2013 Turnbull Stakes preview, live blog and tips

Week after week, we are getting more impressive fields in Melbourne as the Cups inch closer. Join us from 3.45pm AEST for a preview, live blog and post-race analysis of the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes.

Demand for spots in this field was high with nine Group 1 winners amongst the field of 20 which has to be cut down to 16.

Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune gets another look at Flemington and is likely to jumps as the favourite. He finished off strongly in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes a fortnight ago.

The further he steps up in distance, the better his chances are.

2000m here is still short of ideal for him but he comes in very well at the weight since he is yet to win a Group 1 and avoids the weight penalties others face here.

Despite finishing seventh in the Underwood Stakes, the pace of the race simply didn’t suit him and the distance of the race was still on the skinny side. He finished strongly and did nothing to suggest he won’t improve here.

Fiorente has been the big early market mover and he too return to the Flemington and gets in well at the weights as a horse yet to win a Group 1.

He was surprisingly dominant in the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes and we already know he will lap up this distance and runs well at Flemington.

Nash Rawiller has not stopped telling us how good this horse it and it is telling that he has opted to stay in Melbourne for the ride despite being offered several winning chances in Sydney across the day’s three Group 1s.

There has been plenty of attention given to Fawkner who opened at $67 on Wednesday.

Lloyd Williams decision to scratch Green Moon and Sea Moon from the race to ensure Fawkner gets a run has indicated that Fawkner is believed to be the stables best Caulfield Cup hope.

His last two starts have been up in Sydney where he took on WFA class but wasn’t quite up to the task. He gets weight relief here but has never raced against a field of this quality.

Royal Descent and Hawkspur bring the Sydney formlines here and both finally get out to longer distances where they proved top strong against their three year old age group last season.

Hawkspur has been given no favours after drawing the car park barrier. When he went around last start in the Group 1 George Main, he was taken to the back and left too much work to do from a long way back.

Chris Waller had indicated he will be ridden the same way here but so too will Puissance De Lune so if he can keep up with the grey, he should be given a nice trail into the race.

Super Cool won the Group 1 Australian Cup here in autumn against older horses under similar conditions as this but as a result of that win, gets a weight penalty here.

He was very flat in the Dato Tan Chin Nam when he missed out on a place but that can be put down to failing to handle Moonee Valley.

Jet Away is one of the most intriguing runners in the field and opened above his rated price. The import has had two runs in Australia for two wins.

He is being set for the Caulfield Cup but due to unexpected events, is starting his campaign much later than anticipated by trainer David Hayes.

Running first up, Jet Away won three of his four attempts and like most of the Europeans, running 2000m first up should be no problem.

Despite there being four or five chances in single figure odds; it shouldn’t surprise anyone if any outsider gets up because the quality of staying horses here is outrageously high.

Alfred Chan’s Tips
1. Fiorente
2. Puissance De Lune
3. Jet Away
4. Royal Descent

Justin Cinque’s Tips
1. Super Cool
2. Fiorente
3. Happy Trails
4. Puissance De Lune

Andrew Hawkins’ Tips
1. Royal Descent
2. Fiorente
3. Sangster
4. Mr O’Ceirin

Cameron Rose’s Tips
1. Puissance De Lune
2. Super Cool
3. Royal Descent
4. Fawkner

Roar writers 2013 Spring Carnival tipping tally (five points if winning horse is tipped for first; three points if tipped for second; two for third and one for fourth):
After week seven
Cameron Rose: 24
Alfred Chan: 24
Justin Cinque: 20
Andrew Hawkins: 20