The doubters remained after the Bjorn Baker-trained Samadoubt won the first Group 1 of the season, the Winx Stakes.

They felt the frontrunner couldn't do it again in the Chelmsford, where Avilius was a hot favourite.

But he did, and there should be renewed respect for the six-year-old when he steps out in this Saturday's Colgate Optic White Stakes at Randwick.

There's also Group 1 action at Caulfield, where the Rupert Clarke heads an action-packed card, and in Adelaide it's Tokyo City Cup and Wylie Handicap day. 

Our form coverage kicks off on Friday with full form guides for the meetings at bet365 Park Kyneton and Newcastle (Newcastle Cup day) with fields, colours and tips for Canberra and Ipswich.

The metro racing this Saturday is at Caulfield in Melbourne, Randwick in Sydney, Morphettville in Adelaide, Eagle Farm in Brisbane and Belmont in Perth.

Winning Post carries full-colour liftout guides for all those meetings plus bet365 Tatura (Vic/SA/Tas edition), Newcastle (NSW edition) and Aquis Park Gold Coast (Qld edition), as well as fields, tips, ratings and/or colours for other TAB Saturday cards.

On Sunday we've got liftout formguides for four more TAB meetings including Coleraine Cup day plus fields, ratings, tips and colours for a stack more Sunday and Monday programs.

Don't forget Winning Post now carries trackwork reports for all four Melbourne training tracks, all three in Sydney, Morphettville in Adelaide and a general Brisbane report.

Away from the form, we've got news columns from Queensland, NSW, six Victorian districts, SA and Tasmania.

Our readers have their say on page 4, while further back in the book Shane Templeton reminisces, Paul Richards presents his unique take on the sport, Tony Kneebone brings you his Snippets column and Number Cruncher delivers the stats that matter.

Winning Post costs $5.50 and is available Thursday afternoon in selected Ballarat newsagents, the crack of dawn Friday elsewhere.