Australasian Oaks Tips & Preview 2024
Robert Sangster Stakes Tips & Preview 2024
Looking for Robert Sangster Stakes tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2024 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville.
ROBERT SANGSTER STAKES BETTING SNAPSHOT
It is the three-year-old, Estriella, that is the $3 favourite with PlayUp for the Robert Sangster Stakes ahead of her stablemate, I Am Me, at $5. The Ciaron Maher-trained duo head the last start RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) winner, Benedetta, at $7.50, while the recent Galaxy (1100m) winner, Zapateo, is $8.
There are 14 contenders in action for the Group 1 sprint for the fillies and mares and a couple of other three-year-olds are in contention in Stretan Angel ($10) and Learning To Fly ($14). Passive Aggressive ($11) and Roots ($13) are between that pair. Climbing Star heads the rest at $21.
ROBERT SANGSTER STAKES FORM ANALYSIS
Formlines are many and varied for the second of the Group 1 races at Morphettville on Saturday. Estriella comes in with the second best last start benchmark figures of any runner, having gone 13.2 lengths faster than standard when claiming the Sunlight Classic (1100m) at Flemington at her most recent start. That is just shy of the 13.3 lengths faster than standard that Zapateo produced when taking out the Group 1 Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill back on Golden Slipper day.
The exciting prospect from the Ciaron Maher stable has had seven starts for the four wins and was not tested at Flemington when leading all the way. She might have more to come and just needs to overcome the tricky gate.
Zapateo draws favourably in barrier 3 and rises 3.5kg off her recent win. She placed 3rd in both the Goodwood (1200m) and this race last year from wide barriers and might get the run of the race this time around.
Passive Aggressive was 6th in the Galaxy and defeated Zapateo over the 1000m prior to that race. Her question mark is the 1200m and she dropped out of it when 8th in this race last year.
Three runners come out of the RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on April 13, including the winner, Benedetta, who flew late, running her last 600m in 33.44 to go 10.5 lengths faster than standard benchmark.
She is always strong late in her races and produced the fastest last 200m in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at her start prior to go 17.5 lengths faster than standard, which is nearly four lengths better than what any horse in this race has ever produced. Barrier 1 is the sticking point and she will need to find clear air at some stage.
Climbing Star was bloused late by Benedetta, filling the exacta behind that horse last time, while Snapped was 4th. Climbing Star was posted wide throughout and scored impressively at the track and trip at her start prior. Snapped comes out of the same race as Benedetta and gets out to the 1200m. She is two from two at the track and trip and we must respect the Anthony & Sam Freedman camp.
I Am Me is another strong hope in the market after running 3rd behind the recently retired champion, Imperatriz, in the William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 23. The stablemate of Estriella was first up that day and went 9.6 lengths faster than standard. She has scope for improvement at her second run this time in and has been knocking on the door at Group 1 level with three successive placings.
Stretan Angel and Learning To Fly join Estriella as the other three-year-olds in the Robert Sangster Stakes. Stretan Angel was just about a certainty beaten when runner-up over the 1100m at Morphettville behind Sir Sway two weeks ago and is in the mix with better luck.
Learning To Fly drops from the 1400m after running 4th in the Surround Stakes in early March. She is on the fresh side and was runner-up at Group 2 level over the 1200m when first up prior to her Surround Stakes effort.
Some hope is given to Roots, who was 3rd at Rosehill at her most recent start, while the Waller mare gets the services of James McDonald. Hard to make a case for some of the roughies, although Waltz On By is a last start winner that comes in with the third best last start benchmark figures of any runner.
ROBERT SANGSTER STAKES TIPS AND BEST BETS
Hard to split Estriella and Benedetta. The former has been in cruise control at her last few starts and might be a bit untapped. I have a slight leaning towards Benedetta, given the price. She has been consistently producing big figures at her past two and I am banking on the Jason Warren mare enjoying an ounce of luck from barrier 1. One to consider at a price is Snapped. The Freedman stable know how to win this race and the daughter of Not A Single Doubt was held up in the straight when producing the second fastest last 400m and 200m behind Benedetta when 4th. She loves the Morphettville 1200m and will be strong late in the piece.
