Price check: Simon Thomas and Glenn Munsie discuss the big races at Randwick and Flemington this weekend

FIELD/BETTING: THE Daily Telegraph’s form guide editor Simon Thomas and TAB’s Glenn Munsie look at the early betting and main chances at Randwick and Flemington this weekend.

THE Daily Telegraph’s form guide editor Simon Thomas and TAB’s Glenn Munsie look at the early betting and the best chances at Randwick and Flemington this weekend.

Hi Glenn, it looks a great weekend of Group 1 racing, with Randwick showcasing Epsom/Metrop day on Saturday, and Flemington hosting Turnbull Stakes day on Sunday.

Currently, the Randwick track is a Soft (6) with the rail out 3m. With the fine weather predicted, surely the track should improve sharply by Saturday.

RANDWICK: BOWMAN HAS SIGHTS ON EPSOM

EARLY BETTING MOVERS

Moir Stakes (Moonee Valley, Friday night): Petits Filous $2.35-$2.30, $1000 @ $2.35

Roman Consul Stakes (Randwick, Saturday): Exosphere $1.60-$1.55, $1000 @ $1.60

The Bart Cummings (Flemington, Sunday): Foundry $3.80-$3.20, $1050 @ $3.80

EPSOM HANDICAP

GM: I bag the weather department at every opportunity but surely they have to be right this weekend, forecasting 30 degrees for Saturday. The track will get to a Good 4, which should be absolutely perfect for this meeting. Heaps of promos, giveaways and stacks of reasons to get trackside with a long weekend and quality racing on offer.

ST: Not a vintage Epsom field, Glenn, as is evident with the weights being raised four kilos. There doesn’t look to be a lot of speed here with Ecuador likely to take up the running from Entirely Platinum and Hooked. Winx ($2.8 fav), Lucia Valentina ($8) and Kirramosa ($15) will all have to produce something special if they are to overcome this hurdle, as they are likely to be out the back. I think Entirely Platinum has the right form to win this after his excellent runs in Melbourne in the Memsie Stakes and Makybe Diva when finishing in the minor placings on both occasions at WFA. He races on the speed, and will take plenty of stopping at the $11 quote. Silverball is a promising type who also looks value at the $9.50 after his last-start victory in the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m).

Silverball has attracted good money to win the Epsom Handicap.

GM: Those three you mentioned out the back are all mares and only one, Secret Admirer, has managed to win the Epsom in the last 30-odd years. Winx was elevated to favourite after her last-to-first win when resuming at Rosehill and although short has still commanded the bulk of early shoppers’ attention. Lucia Valentina and Kirramosa have WFA form back to handicap conditions and both are already Group winners with class on their side. Plenty of interest since Monday for Silverball ($11-$9.50), who has the same lead-in preparation to last year’s winner He’s Your Man coming out of the Kingston Town dropping back from 2000m to 1600m.

Entirely Platinum brings a whole new formline into the race with his recent runs in Melbourne and, as you said, will be handy, out of the way and another WFA back to handicap.

THE BETTING: Silverball ($11 into $9.50), Sadler’s Lake $8-$9.50, Sweynesse $15-$17. Forty-four per cent of money invested on Wednesday was for the favourite, Winx.

$1m EPSOM HANDICAP

Randwick, Saturday, 4pm

Group 1 (1600m)

1. HOOKED J P Thompson T Angland (2) 58kg

2. LUCIA VALENTINA (NZ) K Lees Z Purton (4) 57.5kg

3. ENTIRELY PLATINUM (NZ) M, W & J Hawkes T Berry (14) 57.5kg

4. WINX C Waller H Bowman (13) 57kg

5. MESSENE M, W & J Hawkes J Ford (8) 57kg

6. RUDY H Page L Tarrant (a) (9) 56kg

7. SILVERBALL (FR) C Waller B Avdulla (5) 56kg

8. ECUADOR (NZ) G Waterhouse G Boss (7) 56kg

9. KIRRAMOSA (NZ) J Sargent B Shinn (10) 56kg

10. SWEYNESSE J O’Shea J McDonald (11) 56kg

11. SADLER’S LAKE C Waller J Cassidy (3) 56kg

12. SONS OF JOHN J Attard J Penza (15) 56kg

13. MALICE J O’Shea J Moreira (1) 56kg

14. TERONADO B W Hill J Collett (6) 56kg

15. PRESSING M Price G Schofield (12) 56kg

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

FLIGHT STAKES

ST: Gai Waterhouse looks to have a mortgage on the Flight Stakes with Speak Fondly ($2.8), Kimberley Star ($11), Flamboyant Lass ($9.50) and Sempre Libera ($8) all engaged. Flamboyant Lass and Speak Fondly should control the tempo and fight out the finish from Sempre Libera. What do you think, Glenn?

GM: Speak Fondly has easily accounted for the fillies when she has raced them and found a cracker of a colt in Exosphere too good in the Golden Rose. Back to the girls here should be no trouble at all as she never shirked her task in the Rose. Very even bunch behind her, as has been the case in her wins, with most on trial at the trip and/or getting there very quickly. Honesta is the exception with wins over the “mile” in Brisbane and did run on well in the best ground behind Pearls last start. Expect improvement from Perignon on top of the ground. She was found to be suffering from irregularities last start.

$500,000 FLIGHT STAKES

Randwick, Saturday, 4.40pm

Group 1 (1600m)

1. SPEAK FONDLY G Waterhouse T Berry (5) 56kg

2. KIMBERLEY STAR G Waterhouse J Moreira (9) 56kg

3. PERIGNON G Ryan H Bowman (6) 56kg

4. HONESTA J P Thompson T Angland (1) 56kg

5. PEARLS J O’Shea J McDonald (7) 56kg

6. FLAMBOYANT LASS G Waterhouse T Clark (4) 56kg

7. SEMPRE LIBERA G Waterhouse B Shinn (3) 56kg

8. OCEAN TEMPEST J Cummings G Schofield (8) 56kg

9. GONE TO PARIS P Perry Z Purton (10) 56kg

10. SOFIA ROSA (NZ) S Marsh O Bosson (11) 56kg

11. LAUREN’S MAGIC G Nickson J Penza (2) 56kg

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

Speak Fondly is firm favourite to win the Flight Stakes. Picture: Simon Bullard

THE METROPOLITAN

ST: The Waller and O’Shea camps look set to fight this race out with seven of the 15 runners between them. Pretty keen on the O’Shea runners Magic Hurricane ($4) and Havana Cooler ($15). Both are fourth-up and on the limit weight. Beaten Up ($8) and Junoob ($13) look the pick of the Waller runners.

GM: Quite happy to look away from the Godolphin runners and despite weights against him thought Orbec ($11) represented enormous value at his fourth run back and stepping to 2400m. European form saw this as an ideal trip for him and has been gallant at all runs this time in. Worked very well (without blinkers) on Tuesday at Kembla to sharpen him for this. Beaten Up, on top of the ground, is a must for the top picks. Did all the work from a wide draw last start and still there until shadows of post. Needs smother and firm ground which should get.

THE BETTING: Magic Hurricane $1,000 @ $8 (placed on Sep 19), $5,000 @ $4.60 (placed on Sep 28). Beaten Up $3,000 e/w @ $15/$4.50 (Sep 27), Junoob $1,000 @ $15 (Sep 8), $500 @ $15 (Sep 9), $500 @ $15 (Sep 14), $500 @ $15 (Sep 18), $500 @ $26 (Sep 23).

$750,000 THE METROPOLITAN

Randwick, Saturday, 5.20pm

Group 1 (2400m)

1. BEATEN UP (GB) C Waller G Schofield (2) 58kg

2. JUNOOB (GB) C Waller O Bosson (3) 57.5kg

3. OPINION (IRE) C Waller T Angland (10) 57.5kg

4. BEYOND THANKFUL (IRE) C Waller H Bowman (15) 57kg

5. BONFIRE (GB) G Waterhouse B Shinn (12) 56.5kg

6. HAWKSPUR C Waller J Cassidy (14) 56kg

7. ALMOONQITH (USA) D Hayes & T Dabernig M Walker (13) 55.5kg

8. MAGIC HURRICANE (IRE) J O’Shea J McDonald (1) 55.5kg

9. CHANCE TO DANCE (IRE) R Hickmott C Williams (5) 55.5kg

10. ORBEC (FR) J P Thompson Z Purton (4) 55.5kg

11. KAPOUR (IRE) C Maher G Boss (9) 55.5kg

12. DISCLAIMER (GB) P & P Snowden T Clark (6) 55.5kg

13. MAURUS (GB) D Vandyke J Collett (8) 55.5kg

14. HAVANA COOLER (IRE) J O’Shea J Moreira (11) 55.5kg

15. GHOST PROTOCOL (IRE) P Perry T Huet (7) 55.5kg

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

TURNBULL STAKES

ST: Flemington on Sunday sees a cracking nine-race card featuring the Turnbull Stakes.

Hopefully the Sydney horses can dominate here and I think our best hopes are; Hartnell ($6.50), Weary ($21), Gust Of Wind ($17) and Royal Descent ($6). What has all the money been for so far, Glenn?

GM: Open race and as we’ve seen with the WFA races in Melbourne recently there is very little separating them. Amralah ($7) comes off a sneaky trip to South Australia and does have the services of Damien Oliver. Maybe those on him are happy he hasn’t been in the bunched Melbourne finishes we have seen lately. Paul Beshara, the trainer of Happy Trails ($15) was very buoyant about his chances when asked during the week, and he did win this race two years ago. Similar situation to last week’s race as questions will be answered but more towards those who you will put the pen through for the rest of the carnival.

ST: Glenn, tell us about the special promotions the TAB has on offer this weekend?

GM: There is a guaranteed $500,000 First 4 jackpot pool at Randwick on Race 7 at 4pm.

Also, if you place a Fixed Odds win bet on this week’s selected Group 1 thoroughbred feature with your TAB Account or TAB Rewards card, and if your horse runs 2nd or 3rd, we will replace your stake with a Bonus Bet up to $50 or equivalent TAB Rewards points. First single bet only. TAB Bonus Bet T&Cs and other terms apply.

THE BETTING: Amralah $11-$9, $500 @ $11

$500,000 TURNBULL STAKES

Flemington, Sunday, 4.10pm

Group 1 (2000m)

1. HAPPY TRAILS P Beshara D Dunn (3) 59kg

2. PROTECTIONIST (GER) K Lees B Avdulla (2) 57.5kg

3. HARTNELL (GB) J O’Shea J McDonald (15) 57.5kg

4. PREFERMENT (NZ) C Waller H Bowman (10) 56.5kg

5. VOLKSTOK’N’BARRELL (NZ) D Logan O Bosson (8) 56.5kg

6. MAGICOOL M Kavanagh J Winks (1) 56.5kg

7. DANDINO (GB) D Weir B Melham (16) 56.5kg

8. WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) C Waller B Shinn (4) 56.5kg

9. RISING ROMANCE (NZ) D Hayes & T Dabernig D Lane (17) 55.5kg

10. WEARY (FR) C Waller C Newitt (9) 55.5kg

11. AMRALAH (IRE) R Hickmott D Oliver (12) 55kg

12. EXTRA ZERO D Hayes & T Dabernig M Walker (11) 54.5kg

13. SET SQUARE C Maher L Currie (7) 54.5kg

14. GUST OF WIND (NZ) J Sargent C Williams (5) 54.5kg

15. ALPINE EAGLE T McEvoy M Zahra (14) 54.5kg

16. ROYAL DESCENT C Waller G Boss (13) 53.5kg

17e. AWESOME ROCK L & T Corstens C Parnham (6) 53.5kg

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

Happy Trails won the Underwood Stakes two years ago.

FEATURE RACE MARKETS

TAB FIXED ODDS

CAULFIELD GUINEAS

Caulfield, October 10

$2.50 PRESS STATEMENT

$8 DAL CIELO, READY FOR VICTORY

$9 BASSETT

$10 TULSA, TARZINO

$11 BON AURUM

$15+ Others

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

CAULFIELD CUP

Caulfield, October 17

$8 FAME GAME

$9 RISING ROMANCE

$11 MONGOLIAN KHAN, SET SQUARE

$13 HARTNELL, HOKKO BRAVE

$15 PREFERMENT

$18 GUST OF WIND, SNOW SKY

$21+ Others

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

COX PLATE

Moonee Valley, October 24

$4.60 KERMADEC

$7 FAWKNER

$9 HIGHLAND REEL

$10 AROD

$11 WINX

$13 CRITERION, PORNICHET

$15+ Others

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

MELBOURNE CUP

Flemington, November 3

$8.50 FAME GAME

$12 ORDER OF ST GEORGE

$14 MAX DYNAMITE

$16 HOKKO BRAVE, SNOW SKY, PREFERMENT, TRIP TO PARIS, WHO SHOT THEBARMAN

$18 MONGOLIAN KHAN

$21+ Others

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

Note: Prices correct at time of publishing

Originally published as Price check: Simon Thomas and Glenn Munsie discuss the big races at Randwick and Flemington this weekend