Champagne Stakes:

Impossible to go past (8) Fashions Afield after most impressive win in the AJC Sires Produce last Saturday. (3) Under the Floor, (4) Replicator, (9) Media and (10) Carry On Cutie combined with Fashions Afield will make a nice little box quinella or trifecta.

Recommended bet: $5 on Fashions Afield to Win, Box Quinella 8,3,4,9,10, $5 for 50c.

All Aged Stakes:

Assuming that everything is right with her, this looks an ideal race for Our Egyptian Raine (8) to score her first Group One on this side of the Tasman. Ultra consistent performer, at about her ideal distance, and no matter what kind of track they throw up she will run well. Shamekha (5), Only Words (7) and Special Harmony (6) are the only three I can see presenting a challenge, although I think the form lines out of the T.J Smith are a bit questionable, with the track being the determining factor in that race.

Recommended bet: $5 each way on Our Egyptian Raine.

Queen Elizabeth Stakes:

Despite losing last start to Makybe Diva, there is no doubt that (1) Grand Armee is an absolute star, and should be able to return to winning ways. It won't be the same plodding tempo as last year, thanks to the presence of NZ horse (6) St. Reims, so Grand Armee may well be forced to take a sit behind him. (9) Vouvray has been going extremely well this preparation, only to keep running into Grand Armee and Makybe Diva, (4) Mummify is a threat in the event of a firm surface, and of course Cox Plate winner (11) Savabeel may show something like his best form in which case he would be a major danger.

Recommended bet:

Trifecta:

1/4,9,11/4,9,11. $9 for $1. Plus we might have our other $1 on Delzao at odds, who knows if the new trainer can work some miracles?

Sydney Cup

Pantani (7) has an imposing record at 3200m, with three wins from five starts, including the Adelaide Cup, and the Listed Banjo Patterson (called the Andrew Ramsden this year) twice. There can be no doubt he will be there at the end, which is more than you can say for a good part of the field. Hugs Dancer (1) has been thereabouts without threatening at WFA races which are totally unsuitable. He has won over 4224m in Europe, and his fifth on an unsuitable wet track last year in the Melbourne Cup is a good form line. Mahtoum (5) won over 2400m at G3 level two starts ago, and his 5th in the BMW was good enough, although the $3.75 presently on offer is ridiculous. Philosophe (11) was a mighty impressive winner in the Chairman's Handicap last Saturday and is every chance with just 51.5 Kg on his back, and stablemate Manawa King (7) who was second in this race last year is a chance again. County Tyrone (2) is another dour type who will put in a good show. You can't have 'em all, so the key is to look for value.

I'm going to box up 1,5,6,7,11 in a Quinella, $5 for 50c, and have $5 on Pantani to Win.

Best of luck punters.