Futurity Stakes Preview and Tips 22/02/25

Another Saturday of epic racing with three Group One races including the $2 million Blue Diamond Stakes. On top of that race, we also have the Oakleigh Plate and the race featured in this tips article, the Futurity Stakes, all raced at Caulfield Racecourse. I have a tips article for all three races, so you are completely covered.

For the 2025 Futurity Stakes, we see a field of 11 confirmed and all eyes will be on Mr Brightside to see how he performs after just getting piped by Another Wil last time out. Unsurprisingly the gelding is the pre-race favourite, with I Wish I Win the only other runner currently listed in single-digit odds.

My Saturday tips for the Futurity Stakes have landed here at OnlyRacing. I’ve done all the heavy lifting for you, reviewing all the runners to see which ones stand out. I have put together this set of tips for you that include five best bets, so there is something for everyone.

There are a couple of runners with barrier speed in this one and I’m expecting the Futurity Stakes to be run at a moderate pace. Light Infantry Man, Pericles and Private Life are the trio with barrier speed and will likely all look to settle close to the front of the field. 

Mr Brightside, the pre-race favourite, jumps from the widest barrier of them all so will look to stay out of trouble in the early stages of the race. I think he’ll settle just off the pace, waiting for the perfect time to peel out and reel them all in. I Wish I Win, who is currently on the second line of betting, will probably settle near the rear of the field.

The 2024 winner of the Futurity Stakes is back again and ready to defend his title. This time last year I tipped Mr Brightside to win and he got the job done. He is following a similar pattern as last year. However, this time out he didn’t win the CF Orr Stakes before taking out the Futurity Stakes (thanks to Another Wil).

The 7YO is the heavy favourite with PlayUp, at odds of $2.00 and it is difficult to see anyone else beating him, despite the wide barrier. Craig William lines up with Mr Brightside again and the pair have an established relationship now. Other than I Wish I Win, I don’t think anyone else in this field has the class of Mr Brightside.

I Wish I Win is the clear safe bet pick for me. The gelding is on the second line of betting and will be looking to bounce back from a lacklustre Spring Racing Carnival. At Bet365, you can pick up I Wish I Win at odds of $5.00 to win the race. Honestly, I think every runner in the field is fighting for second behind Mr Brightside.

If anyone is going to make Mr Birghtside work for it, it will be I Wish I Win. The multiple Group One winner tackled this one first-up and we haven’t seen the gelding since The Everest back in October. He has a first-up record of 8:3-2-2 and jockey Jamie Melham saddles up, so there are a couple of things working for him here.

In a small field, I do like the look of Tom Kitten, who is currently paying $10 to win the 2025 Futurity Stakes with Dabble. We haven’t seen the 4YO since last year, but he has been at the trials twice this year. The Group One winner has a first-up record of 4:2-0-0 and I think there’s plenty of upside here.

He’ll have a difficult task going up against Mr Brightside, but a top-three finish isn’t completely off the table. The extended rest will do him the world of good and he lines up in barrier two. I think he’ll need a bit of luck, but he is good enough to take it if it comes to him. Tom Kitten is a top-three chance.

Pericles is good enough to throw a spanner in the works if he is on song on Saturday. There are a couple of things I like about Pericles for the 2025 Futurity Stakes, mainly the barrier draw. If he can run on well and stick to the fence, he should run well. He maps perfectly here and will get every opportunity from barrier one.

The 5YO is currently paying $12 to claim victory on Saturday with QuestBet and he is a last-start winner. He won The Five Diamonds back in November last year and has been at the trials since then, winning his last trials in mid-February. His first-up record sits at 5:2-0-1 and he does have some success at the track/ trip.

Evaporate comes in nicely at the weights as a 3YO and he is just one of two to carry the lightest weight in the race, at 55.5kg. He comes into the Futurity Stakes second-up after competing in the Group Two Autumn Stakes last time out. He had plenty of excuses in that one and ended up finishing third, 2.8L off the pace.

The gelding was getting into his groove late in that one, so I expect he’ll come into this one all the fitter for the run. Bet Right is currently offering $12 for Evaporate to take the win in this Group One. Maps to settle near the lead and if things go his way, I think he could run a great race. One to include for the wider exotics.

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

Bookmaker	Tip	Odds
	Mr Brightside (win)	$2.00
	I Wish I Win (place)	$1.85
	Tom Kitten (place)	$2.60
	Pericles (place)	$2.70
	Evaporate (place)	$2.80