Your Expert Guide to the 2019 All Star Mile

Perfect weather in Melbourne within minimal wind. Track will start Good 4 and improve to a 3. Expecting no bias with the rail +7m.

FLEMINGTON RACE 8 | ALL-STAR MILE 1600M | 5:10PM

Interesting injection of speed into the race with Hawkshot thrown in as a wildcard. Great story for Victorian breeders and Fiorente’s stud prospects.

Whilst it’s a capacity field there’s only a handful of genuine chances. Alizee looks well found in betting at $4.20 early on the Exchange. I concede she was impressive in the Futurity at Caulfield, but the reality is that she only beat Malaguerra by half a length with the old warrior Hartnell in third and perhaps the unluckiest horse to miss a start in this race Land Of Plenty flashing home for fourth. I have a query on Alizee deep into her preparations and stepping up to 1600m at Flemington, there’s nowhere to hide here.

Mystic Journey continues to spiral upwards. Had a rails run throughout and put away the Australian Guineas field with ease at this track and trip. No doubt barrier 16 is a different commodity, but the way she broke their hearts in the Group 2 Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley is something I can’t erase from my memory. Now proven off fast and slow tempos at the elite she rates clear on top and is open to improvement.

Happy Clapper comes to the Flemington mile off a possible ‘red line run’ second up behind Winx. His best performances tend to be first and second up. He bled at this track and trip last time so the 2.7 length defeat behind Grunt is better than it looks. Maybe he wants 2000m now but if he’s been kept fresh enough, he looks the clear second pick behind the Tasmanian Filly.