CF Orr Stakes Tips & Preview 2023

Looking for CF Orr Stakes tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 CF Orr Stakes at Sandown.

CF ORR STAKES BETTING SNAPSHOT

It is the three-year-old, Jacquinot, that heads the market with Palmerbet at the $3.40 quote, just ahead of the 2022 Cox Plate (2040m) runner-up, I’m Thunderstruck, at $4. 

Tuvalu is at $6, while the last start winner, Gentleman Roy, is at $7. Mr Brightside is one of five runners in the 10-horse field that resumes and is at $10, while Nugget heads the rest at $11. 

CF ORR STAKES FORM ANALYSIS

Jacquinot is one of three last start winners in the race and comes off an excellent win against his own age group in the Manfred Stakes (1300m) at Sandown on Australia Day. He settled midfield in what was a slowly run race that day before charging home late to find the line in the nick of time, defeating Bank Maur. 

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper went just 3.8 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the worst last start figure of any runner. But that was due to the slow tempo and he sprinted well at the business end. Second up last time he went 10.6 lengths faster than standard to claim the Golden Rose. The son of Rubick will strip fitter and his ceiling is unknown at this stage. 

Gentleman Roy stepped out in the John Dillon Stakes (1400m) on the same day, leading all the way to go 13.8 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the best last start figure of any runner and a personal best for the six-year-old. 

He was a winner when second up last time over the 1500m at Sandown and looks to be the likely leader here with Tuvalu, Turaath, Mr Brightside and Nugget to tuck in behind. 

Nugget comes in with six weeks in between runs and faces his acid test. The Maher/Eustace galloper will be going for four wins on the trot and claimed the Lord Stakes (1700m) back on Boxing Day, going 11.8 lengths faster than standard. Horses from this stable tend to go well off similar breaks with Right You Are a case in point last weekend. 

I’m Thunderstruck is one of the established gallopers in the field and is likely to get back. He consistently produced excellent figures in the spring and went 10.6 lengths faster than standard when finishing runner-up in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) when fresh before going 14.8 lengths faster when winning the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at his next run. 

Tuvalu has never finished out of the placings in his 14 career starts, winning eight. He is three from five when fresh and draws to save ground from barrier 1. He is two from two at Sandown and resumes after splitting Alligator Blood and Mr Brightside in the Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington on Champions Day.  Mr Brightside was a first up winner in the spring and was competitive in some of the major races later on. 

Others in the field are Turaath, Callsign Mav, Aegon and Western Empire. They are quality gallopers but might just be a tier below some of those in this race. 

CF ORR STAKES TIPS AND BEST BETS

It is hard to go past the likes of Jacquinot and I’m Thunderstruck but I loved the performance of Gentleman Roy in the John Dillon Stakes at the track and trip. This is much harder but the figures from that performance suggest that he has possibly come back as good as ever. Crucially, the Ben & JD Hayes-trained galloper is likely to be racing on a Good deck with fine conditions forecast in the lead up to Saturday’s race, while he should enjoy a nice time of it up front as there doesn’t appear to be too much pressure outside of him. Nugget is one to consider at the each way quote and the former import is clearly on the up. Love what the stable do with gallopers at this age range and he should not be underestimated.