2023 Australian Guineas Tops Selections and Tip

Australian Guineas tips

The Australian Guineas is another chance for the three year olds down under to showcase their talents at one of the most prestigious racecourses in the country. It is one of the more recent races to be added to the racing calendar but the pedigree required to entire is no less than any other major black type on the calendar. 

Run under set weight conditions all the three year olds in the Australian Guineas are on a level playing field which means that the most talented runners come to the fore. In the 2023 edition of the race we see runners from interstate as well as abroad attempt to stamp their ticket as the best. 

There have been a number of talented runners that have won the Australian Guineas as a three year old before going on to carve out names for themselves in the horse racing world. Zabeel, ,Apache Cat and more recently Shamus Award and Alligator Blood have all won the race before going on to claim further Group One success.

In recent years runners that have come through the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes have had a large amount of success in the race with trainers using the 1400m contest, held a week before the Guineas, as an acid test for Group One hopefuls. 

In 2023 a number of these runners have once again used the CS Hayes as a right of passage in to the Australian Guineas. However with the favourite winning the race 14 times out of 36 editions is there any form that can stop market leader Jacquinot on Saturday?

2023 Australian Guineas Race Overview

The main story line coming into the 2023 Australian Guineas has been not if but just how well can Jacquinot win another Group One title. Given the betting behaviour punters would seem to be believe he definitely can.

From an opening quote of $3.10 punters have crunched the Everest placegetter into as short as $2.20 with some bookies. Even when he drew wide with barrier 11 on Wednesday money has kept rolling in for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr’s stable star despite only 3 winners ever coming from barrier 9 or wider. 

There are a number of runners who come through the familiar route of the CS Hayes Stakes with the winner Elliptical sitting as the $6.50 second elect in betting. Placegetters Holymanz and Maximillius also lineup at double figures in the market.

Attrition was also a fast finisher on the heels of Elliptical in that Group 2 contest and with the booking of Jamie Kah also looks to be a live chance at $8.50. 

Kiwi raider Legarto as well as Mystic Journey are the only fillies to enter the race and will take on the boys over the 1600m Only five ladies have beaten the boys before however it has taken something special on each occasion to win out on the day.

2023 Australian Guineas Top Selections

With a capacity field set to contest the 1600m Australian Guineas we have whittled the field down to our top three selections with our best outside chance, main danger and best bet. 

Australian Guineas Outside Chance - 8. Amenable

Trainer - Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr

Price - $12.00

All the talk in this one has been about a Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr runner but probably now Amenable. 

He’s second up on Saturday having finished second in the Group Two Autumn Stakes at Sandown Hillside when resuming. It was a strong display that day going down narrowly to Glint of Silver by 0.4l.

Where we’re more interested though is the Spring. Amenable ran in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude where he finished 3rd five lengths behind Aft Cabin who is in Sydney this weekend as a red hot favourite for the Randwick Guineas.

When he was then stretched out over the 1600m in the Caulfield Guineas at Group One level he had no luck and still managed to finish third behind Golden Mile. All the way up the straight Damien Oliver struggled to get the 3 year old out but hit the line strongly. 

With the inside barrier and a decent price he could be a good each way bet.

Australian Guineas Main Danger - 14. Attrition

Trainer - Mitchell Freedman

Price - $8.50

It’s been a quick rise through the ranks for Attrition and Mitchell Freedman but it seems to be going well having won twice so far this prep as well as a 5th place finish in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes. 

If the CS Hayes is generally a good form indicator for the Australian Guineas winner then there was a lot to like about that fifth place finish last week. 

While the front runners dominated proceedings and Elliptical appeared late on the scene Attritions run seemed to go relatively unnoticed despite the Freedman runner hitting the line well and appearing to have plenty more in the tank after 1400m.

Gets a solid barrier when jumping from number 7 and the booking of Kah is an excellent addition to produce another strong ride. Watch out for him late. 

Australian Guineas Top Pick - 1. Jacquinot

Trainer - Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr

Price - $2.25

Well it might not be the biggest reveal but it’s hard to argue against the favourite here. Yes he’ll have to overcome the barrier draw gods when coming from gate 11 however if anyone has the talent it’s this fella.

Kent Jr. said in an interview this week that he couldn’t see him getting beaten by anyone and this was his chance to stamp him superior status on this seasons three year old group. 

His form has been brilliant since the Spring winning the Group One Golden Rose, finishing fifth in the $15m Everest and then resuming to record another win in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes at Sandown at the end of January.

Jacquinot really proved his class though when overcoming his latest hurdle in the CF Orr Stakes, taking on the older horses in Weight for Age conditions. He got home on protest in the end however he was finishing the best against a talented field. 

If he lives up to potential here it should be another win for this talented three year old.

Back Jacquinot to win.