Australian Guineas Tips & Preview 2023

Looking for Australian Guineas tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 Australian Guineas at Flemington.

AUSTRALIAN GUINEAS BETTING SNAPSHOT

It is the last start CF Orr Stakes (1400m) winner, Jacquinot, that heads the market with Palmerbet at the $2.30 quote ahead of the CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) winner, Elliptical, at $6. Attrition stays in Melbourne to run in this race instead of the Randwick Guineas (1600m) and is the other runner below the double figures at $8.50. 

Legarto comes over from New Zealand and is one of two fillies in the race. She is at $10, while Amenable is at $14. Holymanz ($19) and Mr Maestro ($21) head the rest of the 15 runners. 

AUSTRALIAN GUINEAS FORM ANALYSIS

Jacquinot is the horse to beat and defeated the older horses in the CF Orr Stakes, driving up late next to Gentleman Roy. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper was second past the post but was awarded the race in the stewards room on protest. He ran a healthy 1:22.54 over the 1400m and gets out to the 1600m for the first time and the way he finishes off his races would suggests that the mile shouldn’t be a problem. 

Elliptical also ran good time in the CS Hayes Stakes, going 1:21.96. The Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained galloper was first up and settled back in the field before producing the equal fastest last 600m alongside Muramasa. The latter produced the fastest last 200m en route to finishing 9th, beaten just over two lengths. He is worth a bit of thought at the price. 

Elliptical was runner-up behind Golden Mile at his only career run over the 1600m. That came when he was third up in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last year. He was then runner-up in the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick before placing 7th in the Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. 

Seven runners come out of the CS Hayes Stakes, including Attrition, who was a bit of an unlucky runner, finishing a half a length 5th after copping traffic in the straight. Holymanz produced a career personal best to finish runner-up, while Maximillius was a narrow 3rd. Elkington Road was also briefly held up and ran a half a length 4th, while Bank Maur appeared to have his chance and was 7th. 

Another key lead up is the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m), which was run at Sandown on February 11. Glint Of Silver was the winner of that race but won’t be seen here. Amenable was resuming that day and produced the fastest late splits to finish runner-up. 

Four runners come out of that race and I am not overly convinced about the form. The Fortune Teller was 3rd, while Japanese Emperor (6th) and Virtuous Circle (8th) are the others. Wouldn’t have minded seeing more from Virtuous Circle, who split Berkeley Square and Pericles in the Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) last spring. 

Mr Maestro is on the short back up after finishing runner-up in slick time behind Pericles last weekend over the 1800m in the Autumn Classic (1800m). He likes Flemington and produced some big figures when winning here fourth up over the 1800m last spring. 

Legarto brings over the New Zealand form and has won five of six. She was too far back last time in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m), tasting defeat for the first time. Form out of that race has been solid and she won her two starts prior to that by a combined margin of eight lengths, including a five-length romp in the Group 1 1000 Guineas (1600m) last November. Laced Up Heels is the other filly and just peaked on her run late in the piece when 4th in the Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Sandown last weekend. 

AUSTRALIAN GUINEAS TIPS AND BEST BETS

Very hard to go past Jacquinot, who is a clear top pick. He won the Golden Rose last spring before going back to shorter trips. This time around, the stable have opted to keep going from the 1400m to the 1600m and that looks the right call for mine as he has been flying late in his runs this time around. It won’t be a walk in the park, however, and the CS Hayes Stakes form should turn out to be solid. Wouldn’t mind having a piece of Muramasa out to the 1600m after he finished off well in the CS Hayes. Extra 200m suits and the Busuttin/Young galloper was an improver when stepping up in trip in the spring. Mr Maestro is another worth thought at the price.