The Champions Sprint Tips and Best Bets 05/11/22

What a way to conclude another memorable Melbourne Cup Carnival than with Champion Stakes Day.

The cream has risen to the top. We’ve seen the top weights/class runners perform in the feature races of each day.

‘Sharp N Smart’ narrowly got pipped in the Derby, ‘Gold Trip’ winning the Melbourne Cup and ‘She's Extreme’ won the Oaks.

The Champions Sprint sees the high anticipated re-match from The Everest between ‘Nature Strip' and 3YO ‘Giga Kick’.

Can the top weight with the number 1 saddlecloth win again? Or will we see a flashing run late by the 3YO down in the weights?

One thing is for certain, it will be another great chapter added to what has been an enthralling Cup Carnival thus far.

 

Track Assessment

The track at Headquarters is currently rated as a Good 4 (amazing considering the amount of rain that Melbourne has had over the previous weeks and days) and it looks as though it could get to a Good 3 tomorrow with fine weather forecasted overnight and throughout the meeting.

The running rail goes out to the 9m position after previously being in the 5m position on Thursday.

We should be seeing runners come wide on the track off the rail once again, like we’ve seen for most of the carnival, especially later in the day.

 

Flemington Race 6 – Group 1 Champions Sprint 1200m (WFA)

The Map 

Front Page (3) will work to the front and lead up the pack closer to the rail while the champ Nature Strip (12) will likely take up the front-running of the group closer to the grandstand alongside The Astrologist (10).

Looks as though Roch ‘N’ Horse (6) and Rothfire (8) will take up prominent positions close to the lead, while Bella Nipotina  (4) and Lofty Strike (2) will look to follow Front Page (3) closer to the rail/middle of the course.

Paulele (9) has drawn well and can settle more prominent while Giga Kick (7) will look to follow the champ Nature Strip.

Argentia (14) and kiwi sprinter Levante (13) to settle at the rear just in front of Masked Crusader (11) and look to make their runs down the outside running rail.

 

The Favourite 

After his somewhat surprising defeat to many in the Everest last start, the champ Nature Strip ($1.85) will be looking to bounce back here up his beloved Flemington straight.

He has won 6 of his 9 starts up the Flemington straight and has only been beaten once over the 1200m which came at the hands of Bivouac in the 2020 edition of this race.

The other two occasions he ran in this race, he won both by a dominant 3.25 lengths.

He had plenty of excuses in the Everest being wide without cover off the back of an extremely hot pace and was left vulnerable late.

The fact he stuck on for 4^th while the other leaders dropped right out to the rear, gives his run great merit and certainly was no ‘failure’.

Since 2020, every time he has been beaten and had his next start over the 1200m, he has won. Look for him to produce a dominant display once again.

 

Analysis and Tips 

It’s nearly impossible to go past Nature Strip. Made a good case against him in The Everest, which panned out, but can't do the same here.

• He does his best work up the Flemington straight
• He has never been beaten running at 1200m after a defeat since 2020
• He maps to get little pressure in the run and he has all the statistics of the race to back him up.

Two horses who look great chances to be in the placings at huge prices are The Inferno and Levante.

Levante hasn’t run since running a brilliant race for 4^th in the Newmarket at this track and distance earlier this year and she flies fresh (3 wins from 3 first-up runs).

She will get the right run in the race and be flashing home late.

The Inferno was a complete forgive in the Manikato. Prior to that, his run was huge against the pattern on the day first-up over the 1000m at the Valley.

Has yet to miss a placing third up and has had a strong jump-out victory since then. Will run a big race.

Giga Kick is well worth a mention for his Everest victory and he has performed well up the straight previously.

The history of the race is against him however and he got everything in his favour in the Everest last start.

Should still be in the front half.

 

1st Nature Strip

2nd Levante

3rd The Inferno

4th Giga Kick