The 2025 Spring Carnival will officially conclude this weekend at Caulfield, with a strong 10-race card assembled. Featuring seven black-type races and an additional $400,000 event for three-year-olds, there is still plenty at stake for connections. OTI is set to be represented in four of the ten races.
Group 3 Eclipse Stakes
Fortune has mixed his form this campaign, alternating winning efforts first-up and third-up with below-par performances at Coonamble and Flemington in his second and fourth runs. If that pattern is any guide, he is due to win the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes over 1800m. It appears an even race on paper, with strong recent form from Kingswood and Detonator Jack at the top of the weights.
Fortune wins at Randwick two starts ago.
Group 2 Zipping Classic
Hezashocka hasn’t had much go his way this preparation, with both track conditions and race patterns working against him. In Saturday’s Group 2 Zipping Classic, he is not particularly well-suited under the weight-for-age conditions; however, his form is likely stronger than it looks on paper. With solid runs in the Bendigo Cup and Queen Elizabeth Stakes behind him, he now gets an opportunity to show his best. Seemingly in the twilight of his career, we would love to see a return to his top form.
Melbourne Classic
A new addition to the program this year is the 2000m Melbourne Classic for three-year-olds, offering $400,000 in prize money. This race offers an excellent opportunity for those who may not have been ready for the VRC Derby earlier in the carnival to compete for strong prizemoney in their own age group over a suitable distance.
OTI will be represented in the Melbourne Classic by Zorb, trained by Archie Alexander. A winner three starts back, Zorb was competitive in black-type company in the Geelong Classic before producing another close-up run in Benchmark grade at Seymour. While this is undoubtedly his toughest test to date, the prizemoney on offer is too appealing to overlook.
Rounding out OTI’s quartet of runners on Saturday is the progressive stayer Skippers Canyon. A winner at this track two weeks ago, he stormed home from last to first in impressive fashion. Another forward performance is expected as he works through the grades toward his first key target—Phillip Stokes’ hometown Pakenham Cup in December.
Skippers Canyon wins last start at Caulfield.