Five major players with bigger plans than just this weekend

MATT Stewart identifies five classy horses — four at Moonee Valley, one at Rosehill — who will run well on Saturday and be significant players this spring.

MATT Stewart identifies five classy horses — four at Moonee Valley, one at Rosehill — who will run well on Saturday and be significant players this spring.

HOT TIPS: WEEKEND BEST BETS

THE EARLY OIL: MOONEE VALLEY

RACE WATCH: DAVO’S TIPS FOR ROSEHILL

SPRING CARNIVAL: THOSE DATES THAT MATTER

PARIAH

Rosehill Race 7, No. 2

Three-year-old colt

Trainers: Peter and Paul Snowden

The Snowden’s have had enough top 3YO colts in recent times to know when the next one comes along and Paul Snowden says this one has “X factor.’’ Blue Diamond runner-up in the summer. Has been trialling brilliantly.

SPRING AIM: THE GOLDEN ROSE

Big expectations: Tulip appears has enough upside to go very deep this spring. Picture: AAP

TULIP

Moonee Valley Race 3, No. 1

Three-year-old filly

Trainers: Team Hayes

Could easily have highlighted Limestone, Ramooz or Garrard in same race. Classy group resuming. But Tulip might have the most scope for races like the Thousand Guineas. Great pedigree, all quality.

SPRING AIM: THOUSAND GUINEAS

ALMANDIN

Moonee Valley Race 5, No. 1

Eight-year-old gelding

Trainer: Rob Hickmott

Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner not sighted since that win and (ambitiously) at $21 to go back-to-back. Had niggles that have had to be sorted out. Suggest he’s not classy enough to be a repeat Cup winner but this is the first stepping stone.

SPRING AIM: MELBOURNE CUP

Can he win another? Melbourne Cup champion Almandin eats grass out of his biggest prize at Macedon Lodge last November.

FRANKEL MY DEAR

Moonee Valley Race 6 No. 11

Three-year-old colt

Trainer: Rob Laing

Famous for being famous as the first Frankel to race Down Under. Huge effort that day, coming from well back off slack tempo at Flemington and now the focus is on if he can win a major race.

SPRING AIM: CAULFIELD GUINEAS

Heatherly wins Race 2, during Melbourne Racing at Flemington Racecourse on March 4, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

HEATHERLY

Moonee Valley Race 7 No. 10

Five-year-old mare

Trainers: Ellerton/Zahra

Bit hit and miss from the barriers but very fast and classy. Betting says will win this and then become a spring factor.

SPRING AIM: MOIR STAKES