Samaready and Lankan Rupee are the 2014 Newmarket Handicap tips of Dominic Beirne; with Australia’s leading form analyst revealing that he believes the Mick Price-trained duo will prove very tough to beat if they produce their best form in the Group 1 event at Flemington tomorrow.
Dominic Beirne rates Samaready and stablemate Lankan Rupee the two horses to beat in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Beirne told RSN this morning that he thinks bookmakers have got the 2014 Newmarket Handicap market just about right and said that he will be sticking with Samaready and Lankan Rupee based on their impressive lead-up form in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) and Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) respectively.
The former bookmaker said that he has always had a high opinion of Samaready, but admits that the incredible improvement of Lankan Rupee during the 2014 Autumn Racing Carnival has surprised him.
“If you looked at these horses back in the spring, Samaready had panels on Lankan Rupee,” Beirne said.
“In his last four runs he has built up figures to the extent that I rated the Oakleigh Plate the third highest in the last 20 years.
“That is extremely high and I didn’t expect Lankan Rupee to get to this level.
“I read some comments by Craig Newitt the other day that he was surprised by the handicap the horse got, but he just keeps defying the price that he is, with the margins that be is putting up.
“Unless he falls apart tomorrow, he is going to be very competitive.
“If Lankan Rupee stands up and Samaready runs to her best, it is going to be very difficult for anything else to win.”
Beirne rated this year’s Oakleigh Plate as the strongest since Weekend Hussler took out the 2008 edition of the race and the champion three-year-old went on to win the Newmarket Handicap from Magnus; who also finished second in the Oakleigh Plate.
Based on this history, Beirne believes that Spirit Of Boom is the best outsider in the 2014 Newmarket Handicap and said that he would not be surprised if the Oakleigh Plate quinella replicated that finish in the Group 1 event on Saturday.
“It is interesting; the last three winners have run three weeks before in the Lightning, but over a longer period more winners have come out of the Oakleigh Plate,” Beirne said.
“When the Oakleigh Plate is rated that high, the horses have repeated and dominated in the Newmarket.
“I wouldn’t be putting a pen through Spirit Of Boom, because he does look like has come back fantastic.”
Samaready ($4.60) and Shamexpress ($4.60) are currently equal favourites from Lankan Rupee ($5) in 2014 Newmarket Handicap betting markets, while Spirit Of Boom is available at the lucrative quote of $15.
