George Main Stakes Field & Barrier Draw
George Main Stakes Tips & Preview 2022
Looking for George Main Stakes tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2022 George Main Stakes at Randwick.
GEORGE MAIN STAKES BETTING SNAPSHOT
Anamoe is the $2.15 favourite in markets with Unibet after the barrier draw, just ahead of Zaaki at $3.10. Fangirl is the only other runner in single figure odds and is at $9 after finishing runner-up behind Anamoe in the recent Winx Stakes (1400m).
There are 10 gallopers in action and it is Profondo ($17), Duais ($18) and Hinged ($18) in contention to pull off an upset, while Icebath ($23), Montefilia ($26), Converge ($31) and Maximal ($91) round out the field.
GEORGE MAIN STAKES FORM ANALYSIS
Three gallopers are second up into this race having featured at Randwick and they are Anamoe, Fangirl and Hinged. The latter was 5th in that race and it was Anamoe that settled handy before securing a win by just under two lengths.
Fangirl settled at the rear on what was a slow tempo before producing the fastest last 400m. Hinged didn’t enjoy much room in the straight and may have finished closer.
Anamoe was lining up for his first run as a four-year-old and went 5.8 lengths faster than standard benchmark. Interesting that his peak run at his last preparation came when first up but he did manage to claim the Hobartville Stakes (1400m) when second up.
Fangirl improved four lengths on figures at her second up run last time to go 9.5 lengths faster than standard when a two-length 5th in the Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick behind Hinged. Hinged produced a personal best that day to go 11 lengths faster than standard and was also second up.
Zaaki resumed with a dominant win this time around when leading all the way to take out the Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick by nearly two lengths from Icebath. Interesting to see how the form from that meeting pans out as those on the inside tended to dominate.
The seven-year-old registered some solid figures by going 12.8 lengths faster than standard. Second up in the autumn, the Anabel Neasham-trained galloper improved eight lengths to take out the All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington.
Icebath was a big firmer in the betting in the Tramway Stakes and did well to run on from last to fill the exacta. She has gone more than 10 lengths faster than standard in her past four Randwick 1600m runs and must be considered on that basis.
Profondo was second up into the Tramway and just lacked the dash at the business end on the Heavy 10. He might be better on a drier track. Suspect that also might be the case for Converge, who bombed out to finish 6th in the Tramway, beaten 10 lengths. Not quite sure he has the class for this, even on a better track.
Duais heads up from Melbourne and could only manage 10th in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) but that was due to the slow tempo and worth noting that the Edward Cummings-trained galloper did produce the fastest last 200m, while the extra 200m should be in her favour.
Two horses resume and they are Montefilia and the rank outsider, Maximal. Montefilia probably needs 2000m and above and was 7th when resuming earlier this year in the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) behind Verry Elleegant, before defeating the Melbourne Cup winner at her next start in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
Maximal is a former import that battled in his first two runs in Australia in the autumn but he did finish ahead of Zaaki when runner-up in the Doomben Cup (2000m). Not sure he can feature but worth keeping an eye on in the market all the same.
GEORGE MAIN STAKES TIPS AND BEST BETS
It will be interesting to see how the track plays early on and it is likely that Zaaki will lead, while Anamoe, Converge, Profondo, Montefilia and Hinged are among those that should be handy. Anamoe draws barrier 8 and James McDonald is likely to slide in to find cover. Icebath, Duais and Fangirl are among those that like to get further back. I am a huge fan of both Anamoe and Zaaki but one that catches my eye a bit at the each-way quote is Hinged. The Chris Waller mare is the value pick and is unbeaten second up, while she produced her career personal best at this stage in the autumn in the Surround Stakes . The daughter of Worthy Cause just never got clear in the Winx Stakes and can be the improver, while she will save every inch of ground from barrier 1 with Kerrin McEvoy on board.
