Futurity Stakes Stakes Tips & Preview 2023

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

FUTURITY STAKES BETTING SNAPSHOT

A small but select field of eight runners line up in the Futurity Stakes and it is I’m Thunderstruck that heads the betting with Palmerbet at the $3.10 quote, just ahead of Alligator Blood at $3.90.

Mr Brightside is at $5.50, while the last start Orr Stakes placegetter from the Maher/Eustace camp, Nugget, is at $6. My Oberon ($12), Laws Of Indices ($15), Aegon ($18) and Mr Mozart ($21) round out the field. 

FUTURITY STAKES FORM ANALYSIS

Four of the field of eight lock horns again after fighting it out in the CF Orr Stakes (1400m) a fortnight ago, finishing behind Jacquinot. That quartet filled 3rd to 6th placings and are Nugget, I’m Thunderstruck, Mr Brightside and Aegon. 

Nugget set a personal best that day by going 13.2 lengths faster than standard. The improver out of the Maher/Eustace camp had won his three starts prior to that and was fresh off a six-week break. That figure is the best last start figure of any runner. 

I’m Thunderstruck settled just worse than midfield and appeared to peak on his run late in the piece. He gets the crossover noseband off and we know that he is capable of improvement. Second up last time he improved four lengths on benchmark fires when going from a runner-up in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) to a thrilling win ahead of Alligator Blood in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m). He sticks to the 1400m this time around and is just one from eight at the trip. 

Mr Brightside produced the fastest last 600m in the Orr Stakes, while Aegon produced the second fastest last 600m and the second fastest last 200m behind Jacquinot. 

Alligator Blood returns to the scene of his Underwood Stakes (1800m) triumph when leading all the way. That came at the third run of his spring campaign. The Waterhouse/Bott galloper then went on to claim the Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington later on. 

Big fan of this guy and what he can bring to the table. He finished 7th when resuming last time in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) in what was an inconclusive run as he never really saw any daylight in the straight. 

My Oberon is another that resumes and looked a world beater at his first run in Australia last year when claiming the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day, going 16.8 lengths faster than standard benchmark. That is the second best figure that any horse in this race has produced, just shy of the 17 lengths faster than standard benchmark that I’m Thunderstruck produced in the 2022 Toorak Handicap when winning with the light weight. 

The Anabel Neasham galloper was a bit flat after that when 6th in the Champions Mile but might have been entitled to be. I just wouldn’t have minded seeing him finish a tad closer in recent trials to be a threat here. 

Others in the field are Mr Mozart and Laws Of Indices. Both have recent Sydney form. Laws Of Indices has also accepted for the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick but if connections opt for Sandown they will be looking for a similar performance to his previous second up run when going 14 lengths faster than standard en route to finishing runner-up behind Tuvalu in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) last year. 

Mr Mozart was stiff not to claim in the Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) when resuming, He represents a bit of X-factor here and might go forward this time around. 

FUTURITY STAKES TIPS AND BEST BETS

Great race and plenty to digest with the Orr runners up against Alligator Blood, while we can certainly make a case for just about every horse. Settling on Alligator Blood. He has been excellent at the distance range since switching camps to the Waterhouse/Bott stable last year and did have excuses in the Memsie Stakes at his first up run last spring. Interesting to see what happens in the early stages and whether or not Mr Mozart heads forward but I am expecting Alligator Blood to hold the lead and be strong late. Underwood Stakes win at the track bodes well for the confidence. Nugget is also a solid player and I will be working around him and Alligator Blood in exotics.