The Final Word with Ray and Duff

THE Daily Telegraph’s racing editor Ray Thomas and Sky Sports Radio’s form guru Ron Dufficy discuss the big races at Rosehill and Flemington.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 24: Exhibition gallop. James McDonald rides Shooting To Win during Sydney Racing at Royal Randwick Racecourse on January 24, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Anthony Johnson/Getty Images)

WILL the Golden Slipper winner race at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday? Who is Sydney’s best three-year-old? And can Deep Field protect his unbeaten record against reigning Horse of the Year Lankan Rupee and Brazen Beau at Flemington?

In what is shaping as an enthralling day’s racing, The Daily Telegraph’s racing editor Ray Thomas and Sky Sports Radio’s form guru Ron Dufficy discuss the chances in the feature races at Rosehill and Flemington.

ROSEHILL GARDENS

RACE 3: MILLIE FOX STAKES (1300m)

Ray Thomas: Catkins and Lilliburlero had a great tussle in the Breeders Classic, with Catkins scoring narrowly. Obviously both mares will be hard to beat again and Catkins has been installed as the odds-on favourite but I’m leaning to Avoid Lightning. She is another brilliant mare and races very well fresh.

Ron Dufficy: This race comes down to track conditions. If it remains in the good range, I like Lilliburlero to beat Catkins but if the track becomes rain-affected, then Avoid Lightning comes right into it.

RACE 5: SILVER SLIPPER (1100m)

Thomas: Five unbeaten horses in a seven-horse field including some of the main players in the Golden Slipper with Paceman, Headwater, Ottoman and even Voilier. I do like Headwater, Ron. I thought he was super at Moonee Valley on debut, he trialled well on Tuesday and looks a natural talent. But do we know how good the likes of Paceman, Ottoman and Voilier might be?

Headwater is all the rage in the Silver Slipper Stakes.

Dufficy: This is a ripper race. It is almost sad to see the demise of a couple of these. Imagine if these unbeaten horses were clashing in the Golden Slipper? I’m a massive Headwater fan — I just feel he is more push-button than his rivals and over 1100m he could just put them away very quickly. He maps beautifully here, he has “gears” and Blake Shinn could put him wherever he wants. I loved his trial on Tuesday. If you listen to the hype, Paceman is outstanding but I feel he is a work in progress, while Headwater is more a natural two-year-old. Ottoman got chopped out at the start of her debut race but she has got speed so it will be interesting if they use her up early.

Thomas: I suspect we might see the Golden Slipper winner today — what do you think?

Dufficy: I would say there is a 70 per cent chance we will.

RACE 6: HOBARTVILLE STAKES (1400m)

Thomas: Another super race. There is extraordinary depth in the Sydney three-year-old ranks this season.

Dufficy: It just shows how good these three-year-old races will be over The Championships.

Thomas: Shooting To Win, Hallowed Crown, Scissor Kick and Sweynesse are four absolutely outstanding colts. I thought Shooting To Win’s trial win at Randwick was excellent, I loved the way he attacked the line, I have a lot of respect for Hallowed Crown. Scissor Kick was terrific first-up but he is an unlucky horse because he has drawn the outside barrier again. Sweynesse has a lot of ability and it would not surprise me if he was right in the finish.

Dufficy: Shooting To Win won that trial without his blinkers so what happens when they put them back on! — he could be the dominant colt. I like the fact Scissor Kick has had the run back and Tye Angland should have confidence in the colt now. It has taken me a while but I’m a believer in Scissor Kick now. Shooting To Win was very good to me last preparation and I’m not ruling him out. Kermadec looks over the odds as he ran a decent race first-up behind Scissor Kick. Panzer Division is another who has had the benefit of a run under his belt.

Diametric will be better suited over 1900m on Saturday. Picture: Mark Evans

RACE 7: PARRAMATTA CUP (1900m)

Thomas: Diametric was good first-up winning on protest but then was beaten out of a place as favourite at Rosehill. He was coming back slightly in trip from 1600m to 1500m and just seemed to lack zip second-up. I’ve got to give him another chance and significantly today he goes to 1900m. Burbero is in the zone right now and Less Is More ran well when resuming after a long spell. Pajaro is similar to Diametric, ran a blinder first-up then was disappointing last start. Pajaro is a better horse than that and I would not be surprised if he ran a much improved race.

Dufficy: I’m with you, Ray, I like Diametric and Pajaro. We have to be forgiving of Diametric — it wasn’t his style of race the other day where it developed into a sprint home. He is a relatively lightly raced horse and is better suited at 1900m. Pajaro was awful the other day but his first-up run was too good to dismiss. One of the better long shots is Scream Machine.

FLEMINGTON

RACE 7: LIGHTNING STAKES (1000m)

Thomas: It might sound silly to say given this is a 1000m sprint but it could be a battle of tactics between the riders of Deep Field, Lankan Rupee and Brazen Beau. Who puts the pressure on early, which jockey presses the button first, who shows the most patience, who has a rush of blood? I admire Lankan Rupee, his record is outstanding, but I do think Deep Field is the real deal.

Dufficy: I’m tipping Deep Field, too. He is the new kid on the block and that jump-out the other day at Flemington showed he had taken great benefit from the spring. The distance is no problem for him and he just has that X-factor about him. Lankan Rupee at 1000m is probably vulnerable now he is getting older. This looks a two-horse race but if Deep Field and Lankan Rupee eyeball each other then it could set the race up for the late finish of Brazen Beau.

Deep Field will be out to show he’s the real deal in the Lightning Stakes. Picture: Mark Evans

DUFF’S SUGGESTED BETS

Best Bet

Race 8, No.6 — Zin Zan Eddie: There is a lot of deadwood in this race and I can’t go past Zin Zan Eddie. His last few runs have been very good, he is on the quick back-up, will get the good run and looks a standout runner.

Next Best

Race 5, No.5 — Headwater

Race 6, No.2 — Shooting To Win

Originally published as The Final Word with Ray and Duff