Race 6 Flemington
Cherokee Brave @ 6.50
Race 5 Flemington
Epimeles @ 4.80
Race 7 Kensington
Zouatica @ 6.00
Brave to take St Leger
The 2800m VRC St Leger is the most valuable race on the Flemington card, with the $200,000 2800m contest set to take place as the sixth race of the day.
Ganbare is expected to prove popular with punters dropping in grade on his first start over this distance.
The colt won in this company in a 1600m contest at Randwick in September and has placed at the highest level in the Spring Champion Stakes at the same venue since.
While unable to salute in four starts since returning from a spell, he was beaten less than one-and-a-half-lengths in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas on his penultimate start.
The son of Maurice steps up in trip here, following a below par ninth over 2400m in the Group 1 ATC Australian Derby back at Randwick earlier this month.
While he holds obvious claims with Gai Waterhouse having had plenty of success in this race in the past, preference is for CHEROKEE BRAVE on this occasion.
The gelding broke his maiden over 1856m at Kyneton on his second start this prep and has placed on three of his four subsequent outings.
The most recent of those saw him beaten two lengths into third when contesting the Listed Elvis Thurgood Galilee Series Final over 2400m at Caulfield on 6th April.
The pick raced on soft going on that occasion and a wet track is also expected for this contest.
The Saxon Warrior gelding is expected to appreciate the step up to 2800m here and win for the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman team.
Epimeles for Listed glory
Earlier on the Flemington card race 5 is the Listed Anzac Day Stakes over 1400m.
The race has attracted a field of 12 two-year-old's including a number of unbeaten youngsters.
EPIMELES is among those who arrive here unbeaten, with the colt having won his only previous start.
That start saw him come home over one-and-a-half-lengths clear of his four rivals, when taking a 1300m maiden on the Lakeside course at Sandown on 27th March.
The son of Dundee is expected to have improved for that effort, which came when racing on a good 4 surface.
While the Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained juvenile has a wide barrier to overcome, he has a good jockey in John Allen and looks capable of staying unbeaten.
Zouatica for Randwick success
They race on the Kensington course at Randwick with the penultimate race on the card the 1800m Anzac Day Cup, a Benchmark 78 handicap contest.
City Of Lights is the winner of two of her three starts this prep, with the sole defeat coming when ninth in the Group 3 Mostyncopper Aspiration Quality here last month.
The filly returned to winning ways when stepped up to this distance for the first time, taking out a similar race to this over track and trip on 27th March.
Joseph Pride's representative had an inside barrier that day, however, and she may find life trickier from a wide alley.
With that in mind, wet track specialist ZOUATICA is selected to salute, with apprentice Jake Barrett taking three kilograms off his back.
The four-year-old has won three times this prep, including when successful by just under a length in a Benchmark 72 handicap over 1600m at Gosford earlier this month.
The gelding was stepping up in distance that day and he is expected to have no issue with the extra 200m he tackles here.
The son of Zoustar's only unplaced efforts this prep have come on his two outings on going rated as good and, with a soft 6 track expected, he looks up to completing a double.
Discover more from bet365
Head to the bet365 YouTube channel for exclusive racing content
