The Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) looks very tricky and The Invitation a bit 'trappy' but one that looks fairly easy to label the best of the day is Sequestered in Race 4.

I thought she was a proper Oaks filly coming through but she failed on very heavy ground in the Adrian Knox as a short-priced favourite and it was basically preparation over. She's returned with two big wins over 1300m and 1400m and her last start especially was excellent.

She got back in the field but sliced her way through the field and pounced on them late, running some strong late sectionals that suggested she could've rated even higher than the 97 she ran to with Timeform, which already spits her out as the best last start rating in the field.

She looks beautifully set up getting to 1600m third up and ideally she'll be closer in the run having just stepped away a fraction slowly last time. She certainly has the pace to take a position, especially getting to a mile from a soft barrier.

Sequestered strikes a pretty thin Saturday race here and with 2/1 being shopped, I thought she was more a 3/2 or even 5/4 shot. Quite keen.

For the each-way play, I'm going to the time honoured Craven Plate and buttering up again with Numerian.

I was keen on him at $15 first up but the ticket was confetti after 200m, Maloney (likely to instructions) opting to go back and settle second last in a slowly run race where he had zero chance of winning.

Under what was effectively a barrier trial he got to the line okay, beaten 3.5 lengths, and looking at his past two second up runs, he's run second to Cascadian on both occasions, running to 117 and 115 with Timeform which is pretty much as good as he goes.

First up last time in the Peter Young he ran to 112 when given a positive ride and improved five pounds to run second in the Australian Cup. First up this time he's run 110 in a poor scenario so I think it's reasonable to suggest he can improve at least five pounds here as well.

He gets the golden switch now with barrier one which means he really should be leading this field if not sitting second, and if he makes the jump as expected, I think he'll go close.
 

SYDNEY SPECIALS

Bet of the day: Race 4 #8 Sequestered @ $3.10

Each-way play: Race 6 #2 Numerian @ $6