Coolmore Stud Stakes Tips - Flying filly to upstage the boys in the Group 1 for the three-year-old sprinters

The Coolmore Stud Stakes will be held on Saturday November 2 at Flemington and is the first of three Group 1 races on Derby Day. 

A field of 14 are set to scorch down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 for the three-year-olds and is the Everest (1200m) place-getter, Growing Empire, that holds slight favouritism after the barrier draw. 

The Ciaron Maher-trained colt returns to tackle his own age group and was a narrow runner-up against the older horses in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) two starts ago. The son of Zoustar led before going down late in the Everest, going 9.9 lengths faster than standard benchmark. 

Best last start figures belong to Bellztrix Star, who is one of two fillies in the race. She went 13.7 lengths faster than standard when claiming the Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 12. Lady Of Camelot is the other filly and was 4th in the Everest, just over 0.1 of a length behind Growing Empire. 

Traffic Warden comes in with a month between runs and narrowly missed behind his stablemate, Broadsiding, in the Golden Rose (1400m) in late September. The Godolphin galloper claimed the Group 2 VRC Sires (1400m) at Flemington earlier this year, while he performs well over the 1200m. 

Four runners had their most recent start in the Roman Consul Stakes (1200m), including the trifecta horses, Switzerland, Coleman and Yoshinobu. Switzerland will be ridden by James McDonald and was handy on a slow tempo before going 8.9 lenghts faster than standard to claim the Rosehill Group 2. Coleman settled back in that race before running on, as did Gatsby’s, who was 5th. 

First Settler is a last start Flemington straight winner, taking out the Danehill Stakes (1100m), Enriched (3rd) and Bodyguard (9th) were also in action in that race. Bittercreek is on the short back up and is another last start winner after scoring at Moonee Valley last weekend. 

This is a hot race and there are plenty of chances. Bellatrix Star faces her toughest test but her times stack up and she was strong from a midfield spot in the Schillaci Stakes against the older horses on a day when the leaders tended to dominate. She has had experience down the Flemington straight, overcoming trouble to score at Listed level three starts ago, with a win at Moonee Valley in between those runs. This looks like it might develop into a sit-sprint with only Growing Empire offering up a bit of speed early. That should suit and the daughter of the 2010 winner of this race, Star Witness, draws the right part of the track. 

I do believe that Coleman has a big win in him at some stage and has had a few near misses. He was solid over the 1000m when resuming in the Moir Stakes (1000m) then was just a tad keen at Moonee Valley in the Manikato, before improving last time when runner-up behind Switzerland in the Roman Consul. He was taken to the outside and into what was arguably the inferior part of the straight at Rosehill, while Switzerland took the shortcuts on the inside. The Matt Laurie-trained galloper narrowly missed behind Lady Of Camelot in the Golden Slipper in the autumn at the same stage of his last preparation. He is one that looks overs in the betting.