Cranbourne flies the flag at Caulfield

Cranbourne jockey Ben Allen steers the Maher/Eustace flying machine Marabi to victory in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday. 270796 Picture PAT SCALA/RACING PHOTOS

Cranbourne Turf Club…Inside word from the track…

Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes Day at Caulfield proved to be a great day for the Cranbourne Training Complex producing three outstanding winners at Group level.

Lavish Girl took out the $300,000 Group-2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) for the Maher/Eustace camp and the team then took out the $750,000 Group-1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) with raging favourite, Marabi.

It was Marabi’s seventh win from seven starts with local jockey Ben Allen on board. The Busuttin/Young team also took out the $750,000 Group-1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).

It was a resounding victory for proven group performer, Sierra Sue, who sustained a big sprint to leave her rivals in her wake. Unfortunately, hot favourite, Jacquinot, had a luckless run to finish third in the Blue Diamond but we’re sure the colt has a bright future and will be back even stronger in the Spring.

Racing moves to Flemington this Saturday, and the Cranbourne Training Complex has another great hand in the feature race…the $1m Group-1 Australian Guineas.

VRC Derby winner, Hitotsu, is currently $4 favourite, while Forgot You has plenty of supporters and is rock-hard fit and paying $9.

Then later in the day the King of Cranbourne – King Magnus – returns in the $300,000 Group-2 Blamey Stakes over his pet distance of 1600m for the Rob Griffiths/De Kock team.

COMMUNITY RACE DAY

Don’t forget to get in quick and buy your tickets for next Friday’s Star News Community Race Day on the evening of 11 March.

This also coincides with the launch of the club’s Autumn night racing season.

There will be free entry for essential workers if you book online, free kid’s activities and entry for kids, live entertainment on the deck and plenty of hospitality on offer. General admission tickets are $10 if booked online at cranbourneturfclub.com.au or $15 at the gate.