Friday formline: Horses, jockeys, trainers to follow this weekend

OUR stable experts pinpoint the horses, jockeys and trainers on a weekend highlighted by Group 1 races at Randwick and Flemington.

OUR stable experts pinpoint the horses, jockeys and trainers on a weekend highlighted by Group 1 races at Randwick and Flemington.

SATURDAY MEETINGS (AEDT Times)

RANDWICK (9 races, start 12.20pm), FLEMINGTON (9 races, start 12.40pm),

DOOMBEN (8 races, start 1.10pm), MORPHETTVILLE (8 races, start 1.24pm),

ASCOT (8 races, start 3.38pm).

HOT TIPS: WEEKEND BEST BETS

SHAYNE O’CASS (Sportsman/Daily Telegraph)

RANDWICK

BANKER: CAPITALIST (Race 2, No. 1)

He’s not only been unbeaten in his three runs, he’s been unchallenged. Another big win on Saturday and he will regain favouritism for the Golden Slipper.

RISK: ZELADY’S NIGHT OUT (Race 1, No. 1)

Got it wrong last week with Scarlet Rain (oops) but I am backing up and taking on another fleet of foot filly in Zelady’s Night Out, who won her first three by big margins but was found out (albeit with an awful draw) in the Magic Millions. She’s fast and furious but I don’t think she’s Calaway Gal either.

IN THE FRAME: SHIRAZ (Race 8, No. 3)

Has won 10 of his 17 starts. He’s a hearty competitor and I recall the day he won the Concorde Stakes over this trip and at the track where he sat wide and was too good, too brave. Trialled super and if he does happen to go under it won’t be through lack of trying.

Hugh Bowman looks set for another big day at Randwick. Picture: Simon Bullard

JOCKEY: HUGH BOWMAN

Bowman’s book is awesome. Not only is he on Shiraz, he’s just about got one hand on the Randwick Guineas with Press Statement, Kermadec could run a cheeky race and Adorabeel is massive chance to defend her Aspiration crown.

TRAINER: JOE PRIDE

Adorabeel’s trainer also has Ball Of Muscle (drawn 1) in the Challenge Stakes and I Am Zelady in the last (she wins if she runs to her trial, folks).

MICHAEL MANLEY (Herald Sun)

FLEMINGTON

BANKER: DIVAN (Race 9, No. 8)

Resumed with great fighting effort when second behind the in-form Dan Zephyr over 1400m at Flemington. High-class stayer in the making who will be much better suited over 1800m.

RISK: LEEBAZ (Race 5, No. 1)

Resumed with nice effort in Sydney. Drawn out and has a big weight. Been a while since he’s won and the lighter-weighted in-form horses are likely to hold him at bay.

IN THE FRAME: DAN ZEPHYR (Race 5, No. 6)

That’s where he normally ends up, with his number first in the frame. Seems to be getting better with each start and last start he ran a quick time of 1:21:48 min for the 1400m at Flemington.

TRAINER: DARREN WEIR.

Another big day looming for Weiry. He has a three-pronged attack in the Australian Guineas with Palentino, Mahuta and Perfect Reflections. He also has Real Love in the Roy Higgins Quality and Signoff in the Lord Reims Stakes in Adelaide.

JOCKEY: MARK ZAHRA

Zahra has some great rides on Saturday, including Palentino, Lumosty and Miss Promiscuity.

Darren Weir has a strong hand in the Australian Guineas on Saturday.

NATHAN EXELBY (The Courier-Mail)

DOOMBEN

BANKER: I AM BOSS (Race 5, No. 1)

Get in and snap up the big place dividend available in most parts. He’s only missed a place once in 10 starts at Doomben and has a 100 per cent place strike rate second up (against a less imposing first up record). Draws much better here and though he does tend to find one better, looks a good gamble to rediscover his consistent ways in this.

RISK: KAISER FRANZ (Race 4, No. 5)

Caught the eye of video watchers last time when he had little luck in the run, racing wide and battling on strongly. That was his best effort this prep, but note the winner also struck plenty of trouble and found a way to get there, plus there’s some new blood this time. Happy to be against.

IN THE FRAME: ROYAL TITHE (Race 1, No. 1)

John Zielke has no shortage of confidence in his 2YO team and expects Royal Tithe to add another notch to his winning belt when she runs in the first. Had little luck here a fortnight ago and was a month between runs. This looks a soft kill.

TRAINER: BRIAN SMITH

Smith has key runners Lock’s Legend (Race 3, No. 1) and Sony Legend (Race 5, No. 10) resuming. He says both are flying and thinks Lock’s can run a big race fresh at a trip short of his best. On Sony Legend, he felt he would have been near a good thing from a decent barrier, but needs luck now. Obviously both horses are going very well.

JOCKEY: DAMIAN BROWNE

Browne returns to Brisbane racing after a hit-and-run down trip south last week. He strikes at 29 per cent in his adopted state this season and has several rides with winning chances at Doomben.

Harry Coffey pilots Signoff when he steps out at Morphettville. Picture: Getty Images

LINCOLN MOORE (The Advertiser)

MORPHETTVILLE

THE BANKER: SIGNOFF (Race 7, No. 3)

Sure the top class stayer is going to be short but he looks to have a massive class edge against rivals here. He finished 4th in the 2014 Melbourne Cup, looks ready to fire after an interrupted campaign and is weighted to win with 57kg.

IN THE FRAME: COUNTER PULSE (Race 1, No. 1)

Looks a nice bet. He’s competed in better races and boasts two wins from as many first-up outings.

THE RISK: CALL ME CURTIS (Race 8, No. 16)

A horse with high speed and some talent but faces a tricky barrier in the last race. He takes on the older horses and faces a big ask.

TRAINER: Top Melbourne horseman John Sadler heads to Adelaide with two leading chances — LONROCKSTAR (Race 3, No. 2) and LA RENARDE (Race 5, No. 4) in the Listed Cinderella Stakes.

JOCKEY: HARRY COFFEY has a very good book of rides led by SIGNOFF (Race 7, No. 3) in the Lord Reims. He’ll again team with the Darren Weir stable in the last on LEIA (Race 8, No. 6) and rides ROYAL RAPTURE (Race 3, No. 3) for Peter Moody.

Originally published as Friday formline: Horses, jockeys, trainers to follow this weekend