Robert Sangster Stakes Tips and Best Bets 2024

The official start to South Australia’s highly anticipated Autumn Carnival will take place on Saturday, with no less than seven Black-type races set to be decided.

The G1 Australasian Oaks and the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes are the two features of the program with stacked fields in both events.

For the first time the prizemoney for both Group One features has seen an exciting increase, each now boasting a substantial one million dollars with the winners taking home $547,250.

The Robert Sangster Stakes is a WFA race for fillies and mares, 2yo and upwards over 1200m.

With that it has attracted some terrific acceptances with the most promising Ciaron Maher 3yo Estriella gaining the most interest early, opening a strong $3.00 favourite.

 

 

Track Conditions

The track is currently rated a Good 4.

With no rain forecast racing is expected to be conducted on an ideal surface.

The rail will be in the True position, the first time since March 11^th.

Importantly this means that every horse should have their chance, with just off the fence in lanes two and three the place to be.

 

The Map

The favourite, Estriella (Mark Zahra) drawn out in Barrier 11 will be going forward, producing immediate pace into the race.

I Am Me (Blake Shinn) is the other Ciaron Maher trained galloper that will look to keep out the favourite, driving through from Barrier 2 attempting to hold the fence.

Zapateo (Jamie Kah) from Barrier 3 presents as the clear Map horse, settling leaders backs without doing much work.

Benedetta (Daniel Stackhouse) from Barrier 1 is more than capable of taking up a much more forward position.

Climbing Star (Lachlan Neindorf) out in Barrier 14 is the big query.  

She was dynamic when scoring first-up after displaying plenty of early pace from the wide draw, but last start was ridden a lot quieter?? What will we get served up.

 

 

The Favourite

The Ciaron Maher trained Estriella has returned to racing airborne this campaign.

She has demonstrated a high cruising speed and is showing enough promise to indicate she may just be the next big thing of Australian racing.

Her latest all the way win at Flemington was ultra-impressive which saw her rating sky-rocket, whilst at the same time have connections focus on the much bigger spoils of this million dollar event.

Obviously if she can replicate that same number she will be horribly hard to run down, so instead let’s look at why she can be beaten.

Firstly, this is her clear toughest test stepping up from Listed grade to Group One company.

Whilst her two 1200m have both been good, on each occasion her final 100m hasn’t been strong and she does today step up from the 1100m to 1200m here.

Last start she was allowed to dictate out in front before exploding clear her final 200m.

For this event she is drawn out in barrier 11, and she won’t be allowed that luxury, having to exert a lot more energy early.

Although I do expect she leads, it is still no certainty.

What does this all mean? We have a potentially promising star that may not have fully realised her potential, but with those slight queries next to her I simply can’t be falling into her current quote.

 

Tips

Zapateo super honest mare that flies under the radar in her races and again this appears no exception.

Her Group One record now reads (4: 1-0-2) following her last start most impressive and thoroughly deserved win in Sydney five weeks back.

As mentioned above, she shapes as the clear map horse whilst also remembering that her only two starts this track/distance came last year when she ran third in both this same race and The Goodwood!

The opening $9.00 reads outstanding. Rates $6.00.

 

Benedetta is another that simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race.

She was outstanding last start when having her first look at the track, charging hard late to score.

Now drawn to enjoy the suck trail from the inside draw while rising to 1200m is also a plus.

The other previous runs this campaign finished fourth between less than 2L on each occasion in two high rating G1 Newmarket Hcp and Oakleigh Plate.

There is $7.50 out there. Rates $6.00.

 

I Am Me another whose formlines are impossible to fault.

Has now placed in 3/4 Group One races with only miss coming when still only beaten 2.1L.

There are no stronger formlines than Imperatriz and Magic Time.

She is drawn to jump right on the bunny and give a great on-pace sight.

Another that we can’t split at the top of the market.

We however have her priced the same as the market.

Rates $6.00

 

Snapped the best roughie.

Lightly raced 5yo mare that simply loves this track/distance.

She is now 2/3 here, however still caught the eye last start when charged hard late when beaten just 2.2L behind Benedetta.

The more pressure up front the better as she will be back near the tail however is a genuine blowout chance at the ridiculous $51.00 available.

Rates $21.00

 

There are loads of tips for today's racing in our Horse Racing Tips market at theGreatTipOff.com.