By Neil Evans
Track Heavy 8 and rail True
Race 1 MAIDEN PLATE (1000m):
The maiden sprinters kick us off on a surface that will gradually keep improving from deep into heavy range, with clearing weather forecasts in the lead-up. Zousain three-year-old 3. Zoutempus can hit the ground running on debut. Won the second of two trials, the latest with some authority and significantly in heavy ground running faster sectionals over 800m than the other open class trial winner Just Go Bang who then won the Queanbeyan Cup last Friday when resuming over a mile.
Dangers: 4. Cammi resumes for a second prep without publicly trialling, but is in good hands. Both 6. Diamond Ridge second-up with key gear changes; and improving mare 7. Niccolina, also second-up, can run into the money. Keep safe 9. Santolini who comes back in distance deep into the prep and 16 days between runs; while watching the betting on 2. He Ya Buster first-up since winter, with a 4kg claimer off-setting the weight.
How to play it: Zoutempus to win
The Sapphire Coast will stage a seven-race card on Monday.Credit: Getty
Race 2 CLASS 1 & MAIDEN PLATE (1600m):
Very moderate affair over the mile here, and that augurs well for tough provincial four-year-old 5. Sir Sublime who has taken a real liking to this distance, and can make it two wins from his last three. Dominated from the front here two starts ago when stepping up in trip before again sticking on strong in a handy CL1. Drawn to dictate again three weeks between runs.
Dangers: You never know quite what’s coming with 6. Fudge, but blinkers coming off in a race of less depth may flick the switch. 9. Pillager can improve sharply down significantly in weight with blinkers off, and having drawn the fence. Include 2. Moonrider fifth-up in all exotic plays.
How to play it: Sir Sublime to win
Race 3 MAIDEN HCP (1200m):
Tricky sprint with a few key first starters lining up, and confident one of them, Canberra three-year-old 3. Rocco Lini can start with a bang. Worked home nicely in a recent trial when forced to come through the slower part of the track, and behind Zoutempus who won with authority and is a leading chance in the opening race. Bred to get further, and handle the going being by D’argento and out of a Written Tycoon mare.
Dangers: Improving mare 6. Cosmic Breath is a clear threat fourth-up having missed by a long head at Moruya 27 days ago. Debutant 4. Miss Defy, a mare by Deep Field, is a big market watch. Hasn’t trialled since the autumn when the Luke Pepper stable was based in Scone, but makes the coastal trip south to start her career. Lightly raced 5. Network Error can improve sharply second-up; while the market will tell a story with stablemate and debutant Invader colt 2. Falkland behind two trials.
How to play it: Rocco Lini to win
Race 4 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1000m):
Progressive Canberra five-year-old 4. British Statesman is well placed to strike second-up, coming back in grade. Was always in and around the money making good progress last prep up to this level, and did his best work late resuming in a deeper sprint at Gundagai behind in-form Extravagant Lad who then backed up and bolted in the feature Thunderbolt at Queanbeyan last Friday. Naturally back up sharply in weight, but will carry it over this trip, and very content on slow or heavy tracks. The one to beat.
Dangers: 2. Stupendo can improve after being even through the line first-up in a similar field at Goulburn a fortnight ago. 5. Bentley Brook hadn’t missed a place in four spaced runs this year, including a dominant BM 58 win when fresh, but struggled from a tough draw in a smart CL3 Highway at Randwick 27 days ago, and is a query in the ground. Another Canberra-based improver is 3. Vella Fox who dropped out last in that same race as the former when resuming, but is unbeaten from two starts second-up and normally likes rain-affected going. Provincial mare 6. Cani Cancan is drawn to find a handy trail third-up, and is already a heavy track winner; while 9. All Too Lucky is the best of the rest.
How to play it: British Statesman to win
Race 5 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1600m):
One of the oldest horses in work, 10-year-old 13. My Blue Jeans can crack it for a 11th career win at his 125th start in a race of very average depth. Worked home nicely two starts back in similar company to be beaten under a length before being freshened, then again hitting the line late behind a handy winner at Goulburn. Gear changes in play, a stronger rider taking over, and the fact 70 percent of his career wins have come on either soft or heavy tracks, all combine to give him a mighty chance.
Dangers: Expecting third-up improvement from 6. Hardazhell who draws better, and likes to settle back and run home late. Watch the betting on 1. Heromania who drops in grade second-up. Both 2. Tillman, hard fit and back in grade, and last-start BM 50 winner 5. Taytay Bay, who is drawn to get cover off-speed; can run into minor money.
How to play it: My Blue Jeans to win
Race 6 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1400m):
More quality in this similar graded affair, and it shapes well for progressive five-year-old 1. Laguna Seca dropping in class third-up. Swept home for an impressive CL1 win when resuming before running home late in a much deeper CL3 Highway at Rosehill. Naturally rises sharply in weight, but is bred to handle the going and will naturally relish the extra furlong.
Dangers: Big watch on 4. Prophet’s Magic, who charged home late to win narrowly first-up at Gundagai, and is well capable of taking the next step. Emerging 3. That A Boy made a big impact first-up at Queanbeyan, comfortably leading all the way over a similar trip, but unproven in the going, and is by Bon Hoffa who are questionable on rain-affected tracks. 2. Fire And Gemstone hasn’t won for a while, but better placed with a 3kg claim and getting up to this distance; while 5. Encantado deep into the prep and 6. Lockadente rising in distance third-up are both in the mix.
How to play it: Laguna Seca to win
Race 7 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1200m):
A drop back from tougher provincial company third-up can pay dividends for improving mare 2. Pretty Sassy fourth-up, and 25 days between runs. Charged home from the back to win a CL1 three starts ago before she had excuses when tailing off in a BM 60 at Canberra as a $3.40 favourite, earning a brief suspension from stewards. Despite trailing the field home in a BM 64 at Hawkesbury, was still only beaten a bit over four lengths.
Dangers: Lightly raced mare 4. Reward With A Rose returns to the track where she scored her only career win so far, first-up in a maiden back in early June, significantly on a heavy surface. Improving 6. Easement broke through third-up when finishing over the top at Moruya, and gets some weight relief with blinkers coming off. 9. Sassen reloads off an upset CL1 win here 32 days ago; while 3. Getty deep into the prep goes in trifecta and first four plays.
How to play it: Pretty Sassy to win
BEST BETS:
Race 4: 4. BRITISH STATESMAN
Race 6: 1. LAGUNA SECA
BEST VALUE:
Race 7: 2. PRETTY SASSY
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
