Saturday will mark the first time since 2015 that Winx isn’t crowned the Chipping Norton Stakes winner, and a fittingly classy and open field of milers will step out in the great mare’s absence.
Star Kiwi Te Akau Shark will make his long-awaited return to Australia and perhaps rightly, has opened a reasonably short favourite in Chipping Norton Stakes betting. He was excellent in the spring but was also unable to record a race win here and at his current price, I’m happy to take him on.
Chipping Norton Stakes – Winner
No. 5 Fierce Impact – Bet Now: $8.00
I could be a bigger fan of Fierce Impact than Matt Smith and I think that he’ll take a power of beating in the Chipping Norton Stakes. The Deep Impact entire has been a pleasing prospect since first arriving in Australia a couple of seasons ago, but it is fair to say that he went to another level in spring when he recorded consecutive wins in the Group 1 Toorak and Group 1 Cantala. He flashed home late to finish a close-up second in the Group 1 Neds C.F. Orr three weeks ago and will only be better for that ran, and out to a mile. The $8.50 available for him to win this race at publish looks an outstanding bet.
Chipping Norton Stakes – 2nd
No. 3 Te Akau Shark – Bet Now: $2.50
His class, record and impressive first-up effort in New Zealand has forced me to select Te Akau Shark to finish second in the Chipping Norton Stakes 2020. The Rip Van Winkle gelding simply does not know how to run a bad race, and made his presence felt in Australia when second in both the Group 2 Tramway and Group 1 Epsom Handicap, before running third in the Cox Plate in spring. He was finally rewarded for his top-level ability when he took out the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint first-up in New Zealand three weeks ago and will only improve for that effort.
Chipping Norton Stakes – 3rd
No. 1 Avilius – Bet Now: $6.50
Avilius clearly needed the run when he resumed for fifth in the Neds CF Orr Stakes, but he does tend to enjoy enormous improvement with one under his belt and he is every chance of delivering Hugh Bowman a fifth-consecutive Chipping Norton win. The Pivotal gelding is a multiple Group 1 champion and was a typically excellent performer throughout the recent Spring Carnival winning the Group 1 George Main at this track and distance most notably. 59kgs really hasn’t affected him too many times previously and he can fight out the finish again.
Chipping Norton Stakes – 4th
No. 2 Happy Clapper – Bet Now: $10.00
It’s pretty hard to leave one of Australia’s favourite horses out of my selections and how fitting it would be to see probably the only horse whose heart Winx didn’t break win the Chipping Norton Stakes. Happy Clapper is a multiple Group 1 champion in his own right, twice over the Randwick Mile and he simply gives his all every time that he steps onto the track. He was typically game when third in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes first-up a fortnight ago and will relish getting back to his pet trip. $11 seems a big price for him in Chipping Norton betting.
Suggested Bets
- 2 Units E/W #5 Fierce Impact
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below