Flemington Racing Tips for November 7 – Panova will relish the 2000m at Flemington and is over the odds

Here are our best bets from the meeting, with three Group One races to round out the action from Cup Week at Flemington.

Arkansaw Kid should be hard to beat in the Fisher Stakes (1200m). The six-year-old has been competitive in harder company than this at his past few starts and was excellent on a Heavy track at Flemington in the Gilgai Stakes (1200m) two starts ago when third behind Skybird. He then found himself back in a leader-dominated affair in the McEwen Stakes (1200m) at his most recent start, whacking away for sixth behind Smooth Chino. The Hayes-trained galloper draws the outside this time around, which was the place to be at the Derby Day meeting, while he should find this easier. Mark Zahra rides.

Keen on Panova in the Matriarch Stakes (2000m). The Chris Waller-trained mare comes back to race against her own sex and wasn't disgraced two starts ago when finishing well back in the Toorak Handicap (1600m), before a last-start effort that saw her finish last of the eight runners in the Craven Plate (1800m) at Randwick behind Lindermann. The four-year-old was a bit slow out of the blocks and worked into the race before the bend but peaked late. She comes into this fourth-up and improved nearly 10 lengths on benchmark figures at her last preparation when taking out the Australasian Oaks (2000m) at the same stage, while she was also a winner at her only other fourth-up run. That came last year with her dazzling win in the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington as a three-year-old. The daughter of Trapeze Artist draws wide for this but gets the McDonald polish and should be challenging them big time at the business end.

Tempted looks the one to beat in the Champions Sprint (1200m) after her stunning victory in The Everest (1200m) at Randwick. The Ciaron Maher-trained four-year-old produced a remarkable performance to defeat the world's best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, and has been outstanding in all three runs this preparation. The daughter of Street Boss recorded benchmark figures nearly 16 lengths faster than standard in The Everest, producing the fastest 400m to 200m sectional before digging deep to hold off her rivals. She has demonstrated tremendous versatility throughout her career and looks to have a significant class edge on most of these. The Flemington straight presents a new challenge, but she has the professionalism and adaptability to handle it. Chad Schofield retains the ride and has an excellent association with the stable, striking at just under 20% with a 28% profit on investment. She has drawn barrier nine, which could prove advantageous depending on how the track plays after a busy week of racing, and should be mighty hard to hold out.

Cosmic Crusader can continue his outstanding spring campaign with victory in the Champions Stakes (2000m). The Western Australian galloper has been one of the stars of the carnival, taking out the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) before producing a brilliant performance to win the Cox Plate (2040m) at Flemington at his most recent start. The seven-year-old settled back in a genuinely run affair before unleashing a powerful finishing burst to defeat Birdman and Aeliana, recording benchmark figures approximately 16.7 lengths faster than standard. He has now won both of his starts at Flemington and continues to thrive despite being deep into a preparation that has featured seven runs. The son of Cosmic Force meets several of his Cox Plate rivals again and there is little reason to suggest they can turn the tables, particularly with the prospect of another genuine tempo. He draws barrier 11, but William Pike should be able to settle him back and allow him to build momentum in the long Flemington straight. The prospect of rain won't hurt his chances and he looks well placed to add another Group 1 to his record.