Expert tips and betting strategies for the 2024 Winterbottom Stakes, Festival Stakes and Zipping Classic

Seventeen experts from Racenet and Punters provide their tips and betting strategies for Group racing across three states on Saturday.

Saddle up punters – Group 1 racing continues at Ascot in Perth on Saturday, while we also have black type racing at Rosehill Gardens and Caulfield.

Racenet and Punters experts, listed in alphabetical order, have listed their top three selections for the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot, the Group 2 Zipping Classic at Caulfield and the Group 3 Festival Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.

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ADAM SHERRY

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Western Empire (No. 2)
2nd – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
3rd – Overpass (No. 1)
Suggested bet: Western Empire (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Arapaho (No. 3)
2nd – Naval College (No. 12)
3rd – Kingswood (No. 14)
Suggested bet: Arapaho (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
2nd – St Lawrence (No. 6)
3rd – Kintyre (No. 10)
Suggested bet: Mighty Ulysses (each-way)

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ADAM DOBBIN

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
2nd – Western Empire (No. 2)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Lady Laguna (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Arapaho (No. 3)
2nd – Kingswood (No. 14)
3rd – Naval College (No. 12)
Suggested bet: Arapaho (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
2nd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
3rd – Uzziah (No. 18)
Suggested bet: Mighty Ulysses (each-way)

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ALEX DONNELLY

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Overpass (No. 1)
2nd – Western Empire (No. 2)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Overpass (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Naval College (No. 12)
2nd – Arapaho (No. 3)
3rd – Muramasa (No. 9)
Suggested bet: Naval College (place)

Festival Stakes
1st – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
2nd – St Lawrence (No. 6)
3rd – Kintyre (No. 10)
Suggested bet: Mighty Ulysses (each-way)

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BEN DORRIES

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Overpass (No. 1)
2nd – Bravo Centurion (No. 11)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Overpass (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Star Vega (No. 13)
2nd – Kingswood (No. 14)
3rd – Serpentine (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Star Vega (each-way)

Festival Stakes
1st – Kintyre (No. 10)
2nd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
3rd – St Lawrence (No. 6)
Suggested bet: Kintyre (each-way)

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BRAD WATERS

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Western Empire (No. 2)
2nd – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Western Empire (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Kingswood (No. 14)
2nd – Little Mix (No. 15)
3rd – Mankayan (No. 9)
Suggested bet: Kingswood (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – St Lawrence (No. 6)
2nd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
3rd – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
Suggested bet: St Lawrence (win)

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CHRIS VERNUCCIO

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Maharba (No. 5)
2nd – Overpass (No. 1)
3rd – Western Empire (No. 2)
Suggested bet: Maharba (each-way)

Zipping Classic
1st – Kingswood (No. 14)
2nd – Arapaho (No. 3)
3rd – Smokin’ Romans (No. 4)
Suggested bet: Kingswood (each-way)

Festival Stakes
1st – St Lawrence (No. 6)
2nd – Xidaki (No. 7)
3rd – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
Suggested bet: St Lawrence (each-way)

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CLINTON PAYNE

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
2nd – Western Empire (No. 2)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Lady Laguna (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Arapaho (No. 3)
2nd – Kingswood (No. 14)
3rd – Naval College (No. 12)
Suggested bet: Arapaho (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
2nd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
3rd – Uzziah (No. 18)
Suggested bet: Mighty Ulysses (each-way)

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DANIEL SANKEY

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
2nd – Western Empire (No. 2)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Lady Laguna (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Arapaho (No. 3)
2nd – Muramasa (No. 10)
3rd – Kingswood (No. 14)
Suggested bet: Arapaho (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – Kintyre (No. 10)
2nd – St Lawrence (No. 6)
3rd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
Suggested bet: Kintyre (each-way)

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GILBERT GARDNER

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Western Empire (No. 2)
2nd – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Western Empire (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Little Mix (No. 14)
2nd – Berkeley Square (No. 6)
3rd – Arapaho (No. 3)
Suggested bet: Little Mix (each way)

Festival Stakes
1st – St Lawrence (No. 6)
2nd – Xidaki (No. 7)
3rd – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
Suggested bet: St Lawrence (win)

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JAMES LAMB

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Overpass (No. 1)
2nd – Western Empire (No. 2)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Overpass (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Arapaho (No. 3)
2nd – Kingswood (No. 14)
3rd – Naval College (No. 12)
Suggested bet: Arapaho (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – Robusto (No. 11)
2nd – Uzziah (No. 18)
3rd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
Suggested bet: Robusto (each-way)

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JETT HATTON

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Western Empire (No. 2)
2nd – Overpass (No. 1)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Western Empire (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Nonconformist (No. 2)
2nd – Arapaho (No. 3)
3rd – Little Mix (No. 15)
Suggested bet: Nonconformist (each-way)

Festival Stakes
1st – St Lawrence (No. 6)
2nd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
3rd – Xidaki (No. 7)
Suggested bet: St Lawrence (win)

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LUKE SHEEHAN

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Maharba (No. 5)
2nd – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
3rd – Snowdome (No. 8)
Suggested bet: Maharba (each-way)

Zipping Classic
1st – Smokin’ Romans (No. 4)
2nd – Arapaho (No. 3)
3rd – Vow And Declare (No. 1)
Suggested bet: Smokin’ Romans (each-way)

Festival Stakes
1st – Coastwatch (No. 8)
2nd – St Lawrence (No. 6)
3rd – Private Eye (No. 1)
Suggested bet: Coastwatch (each-way)

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MITCH COHEN

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Overpass (No. 1)
2nd – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Lady Laguna (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Arapaho (No. 3)
2nd – Kingswood (No. 14)
3rd – Naval College (No. 12)
Suggested bet: Arapaho (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – Xidaki (No. 7)
2nd – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
3rd – St Lawrence (No. 6)
Suggested bet: Xidaki (No. 7)

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SHAYNE O’CASS

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Maharba (No. 5)
2nd – Overpass (No.1)
3rd – Saloon Bar (No. 6)
Suggested bet: Marhaba (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Naval College (No.12)
2nd – Kingswood (No. 14)
3rd – Little Mix (No. 15)
Suggested bet: Naval College (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – Tannhauser (No. 15)
2nd – Private Eye (No. 1)
3rd – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
Suggested bet: Tannhauser (each-way)

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TRENTON AKERS

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Lady Laguna (No. 15)
2nd – Western Empire (No. 2)
3rd – Maharba (No. 5)
Suggested bet: Lady Laguna (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Nonconformist (No. 2)
2nd – Star Vega (No. 13)
3rd – Naval College (No. 12)
Suggested bet: Nonconformist (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – Mighty Ulysses (No. 2)
2nd – St Lawrence (No. 6)
3rd – Xidaki (No. 7)
Suggested bet: Mighty Ulysses (win)

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TYLER MAUND

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Maharba (No. 5)
2nd – Western Empire (No. 2)
3rd – Overpass (No. 1)
Suggested bet: Maharba (each way)

Zipping Classic
1st – Arapaho (No. 3)
2nd – Berkeley Square (No. 6)
3rd – Kingswood (No. 14)
Suggested bet: Arapaho (win)

Festival Stakes
1st – St Lawrence (No. 6)
2nd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
3rd – Private Eye (No. 1)
Suggested bet: St Lawrence (win)

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XAVIER PEGUM

Winterbottom Stakes
1st – Maharba (No. 5)
2nd – Western Empire (No. 2)
3rd – Overpass (No.1)
Suggested bet: Maharba (win)

Zipping Classic
1st – Herman Hesse (No.8)
2nd – Smokin Romans (No.4)
3rd – Muramasa (No. 10)
Suggested bet: Herman Hesse (each-way)

Festival Stakes
1st – St Lawrence (No.6)
2nd – Chrysaor (No. 4)
3rd – Uzziah (No. 18)
Suggested bet: St Lawrence (win)

Originally published as Expert tips and betting strategies for the 2024 Winterbottom Stakes, Festival Stakes and Zipping Classic