Might and Power Stakes Preview and Tips 12/10/24

Here we go! Another epic weekend of racing for fans to enjoy and this Saturday we have three Group One races at Caulfield Racecourse. Things are only heating up from here as we start to get into the thick of the Spring Racing Carnival. 

The Group One races we have this weekend include the Might and Power Stakes (also known as the Caulfield Stakes), the Caulfield Guineas and the Toorak Handicap. I have covered all three races with a tips article here at OnlyRacing, so you’ve got a lot of reading to do!

My Saturday tips have arrived for the Might and Power Stakes and it is a small field that will line up for the race, with just eight runners confirmed. So, who comes out on top? All will be revealed in a matter of moments. Keep reading to see who I’ve included in my best bets for the 2024 Might and Power Stakes.

There will be a lot of room for movement in the Might and Power Stakes considering there are just eight runners here. For the leaders, I think that will consist of Deny Knowledge and Jennilala might fight it out at the front as well. 

The heavy favourite, Mr Brightside gets the gun gate and won’t have to do any work in the early stages. He’ll look to get some cover just off the leaders, wait for a break in the field (which should be pretty easy) and then lay it down in the closing stages, giving them something to catch.

A small field lines up for the Might and Power Stakes, with just seven runners looking to take on the heavy favourite, Mr Brightside, who is my best bet for the race. It was an easy choice, obviously, the multiple Group One-winning gelding has been on fire almost his entire career and is currently paying $1.65 for the win with PlayUp.

He is a class above the rest really and it will take a monumental effort from one of his competitors to get the win over him. He won the Makybe Diva Stakes second-up then finished second in the Feehan Stakes. Mr Brightside is yet to win over the 2,000m in five attempts, but this is the time he’ll break the goose egg.

As is always the case when there’s a short-priced favourite, it means there is a lot of value floating around with the rest of the field. But are any of them good enough to take on Mr Brightside and win? Well, I don’t really think so, but if anyone is going to give him a solid run for his money, it’s going to be Atishu.

The 7YO mare, who has multiple Group One wins under her belt is currently paying $4.80 to win the 2024 Might and Power Stakes, thanks to our friends at Bet365. She draws the widest barrier, but in a small field, barriers don’t matter too much and this means she can hopefully stay out of trouble in the early stages. Atishu deserves respect in this one.

I know there is a short-priced favourite in this one, but I’m still surprised with the price we’re getting for Deny Knowledge and for that reason, he earns the spot of my value bet for the 2024 Might and Power Stakes. Deny Knowledge is currently paying $7.50 with Dabble and looks to be a decent each-way play, as I look to hedge my bets.

She was a bit unlucky in the Underwood Stakes and I reckon she is due for a little luck. If she gets it, she’ll be right in this. She’ll be looking for firm ground, which she’ll get at Caulfield and she is most damaging around the 1,600m to 2,000m range. If Mark Zahra can put in a positive ride, a top-three finish is on the cards.

I’ve been a fan of this Group One-winning mare for a while now and I think she’s slipped under the radar a little here. So, for that reason, I’m marking her down as my danger for the race. With all the attention on Mr Brightside, it seems the market has forgotten just how good Coco Sun can be and she is currently paying $13 with QuestBet.

Found herself a bit too far back in the Underwood Stakes last time out and just had too much work to do in the end. She did make up some ground late though and that’s exactly what I like to see. She steps up to the 2,000m now, which I think suits her and she has to be considered a serious place chance.

I don’t hide my soft spot for Vow And Declare after having money on him to win the 2019 Melbourne Cup and coming up clutch for me. While that was several years ago, I think the 9YO still has a lot of fight left in him. He is very unloved in the market, with current odds of $21 with Bet Right.

So, why do I like him for the 2024 Might and Power Stakes? Well, he has had some success in this race in the past, coming second to Alligator Blood in 2023 and if you compare his prep work from last year to this year, it's stronger and that is worth something. I’ll be having a small place bet on him and hope that there aren’t any scratchings that reduce the field.

All my Might and Power Stakes horse racing tips and their odds can be found here:

Bookmaker	Tip	Odds
	Mr Brightside (win)	$1.65
	Atishu (each-way)	$4.80/$1.50
	Deny Knowledge (each-way)	$7.50/$1.95
	Coco Sun (place)	$2.50
	Vow And Declare (place)	$3.50