How to give yourself the best chance of winning $250,000 in the All-Star Mile

It’s crunch time for All-Star Mile voting — and a smart pick can put you in the running for a cash windfall. Here’s how to choose the right horse to back.

Public voting to decide the first 10 horses to win a spot in the 2021 All-Star Mile is at the pointy end.

Voters are deciding which of the 81 nominated horses will get a guaranteed place in the $5 million race, to be run at The Valley on March 13.

Another other five horses will be given wildcard entries to make up the final field of 15.

Voting closes at 11.59pm on Sunday, which means there are just hours left to cast a vote and be in the running to grab the $250,000 prize handed to the “owner” of the winning horse.

One voter will be assigned honorary ownership of each horse, with each owner to get a share of the $500,000 total prize pool.

Voting is now in the blackout period, which means the horses’ positions on the leaderboard are under wraps until after the public vote closes.

And that means it will pay to be prudent with your vote if you want a chance at the prize pool.

After all, you’ve got to be in it to win it — so you will want to back a horse that gets a spot in the field.

You might already have a favourite to back, but if not, here are our sure-fire tips for making your choice. When voting, look for a horse that:

IS GOOD FRIENDS WITH THE WINNING POST

We need a horse that knows how to win, a great winning strike rate is a must and shows the horse hates losing!

Our pick: THE HARROVIAN – has won 11 races straight!

Arcadia Queen is well-versed in running anticlockwise, which will be an advantage at Moonee Valley. Picture: Quinn Rooney, Getty Images

KNOWS HOW TO WIN RUNNING ANTICLOCKWISE

The Valley track races anticlockwise, which means the horses turn on their left hand, or nearside and we want a horse comfortable racing in that direction.

Our pick: ARCADIA QUEEN – Has won seven races anticlockwise.

HAS WON AT THE 1600M RACE DISTANCE

The All-Star Mile is just that — “a mile”. Or in metrics, 1600m.

We are looking for a horse with enough tenacity to run the distance but still have the speed to beat a hot field.

Our pick: PROBABEEL – Winner of two from three at 1600m and second on the other occasion.

NZ horse Probabeel as a solid record in 1600m races. Picture: Reg Ryan, Racing Photos

LIKES MELBOURNE WEATHER

We all know Melbourne weather can be fickle but The Valley surface handles rain and even if it’s wet the ground will be suitable to most horses. Find one that handles wet and dry though. Our pick: BEHEMOTH – He’s the winner of three races on soft tracks and five on good tracks.

WEARS PRETTY COLOURED SILKS

We’ve all got a favourite colour and that might be the key, but also remember it’s much easier to watch your horse in the race if they have bright colours.

Our pick: STILL A STAR – You won’t miss the flashy chestnut with the yellow, red and black livery.

The All-Star Mile is at The Valley on March 13. Cast your vote at allstarmile.com.au