CF Orr Stakes Day at Sandown Tips, Race Previews and Selections – 11/2/2023

So Unusual steps out in search of his hat trick and is likely treating this as a lead-up race toward the Adelaide Cup.  

The Unusual Suspect four-year-old has won narrowly in back-to-back starts at The Valley and Sandown and is five weeks between runs now.  

He kept finding nicely in his latest assignment, a brave performance to fend off a late challenge from Wahine Toa. Drawn barrier 8, he should slot across early and save his best for late.

A case to be made for a few here, but it’s hard to knock the form of Amenable ahead of the Autumn Stakes.  

The Lonhro colt has form around Aft Cabin and Golden Mile during the spring, and he looked in great order finishing runner-up during a recent Geelong trial last month.  

The blinkers come off and the winkers go on, and he does own that debut win over 1300m here last March. Damien Oliver sticks in the saddle and a dry track should be to his liking.

Barber makes his return to the races hoping to remain undefeated in the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G).

The Godolphin two-year-old won on debut at Randwick last October, working to the front at the 100m mark and wearing down Coincide, who has since resumed to run third a few weeks ago.  

His second-up win in the Golden Gift was full of merit, form that also stacks up well with Infatuation shedding the maiden tag on New Year’s Day.  

Corniche is also worth a look each way with a slight fitness edge over some of his rivals. He’s found the money in both runs so far and was strong late over 1000m here last month.

Charm Stone was beaten less than half a length by Zulfiqar on debut, a horse that has since come out and won the Chairman’s Stakes last week quite well.  

The I Am Invincible filly went on to win the Ottawa Stakes on Melbourne Cup Day where she was simply too good over the final furlong, wearing down Empress Of Wonder to win by 1.75 lengths.  

Mark Zahra steps into the saddle for the first time in the Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies, and if he can slot across early from a slightly tricky gate, he should have plenty to work with late.

Queen Of The Ball typically runs a competitive race fresh and we’re getting a nice double-figure quote in Kevin Hayes Stakes betting for the filly at time of publish.  

The daughter of I Am Invincible took on much tougher races than this during the spring, winning the Scarborough Stakes at The Valley before finishing midfield in the Coolmore two starts later.  

The Freedman’s have won the last two editions of this race, while it’s worth noting Blake Shinn was responsible for that win at The Valley last year.

A typically wide-open edition of the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes.  

I’m Thunderstruck tends to do his best work fresh and wasn’t beaten far in this race last year. 

He loves to get back and run on, and he should be able to do that from barrier 9.  

I love the fact he’s had a run at Sandown, and it’s tough to knock a horse that has two runner-ups to Anamoe during the spring.

Pounding fought on bravely to get up and win at The Valley a few weeks ago, the third time he’s found the money in as many starts.  

He’s been up for a while, but I quite like him sticking to the mile in the TS Carlyon Cup. 

He’s run some big races at Sandown in the past, including a runner-up to Detonator Jack three runs back. Jamie Kah clearly holds the keys to him and I think the wide gate might actually help him swoop home late.

Here To Shock was the beaten favourite at Flemington last time out but does appear better suited back to 1400m here.  

He gave a good sight first-up over the track and distance when beaten narrowly by Savvanah Cloud, good form considering that was her fourth straight win before finishing two lengths off Pounding at The Valley last month.  

The Lindsay Park five-year-old tends to take a couple of starts to warm into his prep, as we’ve seen in the past with three wins to his name third-up. Anything close to his effort at Caulfield last July makes him hard to beat.