Flemington Betting Tips for August 1, 2026 - Touchdown in the End Zone
The 2026 Melbourne metropolitan racing season kicks off at Flemington on Saturday, August 1, headlined by the Group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap on a competitive nine-race program. Analyst picks highlight 'Touchdown' (Race 6) as the best bet, with value found in Rebel Tuesday (Race 2) and Stage 'N' Screen (Race 5). See That Storm (Race 3) is noted as a prominent favourite, and Boomtown Boss (Race 7) is tipped each-way in the feature. Expect progressive gallopers, seasoned performers, and strong form lines.
- Flemington opens the season with a nine-race program led by Aurie’s Star Handicap
- Top tips: Touchdown (Best Bet), See That Storm (Favourite), Rebel Tuesday & Stage 'N' Screen (Value)
- A mix of progressive and proven horses feature on Saturday's program
The Group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap tops the bill at Flemington's Melbourne season opener. (Getty)
Flemington launches the Melbourne metropolitan season on Saturday, August 1, with the Group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap headlining an intriguing nine-race program.
Several progressive gallopers are alongside proven Saturday performers, making for an interesting start to the new Victorian season.
For the latest odds on Australia's biggest races, including spring features, browse the Group 1 Futures Markets.
Flemington Tips August 1
Jockeys Celebration Day Sprint Tips (Race 2)
Flemington Value Bet - Race 2 No. 2 Rebel Tuesday
This Stokes-trained filly was very consistent throughout her two-year-old season, with a pair of placings from two October appearances before a spell.
She progressed from there in her second campaign with consecutive February victories, the latest at Listed level when defeating the handy Never Ordinary, who won her next two starts, including a Stakes race.
Prior to her spell, Rebel Tuesday got her first look at the Flemington straight in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes on Newmarket Handicap Day, where there were excuses after settling back and racing keenly in a slowly run race, yet she still recorded the fastest final 200m of the entire program.
There has been good subsequent form from that Group 3, with Scintillation a winner in Sydney last Saturday, Chapados taking out her next start before returning to Stakes grade, while Ottawa Stakes winner Medicical later placed at Group 2 level in the Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick.
Talented young hoop Lachlan Neindorf takes this fresh assignment, having ridden 26 winners for the Stokes stable over the past 12 months, and Rebel Tuesday appeals as an each-way chance at the odds.
Phar Lap 100th Birthday Tips (Race 3)
Flemington Favourite - Race 3 No. 5 See That Storm
A big improver third-up on Saturday could be See That Storm, an import who put together a very consistent record in England before joining the Price & Kent Jnr stable.
He won five races and placed on another five occasions from his first 10 starts, with his last four victories all coming around this distance range and all on synthetic or good tracks.
Off a solid trial win, he was well supported on Australian debut at Caulfield in May but failed to handle a Heavy 8 surface before improving in the Listed Winter Championship Final at Flemington on July 4.
That run was better than it reads after making ground through the field from a wide draw, charging through the line over the mile and, importantly, gaining a better race experience.
This field is largely made up of seasoned campaigners who don't win out of turn, while the rise in distance and return to firmer ground gives See That Storm every chance on Saturday.
Horses' Birthday Handicap Tips (Race 5)
Flemington Roughie - Race 5 No. 8 Stage 'N' Screen
She was costly for punters last season with just one victory, but Stage 'N' Screen was still thereabouts in almost every appearance, only missing the placings once.
That came most recently at Sandown on July 8 when ridden cold from a wide barrier, with the race won by unbeaten Tennessee Bound, who maintained her perfect record with a BM84 victory at Caulfield last Saturday.
Stage 'N' Screen finished strongly on that occasion, recording the fastest final 400m of the race, and with two 1200m hit-outs under her belt, getting back to 1400m is ideal.
Her last victory came over this distance at the same stage of her previous campaign, with Logan Bates again taking the ride and his 1.5kg claim reducing her weight to a handy 56kg.
While technically rising to a Saturday BM78, this isn't significantly harder and, from a kinder draw, Stage 'N' Screen is an each-way hope at a big price.
2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale Tips (Race 6)
Flemington Best Bet - Race 6 No. 10 Touchdown
The Hayes brothers have a very progressive galloper on their hands in Touchdown, a lightly raced type who has only missed the quinella once, that defeat coming as an odds-on favourite at Caulfield on January 24.
He had been in work for some time leading into that run, carried 60kg in stronger company and was unsuited by the race shape, making the defeat easy enough to forgive.
After three winter jump-outs, Touchdown resumed with a strong finishing second at Sandown on July 15, where class carried him a long way despite not appreciating the Heavy 9 conditions.
A firmer surface and the rise to a mile are both positives, while the spacious Flemington layout and barrier 10 also suit, with the classy Blake Shinn returning at his first meeting since suffering a serious leg injury on Melbourne Cup Day.
Touchdown looks a Stakes-class horse in the making, but has a rating low enough to pick off benchmark races before being aimed at stronger company early in the spring.
Aurie's Star Handicap Tips (Race 7)
Flemington Feature Bet - Race 7 No. 6 Boomtown Boss
It's a tough edition of the Aurie's Star Handicap to be confident in, with War Machine deserving favouritism after his dominant Group 2 first-up victory at Flemington last spring.
His form tapered away after that success, however, failing to fire in two more spring starts and another pair of runs earlier this year, although he did win a recent jump-out.
Boomtown Boss is an each-way quote, returning on the fresh side but with residual fitness from an unlucky Queensland campaign, where he was given a sore back in a few of those starts.
Tony Gollan appears to have the gelding thriving after a pleasing Caulfield Heath trial on July 16 when under a firm hold, while Brisbane's leading trainer also has fond memories of this race after winning it with Temple Of Boom in 2011.
Blinkers come off for Saturday's feature, Boomtown Boss carries the 54kg minimum and, back on top of the ground, he's among the main contenders.
Verdict
Our best & value tips for Saturday's Flemington card are:
Touchdown
To Win
$2.10 - 5 Units
Australian Tradition
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See That Storm
To Win
$5.00 - 2 Units
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Rebel Tuesday
Each Way
$7.50 - 2 Units
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Stage 'N' Screen
Each Way
$18.00 - 1 Unit
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