendigo on debut before failing in a group 2 on a heavy track in Sydney.  Subsequently spelled and is resuming here and there has already been some good money for her since markets opened.

10. Standoff

Has had time off since running 3^rd at this track in easier company.  This looks too hard.

11. Peggy Selene

Been racing well against a lesser class of horse.  A big step up here but is one of the fit horses in the race.

12. Unstoppabelle

This looks too hard.

13. Yosemite

She resumed with a terrific win at Bendigo in a a strong maiden race.  A big step up in grade here but she clearly has got good talent and is untapped.  Might be after further now but look for her flashing late with the group 1 1000 guineas in mind.

14. Zooming Zebra

Finished off well at Bendigo behind Tydeus who is well fancied in the Dane Hill Stakes.  This is a big ask though.

15. Jenni’s Rainbow

Bolted in on debut on the synthetic and then struck a heavy track where it was virtually impossible to make ground.  Must forgive that run.  Can run a big race at good odds.

16. Gypsy Choice

The Price and Kent team just keep producing good three year olds – this one bolted in at Moe.  Hard to know how to line her up but it would not shock to see her in the finish.

17. Smokin’ Val

Big odds on debut at Murray Bridge where she was a very impressive winner.  Clearly that was a much weaker class than she meets here but I love a young horse that can take a gap.  Damien Oliver booked too.  Don’t rule her out.

18. Amuri

The sole debutant in the field.  I have been impressed with both jump outs, and she is clearly talented but it is a massive ask to be winning this type of race on debut.

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips	Lewis’ Tips
4 Minhaaj	4. Minhaaj
1 Mildred	6. Parlophone
3 Letzbeglam	3. Letzbeglam
17 Smokin’ Val	15. Jenni’s Rainbow

The track was rated as Soft 5

Scratchings were 5. Forever Free, 11. Peggy Selene, 17. Smokin’ Val.

Result	Horse	Margin
1st	8. September Run
2nd	9. Swats That	0.8 length
3rd	4. Minhaaj	1.2 lengths
4th	3. Letzbeglam	2.6 lengths