Might And Power Tips & Preview 2023
King Charles III Stakes Tips & Preview 2023
Looking for King Charles III Stakes tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick.
KING CHARLES III STAKES BETTING SNAPSHOT
The King Charles III Stakes (formerly known as the George Main Stakes) shapes as a beauty at Randwick on Saturday and it is the two-time Doncaster Mile (1600m) winner, Mr Brightside, that heads the market with Picklebet at the $2.30 quote ahead of the Chris Waller-trained Fangirl at $7. Zaaki ($8.50) and Light Infantry ($9) are others under the double figures.
There are 16 contenders in the $5 million race and the last start 7 Stakes (1600m) winner, Think It Over, is at $12, while Kovalica is a $17 shot. Golden Mile and Buckaroo head the rest of the field at $21.
KING CHARLES III STAKES FORM ANALYSIS
Mr Brightside comes up from Melbourne and is unbeaten in three runs this preparation with the last two of those coming at Group 1 level. He claimed the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 16 ahead of Alligator Blood, who then went on to claim Group 1 success in the Underwood Stakes (1800m).
The Team Hayes-trained galloper is no stranger to Randwick and has had two goes at the track and trip for two wins in the Doncaster. They have come when fourth up and he heads to this at the same stage. The son of Bullbars comes in with the best last start benchmark figures of any horse in the race, having gone 6.8 lengths faster than standard benchmark at Flemington. He has gone 12 lengths faster in his two wins in the Doncaster and is capable of raising the bar.
Three runners come out of the 7 Stakes (1600m) and they are the trifecta horses out of that with Think It Over, Zaaki and Fangirl finishing in that order. The winner went just 1.8 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is well off his personal best. Slow early speed went against Fangirl, who ran her last 600m in 33.16.
The Epsom (1600m) is another key lead up to this race and Rediener scored with the 50kg on his back that day. One of five in this race for Chris Waller, he rises 8.5kg for this but does have a bit of upside and went 6.8 lengths faster than standard to win, which is the same figure that Mr Brightside produced last time.
Kovalica and Golden Mile filled the minors. Kovalica was massive from well back and came home in 32.9 over the last 600m on the Good 4. Golden Mile settled up front and just ran out of steam late. Democracy Manifest (5th), Hope In Your Heart (6th), My Oberon (7th) and Nugget (10th) are others to come out of the time-honored Handicap. Of that quartet, both all had some degree of an excuse not to finish closer.
Light Infantry Man creates interest. He has been racing against some of the best horses in Europe and comes over for the Maher/Eustace stable and is in the market for the Cox Plate (2040m) in a few weeks. The five-year-old was 3rd in the Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot earlier this year and was placed in Group 1 races either side of that.
Buckaroo is another import and was 4th behind Light Infantry, when the latter was runner-up at Group 1 level in France back in May. The Joseph O’Brien-trained galloper has had a recent run when filling the exacta at Group 2 level at Leopardstown in September over the 1609m.
KING CHARLES III STAKES TIPS AND BEST BETS
Impossible to go past Mr Brightside in the King Charles III Stakes. He is going better than ever, coming in with a winning streak of five with three of those at Group 1 level, as well as the All-Star Mile back in the autumn. The six-year-old will eat up the Randwick track and is suited under the weight-for-age conditions of the race. He should have plenty in the tank after his win in the Makybe Diva Stakes and can tuck into a midfield spot from barrier 8 with Craig Williams to ride. Only dangers are possibly the foreign raiders and they represent a bit of X-factor but will need to be something special to get the job done here.
