Where will the winner come from in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.
Far from being a capacity of 24 horses that charge down the straight 1200m, a field of 16 will do battle in Saturday’s Group 1 handicap.
It was expected last year the outside was the place to be and who can forget Artorius and Craig Newitt doing a right-hand turn soon after the start from their inside draw.
But it was those drawn on the inside – Roch ‘N’ Horse and The Astrologist – that ran the quinella, while Artorius finished sixth, coming home strongly towards the outside fence.
There were 17 runners last year and the feeling is this year from Flemington track manager Liam O’Keeffe that the field will again split with a small number to again come down the inside rail.
One galloper that has a solid Flemington record is Queensland-trained Baller who has a win and two third placings from four starts at the track and is drawn to come down the outside from gate 13.
Baller’s one ‘miss’ was first-up in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) on February 18, while the sprinters three other starts have all been at 1200m.
The Tony Gollan-trained sprinter defeated Roch ‘N’ Horse in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Stakes last September before finishing third to Private Eye in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes and then third to Roch ‘N’ Horse in the Group 1 Champions Sprint on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Roch ‘N’ Horse and Private Eye are opponents again on Saturday.
Blake Shinn, who has the mount on Saturday, rode Baller in his third-place finish in the Gilgai Stakes and said the gelding was unlucky not to finish closer.
“He gave me a good feel that day and showed he can be competitive against Private Eye and Roch ‘N’ Horse,” Shinn said.
“He’s a good horse and he’s a good straight horse. He’s in with a good weight and he ran well first-up in the Lightning.
“He was a little unlucky when he got beaten by Private Eye. I’m not saying he would have beaten Private Eye, but he probably could have finished closer.
“I sat on him on Tuesday, and he worked well. He’s holding his form quite well.
“It’s an open race and he’s been competitive against these horses.
“He’s some sort of chance.”