GUNNING for five out of six best bets in a row, leading tipster and form analyst Chris Vernuccio expects Order Of Command to deliver another five-star performance at Flemington.

The Nooch hasn’t hesitated in putting the talented four-year-old on top as his top selection.

He also likes Hawkshot early on the program as good value.

BEST BET
ORDER OF COMMAND (Race 6, No. 6)

VALUE BET
HAWKSHOT (Race 2, No. 5)

EARLY QUADDIE
1,3,4,5 / 1,3,5,8 / 1,4 / 5,6,7,11,13

$100 flexi for 62.50 per cent
BIG 6
1,4 / 5,6,7 / 5,6 / 2,4,9 / 1,7,8,11 / 12,15

$100 flexi for 34.72 per cent
QUADDIE
Race 6: 3,5,6

Race 7: 2,3,4,9

Race 8: 1,7,8,9,11

Race 9: 1,9,12,15, 17

$100 flexi for 33.33 per cent
RACE 1 (1pm): SANTA’S WORKSHOP PLATE (1400m)
Very competitive three-year-old fillies race but leaning towards MY PENDANT (1) over QUEEN LA DIVA (4), who are both chasing a hat-trick of wins. My Pendant steps up to 1400m for the first time whereas Queen La Diva drops back from 1600m. Craig Williams is two wins from two aboard My Pendant, who is still maturing. Queen La Diva ran exceptional sectionals to thrash her rivals at Sandown Hillside. NOTATION (2) held on for third behind My Pendant at the Valley. GOLDIFOX (6) should be better suited at 1400m and will wear blinkers for the first time. VIVI VALENTINA (7) and BIRDWING (11) are place chances.

BET: MY PENDANT the win

RACE 2 (1.35pm): CHRISTMAS RACEDAY TROPHY (1200m)
Resuming pair POISED TO STRIKE (4) and HAWKSHOT (5) could hold the key. Going to side with Darren Weir’s Hawkshot, who has been gelded since racing fiercely back on Anzac Day. Poised To Strike was beaten at Morphettville Parks over 1400m as a short-priced favourite in July but kept pushing to the line. He easily beat the winner of that race the start before at 1250m. O’TAUTO (1) is also first-up. He was well-backed at Flemington when second at 1400m after winning on debut at Cranbourne. MORE BRICKS (3) was scratched at Pakenham following a luckless run at the Valley behind MISCHA (5), who blundered the start at her subsequent run.

BET: HAWKSHOT each-way

RACE 3 (2.10pm): NOMINATE NOW FOR THE ALL-STAR MILE (1600m)
MISS WAHOO (3) was too far back at Pakenham and never going to catch Angelic Spirit, who controlled the race at a slow speed. But the query for her here is the tempo could again be moderate and she maps in the back half of the field. This is also her first attempt at 1600m. SHOKORA (1) could be too classy again after winning at the trip last time at the Valley, but she rises 5kg. SUPRE (5) overcame a poor start at Sandown Hillside to run down FRENCH GIRL (8), who followed up with another second at the Valley. DIAMOND BOW (9) chased subsequent winner Laure Me In at Hillside.

BET: MISS WAHOO each-way

Lycurgus looks a genuine chance over 2500m on Saturday.
Lycurgus looks a genuine chance over 2500m on Saturday.Picture: AAP
RACE 4 (2.45pm): HAPPY HOLIDAYS HANDICAP (2500m)
BERISHA (1) and LYCURGUS (4) stand out in a substandard race. Seven-year-old Berisha has been steadily building towards a win and this looks the right race. He finished second in the Pakenham Cup after making a long run. Lycurgus pulled up sore at the Valley in a race where he was rated a top chance. ETYMOLOGY (7) had his chance last week when third to Masculino but his desire to win has to be questioned. He looked to be charging towards victory but surrendered as soon as he headed the eventual winner. PILOTE D’ESSAI (2) finished ahead of Berisha in the Ballarat Cup then pulled up with heat stress in the Pakenham Cup.

BET: BERISHA each-way

RACE 5 (3.20pm): VRC CHRISTMAS DONATION APPEAL TROPHY (1400m)
There won’t be much separating the field which is usually typical of a BM64 race at a Saturday metro meeting. MIDNIGHT COWBOY (3), CASH AFFAIR (5) and FALLEN EMPIRE (6) are on the back-up after running in a similar race at Flemington where half a length covered the first five over the line, won by Moor Wanted. Craig Williams has been booked to ride Fallen Empire and that could be enough for him to finish ahead of Cash Affair this time. RENEGADE (7) resumes after racing consistently last prep, while CINCINNATI RED (13) showed last start she’s up to this grade. COME ON CARL (11) also has form tied to Moor Wanted.

BET: FALLEN EMPIRE each-way

RACE 6 (4pm): FESTIVE SEASON SPRINT (1000m)
ORDER OF COMMAND (5) could be destined for better races after an excellent first-up win on Stakes Day. It may have only been a BM80 race, but the four-year-old gelding recorded the fastest last 1000m and 800m of the day. I would have preferred DEMOLITION (5) stay at 1200m but the Flemington straight could offset that concern. The unpredictable SAM’S IMAGE (10) boasts two wins over boom sprinter Nature Strip and is having his first start with a new stable. PREZADO (3) broke through for a long-awaited win after getting an easier run in transit, narrowly beating SAINT VALOREM (4).

BET: ORDER OF COMMAND the win
RACE 7 (4.40pm): YULETIDE HANDICAP (1400m)
Position in running will be crucial with most of the main hopes drawn wide. HAUNTED (4) is in great form and has the capacity to go forward from his draw. MR MONEY BAGS (9) looks ready to win in his fourth run of the prep, and second at 1400m, but needs luck from barrier 14. AMADEUS (3) beat Mr Money Bags at Pakenham and has drawn alongside him. Even though there’s a 3kg weight swing against Amadeus, there shouldn’t be such a big discrepancy in the market between them. KAZIO (16) dug deep to win at Sandown with runner-up Laure Me In since winning. SUPERHARD (2) was no match for Haunted when they met but gets an easy run from barrier two.

BET: HAUNTED each-way

RACE 8 (5.20pm): SUMMER ON THE LAWN HANDICAP (2000m)
This is a tough race. CREEDENCE (11) cost himself victory at Pakenham when he shifted in abruptly at the 50m mark. He also finished strongly the start before at Sandown Hillside behind MR MONACO (10). Craig Williams aboard is a big plus. SAVAHEAT (9) wasn’t far behind in fourth. TOP PROSPECT (1) drops sharply in grade after a forgive run at the Valley where he raced wide and suffered heat stress. He was a big firmer in betting that day. FRIEDENSBERG (8) has back-to-back wins, holding off the fast-finishing LAMBORGHINI (7) in his most recent run. Lamborghini will go close again.

BET: CREEDENCE each-way

RACE 9 (5.55pm): MERRY CHRISTMAS VRC MEMBERS HANDICAP (1200m)
MASTERING (12) returned as a gelding with a sizzling six-length win at Kilmore, smashing the clock with the fastest last 1000m, 800, 600m, 400m and 200m of the day. He’ll be very hard to beat if he handles the straight. EXCELTARA (6) can close the gap on Mastering here after winning at the Valley next start. ROX THE CASTLE (2) was pressured up front at the Valley but still powered away with a big win. Craig Williams was on board that night but interestingly has been booked to ride BEACON (9), who copped some interference when eighth behind Order Of Command at Flemington. USAIN BOWLER (17) was overrun by smart pair Bel Sonic and Platinum Angel at Ballarat.

BET: MASTERING to win