 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 (Melbourne Cup 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.
The Melbourne Cup is the most famous race on the Australian racing calendar and has been part of the fabric of Australian sport and culture for more than 160 years. It is run over 3200m and attracts the best local and international stayers. The Melbourne Cup starts at the 800m of the straight track. The field of 24 will race for 1000m – and fly by the grandstand for the first time – before they get to the turn out of the straight and enter the Maribyrnong River side of the course. Once they negotiate that turn, they will race for another 800m before they get to the 1200m mark, where they navigate the long and gradual turn that will eventually bring them into the home straight.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup was won by GOLD TRIP, who settled in the second half of the field and was too strong for his opposition. Runner up EMISSARY settled midfield and loomed up to win with 200m to go but didn’t run out the trip as well as the winner did, while HIGH EMOCEAN came from well back in the field to get third place.
Although the field has a long run to the first turn from the 3200m start, inside to middle barrier draws are useful given the large field. In the last twenty years, the majority of winners have come from the inside 15 stalls.
The other staying race on the card is the Benchmark 96 handicap over 2800m. The horses will race for 600m before getting to the first turn, but again, an inside to middle barrier draw is helpful, but not essential, depending on the size of the field.
Two BM90 Handicaps, the Listed Desirable Stakes and the G3 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (Maybe Mahal Stakes) are over 1400m. The race begins from a chute and then the horses quickly gallop on to a turn, therefore, there isn’t as much time for riders to find a position and barrier draws are more significant, with inside draws favourable.
The 1000m Schweppervescence Plate is the only race running on the straight course in the meeting. Predicting the pattern for the straight course is difficult. It could be worth looking at the races run on the Melbourne Cup Day prior to the simulcast though to gain a greater understanding of how the straight course is playing on the day.
Dry conditions are forecast in the lead up to Melbourne Cup Day and warm weather is expected on race day, so it’s likely that the meeting will be run on a good track.
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