Champions Mile Preview

Flemington R7 - 1600m VRC Champions Mile G1

Without doubt, this race will rate, purely with PRIDE OF JENNI setting the tempo. That is obviously not the sole basis for rating a race, however the figures runners can produce within the race on the back of that speed is where runners will receive their kudos in the rating.

If Ottobre thinks that replacing Bates on PRIDE OF JENNI is a recipe for success, I believe he is sorely mistaken. Without argument, it is his right to switch up a rider if he sees fit, however, if she wins, it won’t be because Bates was not on her, and that will be the negative of a victory, that I suspect the change up will only validate it was the correct decision.

All that being said, I don’t think she should be favourite and expect she is soft late in betting. She has compounded harder this prep, with the only thing I’ll maintain in my logic with her is, she needs to go faster – as fast as possible – through the early section, particularly at her pet trip, the mile.

STEFI MAGNETICA is the runner of most interest in the race. She was a little plain in The Everest, rating 100.6, coming off a bomb return in The Shorts (106.2), and to extend that return, a performance figure of: 113. She has since gone on to run an unlucky 5^th in The Golden Eagle (103), with the winner recording a 106.8 – which she records with even luck.

I expect she peaks here now and outside of the figures she is capable of, it was the visual in the high pressure race last start that have me really warming to her. She was travelling throughout, never out of her comfort zone, and she is going to at least get that tempo plus in this race.

The step back in trip for BROADSIDING has me more in favour than not, largely due to how the Cox Plate was run and won. The figures were astronomical from Via Sistina, again largely due to the tempo that was set, and BROADSIDING maintained enough to think at the Mile he is going to be very tough. Where others may be tonguing, I think he is going to be one of the stronger grinders home.

I am a fan boy of FANGIRL, however it is evident enough that her electric turn of speed is dulled against strong fractions. Not to say she is one dimensional, she is still a very good miler, but the figures do suggest she is at her top against a much softer tempo than is likely here.

ANTINO won the Toorak emphatically, putting an elite 109.2 down in the process. That was an incredible new peak, and whilst the days from that run to here give some favour, I expect he regresses back closer to his base line figure, maybe a smidge above.

Then there is the crowd/fan favourite, MR BRIGHTSIDE. I think we can categorically say he is not a 2000m horse, not in the mix of the elite anyway. He is a consistent star at 1400m to 1600m, and I believe there is a strong enough case for him to be made here. He likely does a lot of the donkey work again here behind POJ and how he takes to blinkers could be the difference. I am in favour.