 Brett Davis | |
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| Brett Davis was introduced to Australian Racing by his father back in the early 1980’s when his family became involved in formulating “Thoroughbred Racing Syndications”. Brett worked from 1995 as a Professional Form Analysts and Race Broadcaster with an array of companies throughout most parts of the Australia Racing industry. He currently resides in Adelaide, his hometown in Australia, where he is Chief Thoroughbred Race Caller and Form Analyst for Tabcorp / SkyChannel / RadioTAB. Brett Davis also spent 2 years with the Singapore Turf Club and 13 Racing Seasons with the Hong Kong Jockey Club between 2006 to 2019 as a leading Form Analyst / Race Caller and was the HKJC Chief Race Caller from 2014, calling the last 5 Hong Kong International (Turf World Championships) race meetings and over 50 G1 races. Brett has immense passion for Australian Racing both personally and professionally. With his diverse knowledge and long standing industry relations he’s a valuable asset to racing and it’s enthusiasts. | |
Flemington Racecourse – Track Analysis (Victoria Derby Day):
Flemington Racecourse is the headquarters for racing in the city of Melbourne and is located approximately six kilometres from the city’s CBD. As a racecourse, it’s renowned for its vast expanses and long home straight, by Australian racing standards, which in theory means that every horse gets their opportunity to win there. Racing anti-clockwise on turf, the main course at Flemington has a circumference of 2312m and a home straight of 450m in length. It also has a 1200m straight course, starting from the left grandstand, re-joins the course proper at the top of the home straight, on which all sprint races are run on.
Victoria Derby Day is the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the biggest week of racing in Australia. The feature of the day is the Victoria Derby for the staying three-year old’s over 2500m. Once the field leaves the straight on the first occasion and gets to the Maribyrnong River side of the course at the 2000m mark, they then have a straight run until around the 1200m mark, where they begin the long but gradual turn that takes them into the home straight. In races over this distance, the field faces a short run to the first turn, therefore, barriers are important. In the last ten years, single figured barrier draws have been successful on seven occasions.
Last year’s Victoria Derby was run on a soft track and was won by MANZOICE, who settled in the second half of the field and wore down race favourite SHARP ‘N’ SMART to score, in what was a genuinely run race. ABERFELDIE BOY came from midfield and flew home to finish an unlucky third, having been caught in traffic early in the home straight.
The 2500m of the Derby is the same course and distance that the G3 Lexus Archer Stakes (Hotham Handicap) field will negotiate as they try to secure a final spot in Tuesday’s 3200m G1 Melbourne Cup.
The 2000m distance of the G2 Wakeful Stakes provides one of the fairer starting points for the 3YO fillies who are heading towards the VRC Oaks (Kennedy Oaks) five days later. Races over this trip at Flemington start by the Maribyrnong River and have a run of around 800m before they face the first bend by Chiquita Lodge, giving riders and their mounts plenty of time to find their positions in running. As a result, barriers are less important in races like this.
Two of the races being simulcast from Flemington on Victoria Derby Day are over 1600m, the G3 Carbine Club Stakes and the G1 Empire Rose Stakes. Runners in these races face a run of only a few hundred metres from the 1600m chute before they begin the gradual turn that takes them back towards home, therefore, inside barrier draws are at an advantage. That’s even more so the case for a race like the G2 The Damien Oliver (Linlithgow Stakes) over 1400m as there’s less time for horses to find their positions before they link up with the course proper and face that same lengthy, gradual home turn.
Three other simulcast races; the 1200m G3 Rising Fast Stakes (Chatham Stakes), the 1200m G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (Ascot Vale Stakes), and the 1100m G3 Furphy Sprint (Begonia Belle Stakes), will be conducted on the straight course at Flemington. In recent meetings this spring at Flemington, the fields have been coming more towards the grandstand side of the course in the straight races, consequently, higher numbered barrier draws could well be at an advantage here.
The rail will be in the true position for Victoria Derby Day and dry conditions are forecast leading into the meeting, so given that and the fact that Flemington drains very well, it is anticipated that the races will be run on a good track.
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