Seymour Racing Tips for October 11 – Lim’s Saltoro and each-way player in the Seymour Cup

Here are our best bets from the meeting, which also feature in our daily selections.

Callmeanicon can go close in race five. The six-year-old has had two starts this preparation and needed the run first-up when well beaten on soft going at Sandown over 1500m before showing improvement at the Caulfield Heath at her most recent start, stepping up to the 1800m and finishing third behind Best Time. She settled back and was strong through the line. The daughter of Prized Icon failed at her only attempt over 2000m, but that came on rain-affected going, and her best performances have been on dry tracks. She comes into this third-up and should have further improvement to come. Worth noting that she went more than three lengths faster than standard benchmark last start, which is nearly seven lengths better than the next-best last-start figure of any runner in this race. Luke Nolen rides and strikes at 23% for the stable, providing a very healthy 150% profit on turnover. She draws barrier two and should be able to settle closer than she did last time.

Happy to be with Castellar in race eight despite the five-year-old drawing out wide. The Gavin Bedggood-trained gelding resumed over 1000m at the Caulfield Heath in Benchmark 78 company last month and settled handy before sticking on to finish fifth, beaten two lengths by Camillo. That race has already produced two subsequent winners, and he went nearly three lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the best last-start figure of any runner in this race. The son of Astern improved more than four lengths when second-up last preparation, going from a third at Flemington to a win at Caulfield. He gets the blinkers on for the first time, and the pace looks hectic in this. He might be able to position up in a midfield spot with cover before launching late in the piece.

The Seymour Cup is the feature of the day, and Lim's Saltoro can just about chalk up his first win since arriving from Singapore. The seven-year-old has been competitive in seven runs since coming over, placing in three of those, including his latest effort when third behind Regal Zeus in the Testa Rossa Stakes at Caulfield. He was just a touch keen early and loomed up before peaking on his run with 200m to go. He gets out to the 1600m, a distance at which he went more than nine lengths faster than standard benchmark in a Benchmark 100 at Caulfield in his only Australian attempt at the trip. He also won one of his other two starts over the mile when racing in Singapore. The blinkers come off in a bid to help him settle better, and he draws nicely in barrier seven, allowing him to cross and sit handy. After three runs this preparation, he should have the fitness in the tank to go a couple of spots better than last time.