Champions Sprint Tips - Flying filly to upstage the big names in the Champions Sprint

It is the Everest (1200m) winner, Bella Nipotina that holds favouritism for the Champions Sprint after the barrier draw ahead of Giga Kick, who was runner-up in the worlds richest race. 

Bella Nipotina has since taken out the Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill, going 15.6 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the best last start figure of any runner. The Ciaron Maher-trained mare is on the one-week backup and has had four runs this spring. 

The chink in her armour might be her form at the track and trip, which has yielded just one placing in five attempts but she is going as well as ever. She was 5th in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) this year, going 17.2 lengths faster than standard, which is a better figure than what any horse in this race has produced in the past two years. 

Both Giga Kick and Sunshine In Paris have been beaten by her at their past two starts. Lady Laguna was 3rd in the Russell Balding.  

Overpass won on the same day that Bella Nipotina claimed the Everest by taking out the Sydney Stakes (1200m). He ran inferior time to go 11.2 lengths faster than standard but was first up and will strip fitter. This is his first time at Flemington since taking out the Inglis Sprint (1200m) in 2022. 

Baraqiel is a horse on the up and has won six of eight. The lightly raced six-year-old produced a career best by going 12.7 lengths faster than standard to take out the McEwan Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last time. I Am Unstoppable was a luckless runner-up in that race. 

An interesting element to this years edition of the race is the presence of a couple of three-year-olds. Bellatrix Star is capable of running some slick times and went 13.1 lengths faster than standard last weekend when filling the exacta behind Switzerland in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington. She can measure up. 

Private Life drops from the 1600m after claiming the Caulfield Guineas and is likely to need to produce a personal best figure to trouble these. Right To Party is another last start winner that will need to set a career peak. Stretan Angel looks outclassed. 

Estriella is an interesting contender and likes the Flemington straight. She held out Rey Magnerio at Caulfield over the 1100m last time and is likely to bowl along in front. 

I love what Bella Nipotina has been doing but I am not confident due to her record at the track and trip. Willing to look wide here and Bellatrix Star might be one to consider against the older horses. She has been flying of late and should have finished closer in the Coolmore Stud Stakes when held up at a vital time before producing the fastest last 200m. The daughter of Star Witness drops 3.5kg from that run and draws a nice part of the track. She can sit behind what should be a solid speed and have the last crack at them. 

I Am Unstoppable has had two runs since switching to the Ciaron Maher stable, finishing runner-up in both starts. He hasn't had a clear crack at them in both of those runs when held up before flying late. At Moonee Valley, the four-year-old came home in 33.56 over the last 600m, despite being held up. This is harder but he had solid form as a three-year-old at Flemington, finishing runner-up in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) last year and should be nearing his peak at his third run.