A field of Emirates Stakes types face off in the Crystal Mile 2015 on Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley Racecourse this Saturday and below are the Races.com.au team’s insider tips on the 1600m feature.
Race favourite Lucky Hussler looks the one to beat in the 2015 Crystal Mile this Saturday at Moonee Valley. Photo: Adrienne Bicknell.
Due to jump as Moonee Valley Race 8 at 4:50pm (AEST), this year’s weight-for-age $200,000 Group 2 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m) has a dozen final acceptors.
Of those 12, many of which head towards the $1 million Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 7, just three are under double-figures to win.
Current favourite at a firming $2.15 (in from $2.70) in the Crystal Mile odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, where punters can lock in a juicy Best Tote or SP + 20% on all 10 Cox Plate Day races on Saturday, is the Darren Weir-trained Lucky Hussler.
Jumping from gate three with Glen Boss in the saddle, Weir’s six-year-old shoots for his second win from three starts at the track and put the writing on the wall last time out with a solid win in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) over the distance at Caulfield.
The only others considered a danger to the Toorak Handicap winner according to the bookies are Murray Baker’s Seymour Cup winning New Zealand galloper from last Sunday Turn Me Loose ($4.80) on the short back-up and Bow Creek ($6.50) in barrier four for the John O’Shea-trained import’s down under debut.
So will Lucky Hussler complete the Toorak – Crystal Mile double or is there an upset result on the cards from a longer priced hope in the markets for the Emirates lead-up?
1st
#1 Lucky Hussler ($2.15)
He is nearing odds-on territory but really the lead-up of Weir’s top fancy is hard to bet against especially with the Toorak Handicap winner running at WFA. He is fourth-up and peaking this weekend after doing the job over the distance in Group 1 company last start. He gets the two weeks between runs and at his last start at the Valley he won the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m). Is versatile, in form, Boss stays on and barrier three looks ideal so everything points towards a win if nothing goes amiss.
2nd
#4 Amovatio ($12)
An in-form Chris Waller-trained Sydney raider who has the outside alley (12) to overcome but the right hoop in Damien Oliver to get the job done. Will need luck from the draw but there’s a mile and time to get across. The five-year-old sees Moonee Valley for the first time but is well performed the Melbourne way of going having won three from three in Victoria at his latest three runs. First-up he won a black-type carrying 60kg over 1400m at Caulfield and now two weeks later he will relish the extra metres boasting a top 1600m record (6-3-1-1) and also drops back a kilo under WFA.
3rd
#9 Sons Of John ($13)
Another Sydney visitor whose lead-up form is very good and who doesn’t know how to run a bad race. A dual winner over the mile including in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Cup in the winter, this Oratorio five-year-old was runner-up to Winx in the Theo Marks first-up and then third to Waller’s $6 second-pick for Saturday’s Cox Plate in the Epsom Handicap. Same distance, drop in class, Winx form to hold.
Get behind our Crystal Mile 2015 betting tips at the guaranteed best odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on Saturday where you will also enjoy an Extra 50% on your very first Fixed Odds winner in Cox Plate Day Races 1 – 5!
