Day three of the Melbourne Cup carnival sees the Oaks take place as the feature race of the day for the three-year-old fillies over 2500 metres.
Nine races on the card with the track rated as a Good 4 with a clearing shower forecasted for the day. Rail is out five metres after previously being out two metres on Cup day.
Race 1 Fillies & Mares Benchmark-70 (1700m) @ 12:40pm
November Dreaming
Looks to have come back nicely based off her first-up run which she won in dominant fashion at Geelong in a Benchmark-64 grade race over 1400m. She showed last preparation that she has above average ability with a dominant win at Pakenham second-up and then finishing a length off Librate and Game Keeper in consecutive starts before being spelled. She looks to have come back well, drawn to get a good run in the race and if she can handle the big weight, she should be winning the first to get favourite backers off to a good start.
Suggested Bet: Back November Dreaming ($2.50 win)
Race 3 Century Stakes (1000m) @ 1:55pm
Villami
Loved her first-up win at Warwick Farm when beating a good horse in California Zimbol over the 1000m. That horse has since gone on to win the Alinghi Stakes at Caulfield and finished fifth in the Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes on Saturday. She has had a solid trail since that run and while her second-up form is not the best, can see her running well up the straight and should go very close.
Suggested Bet: Back Villami to win ($4.20)
Race 5 Benchmark-90 (1400m) @ 3:15pm
Caffrey
Looks to be quite a progressive horse and expecting a good run here first-up. He is lightly raced with just the four starts as a five-year-old but has won three of them. This is a tougher test than what he has faced in his career to date, but he looks like he can rise to the occasion to show his class. He gets barrier one for this which should allow him to get the gun run in behind the speed and should have every opportunity to be in the finish.
Suggested Bet: Back Caffrey to win ($4.60 win)
Race 6 Inglis Bracelet (1600m) @ 3:50pm
Rocha Clock
Think she can run well here third-up. She ran home fairly last start in the Group 3 Angst Stakes behind Emeralds to finish sixth over the mile. Think the big track of Flemington will suit her nicely and looks to get a nice run in the race if they roll look to settle around midfield from the good gate she has. She has plenty of class and expecting her to bounce back into the winners' stall today.
Suggested Bet: Back Rocha Clock ($3.40 win)
Race 8 Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) @ 5:10pm
Personal
Looks to be a strong chance in the Oaks. She has gone awfully close in her last three starts with three seconds to Instant Celebrity, Odeum in the Thousand Guineas and Victoria Quay in the Wakeful on Saturday. Looks to be the right form lines leading into this and looks as though she could run out a strong 2500m. Got to stick with her to run well once again and be right in the finish.
Miravalle
She was a real eye-catcher late in the Wakeful when she ran home very strongly in the Wakeful. She got through the line nicely and could really appreciate the 2500m. Plenty of stable confidence on her to run well and that she is a true stayer and the extra 500m could be enough to see her turn the tables on the odds-on favourite Montefilia.
Suggested Bet: Back Personal ($6) and Miravalle ($7)
Boxed First Four: 1,2,5,6,7
Race 9 Group 3 Red Roses Stakes (1100m) @ 5:50pm
Minhaaj
She looks to be a nice price for a race like this. Her form leading in is strong with placings behind September Run, who has since won the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in dominant fashion, on both occasions. This is a fair easier assignment and the blinkers come on for the first time. She has a stack of ability which we saw from her early as a two-year-old and looks to get a strongly run 1100 metres which will suit her nicely to wind up from the back. Looks a good bet.
Letzbeglam
Cannot quite understand the price she is at. She looks a far better chance in this than her price suggests she is. Her two runs so far this preparation have been solid behind September Run and Swat’s That, form of which is solid with the two running the quinella positions in the Coolmore. While there looks likely to be a strong tempo in the race and a lot of pressure in front, she has every chance to be right in the finish if she can replicate her run first-up.
Suggested Bet: Back Minhaaj ($8 win, $2.40) each-way as the main bet with a small each-way on Letzbeglam ($34 win, $7 place)
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