Saturday Bound looks at the nominations for Saturday's racing and what the likely fields shape up as.
It's a cracking prelude to the Spring Carnival, headlined by the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield, while up at Rosehill some of the leading Golden Rose hopefuls step out in The Rosebud.
Caulfield — P.B. Lawrence Stakes
Australia's leading stables are starting to roll out their spring big guns, with Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher strongly represented among the 18 nominations for the G2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m).
Waller has nominated ATC Oaks winner Ohope Wins along with Soul Of Spain and Wootton Verni, while Maher could launch a four-pronged attack headed by Australian Cup winner Light Infantry Man, alongside Another Wil, Kings Valley and Warnie.
But it's last-start Bletchingly Stakes winner Cosmic Crusader who heads the early market at $2.80, with Another Wil, Private Eye and Evaporate all at $6.00.
The three-year-olds are back
Saturday is also our first proper look at some of last season's better juveniles as they begin their three-year-old campaigns, in the G3 Vain Stakes (1100m) and G3 Quezette Stakes (1100m).
Blue Diamond runner-up Closer To Free heads the Vain market at $3.50, with Hard Kick at $6.00. Impressive debut winners Organised Crime and Sharaz are also among the nominations.
The unbeaten Kiwi filly Lara Antipova headlines the Quezette nominations as she chases a fifth straight win, now based at Cranbourne. Natural Fling and impressive debut winner Riverina Lulu shape as two of her main rivals. The bookies have been slow to put a market up for this one. They must be scared.
Also at Caulfield, unbeaten mare Tennessee Bound puts her perfect six-from-six record on the line and steps into black-type company for the first time in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m).
Rosehill — The Rosebud
Up in Sydney, The Rosebud provides an early glimpse at some of the three-year-olds hoping to head towards the Golden Rose.
Two of last season's more impressive juveniles, Blue Door and Central Europe, have been installed as $4.50 joint favourites.
It's a race with a long history of producing very good horses — and Saturday could give us our first real clue as to which of this season's three-year-olds are ready to take the next step.
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Editorial at The Daily Punt, covering Australian racing and sport with an eye for where the value sits.
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