Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in overseas international racing. Bringing with him a wealth of racing knowledge, Simon is the host and race caller for the overseas simulcast programme since 2008/09 season. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Racing Horizon’ and ‘Horse Racing – Results’.

Flemington Racecourse – Track Analysis (Victoria Derby Day):

With no particular undulations, yet an extended stretch run that accommodates maximum fields of 24, the Flemington Racecourse - the most extensive in Melbourne - covers 1.27 square miles in acreage and 2312m in circumference. Runners still find the wide, sweeping turns manageable to concede precious ground with a gutsy wide move while homeward-bound, whereas an exhausting 450m stretch run asks every single front-runner of a gargantuan effort, even on a typical race day, to make every stride a winning one. In general, this track does slightly favour stalkers.

For the 1600m trip contested in both the Myer Classic and the Cantala Stakes, or the 2500m distance for both the Victoria Derby and the Lexus Stakes, runners will hit the first turn shortly after the break; yet with these being middle-distance and routing contests, runners need not hustle for the rail all that quick. Whereas on the famous 1200m "Straight Six" for both the Coolmore Stud Stakes and the Linlithgow Stakes – as much as fields would generally bunch up in the middle of the track, runners on the grandstand side do enjoy a faster patch of turf. After all, winners still come from anywhere on this straight course – so long as it is the best horse on the day.

In the 2016 running of the Victoria Derby, PRIZED ICON and SACRED ELIXIR, both stalking just off the early speed, took command at the top of the lane to finish one-two, whereas INFERENCE, while trying to close from far back with a ground-saving trip, needed a more searching effort with several stop-and-go, and was late to the scene for third.

Reviewing the recent meeting at Flemington on 7th October, when the portable rail was positioned 9m out on good goings, through track bias was observed at its minimum, closers from far out still delivered better results. That being said, with intermittent rain through this week and heading into Saturday – forecast as cloudy with a low chance for precipitation as of now – this year’s Victoria Derby Day should still be contested on good to firm ground, and mid-pack stalkers with good acceleration should constitute the majority of race selections.

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