By Brad Gray
RACE 1 – 12.20PM NZB AIRFREIGHT MAX LEES CLASSIC (900m)
The barrier looks problematic for 1. Cylinder but we’ll leave that to James McDonald to overcome. The Godolphin colt has the benefit of two trials and he has looked professional in both hit-outs. In the first of those he went to the line with 10. Line Of Law but still looked to have more to offer, before backing that up with an effortless trial win at Wyong. Two trials, McDonald rides, James Cummings trains, by brilliant two-year-old producer Exceed And Excel – there’s a lot in the favour of this debutant. The stablemate
3. Ferghana doesn’t have the same barrier worries. He draws a lovely gate in one to stalk the speed with Nash Rawiller in the saddle. 7. Bangetta looked sharp in her synthetic trial win for Kris Lees.
How to play it: Cylinder to win.
Golden Rose winner In The Congo is top pick for The Hunter.Credit:Getty
RACE 2 – 12.55PM TAB HIGHWAY HCP (1600m)
Tackling the mile third up on a good track is a lovely set-up for 18. Manderboss. The only negative is his barrier but at the early price happy to take the gamble that Tyler Schiller can overcome that. The four-year-old resumed at Newcastle tasked with chasing down Ang Pow and Scorched Land. He loomed but emptied out late. Last start he never saw daylight behind Robusto at Randwick. The Canberra-based gelding boasts a record of 13:3-3-1 but on good tracks it reads 5:2-2-0. The failure was his luckless last start effort. On the topic of needing good tracks, 7. Smooth Esprit is also in that conversation. Two starts ago he won a Highway over 1500m at Rosehill on a good track. He failed to back that up out to 1800m on soft ground. 5. The Dramatist caught the eye late at Rosehill over 1200m from well back in the field.
How to play it: Manderboss to win.
RACE 3 – 1.30PM DOUBLETREE BY HILTON KARAKA F&M BENCHMARK 78 HCP (1400m)
2. Short Shorts ran her rivals into the ground at Rosehill seven days ago with a showing of sustained speed. That’s now four wins from her 10 starts. Last start was the first time Tom Sherry had ridden the four-year-old mare and the pair clicked. It was a meeting where it was an advantage to be handy given the track played fast and firm, but she towelled up her rivals to win by 3.4 lengths going away. And the time was sharp on the clock 1. French Bonnet has won three from three second up. She had her chance first up having sat outside of Cotehele, who walked in front, coming again through the line to hold down third. The five-year-old has also won twice at the track already and is four from six over 1400m.
How to play it: Short Shorts to win.
RACE 4 – 2.05PM NZB INSURANCE THE BEAUFORD (2300m)
8. King Frankel has hit the ground running in his first Australian preparation. The UK import has won two of his three starts for Mark Newnham and there’s a case to be made that only the track pattern denied him victory at Randwick in between the two wins. Last start the five-year-old dropped back to midweek company and justified his odds-on quote. The improving stayer has to stretch out to 2300m now and transfer his wet form onto a dry track but he won his maiden on a good track in the UK by 32 lengths! Not ready to completely drop off
3. Chalk Stream yet. Granted, patience is starting to wear thin but it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the five-year-old this campaign. He was six weeks between runs when fourth in the St Leger last start. Yet to see a good track in Australia. The last time he raced on a good track he won by 5.8lengths at Ascot.
How to play it: King Frankel to win.
RACE 5 – 2.40PM GAVELHOUSE.COM MIDWAY BENCHMARK 72 HCP (1600m)
8. Scorched Land is a Midway winner back in August, so we know he’s up to the task and is versatile enough to be forward of midfield in the run. That looks a huge advantage given the lack of pressure on paper. The five-year-old, trained by Todd Howlett, took late ground off Ang Pow at Newcastle two starts ago over 1350m, with Ang Pow subsequently winning by even further in Queensland. Then last start Scorched Land started an $18 chance in the Four Pillars but nothing went right for him. The wide draw dictated that he settled well back and he was squeezed out when just starting to build momentum. 12. Wrathful is a talent but it’s still very early days as far as his career goes. He might still be good enough to pick this up on the way through but mindful that he’s only had two starts and comes off a narrow maiden win.
How to play it: Scorched Land each way.
RACE 6 – 3.20PM ALF KNEEBONE TRANS-TASMAN TROPHY BENCHMARK 88 HCP (1850m)
7. Global Ausbred ran fourth in the Silver Eagle first up at massive odds before proving that was no fluke with a second to Waterford out to 1500m. The four-year-old has the looks and the pedigree to add to his tally of three wins now third up out to 1850m. He has just been outsprinted in his two runs back before coming again through the line. That won’t be an issue out in trip now. His asset is his ability to put himself on top of the speed and sustain a gallop. Without another obvious leader engaged here, he’ll get his chance. 4. Bonny Ezra produced an eye-catching effort at Randwick behind Diamil first up over the mile. He maps to take advantage of a low draw in this and finds James McDonald. Like the three weeks between runs.
How to play it: Global Ausbred to win.
RACE 7 – 4PM NEW ZEALAND BLOODSTOCK 3YO NJC SPRING STAKES (1600m)
5. Token Capitalist held his own in the Callander-Presnell at Randwick three weeks ago, finishing a distant fourth. He held off 1. Basquiat late. Being a son of Capitalist should see him relish getting onto a good track for the first time. He is still in his first campaign and learning on the jobbut he’ll put himself on top of the speed, looking the likely leaderwith a clean getaway. 3. Saveadateforme could have a ceiling higher than any of his rivals here but the market has cottoned on to that too. He trotted in at Goulburn last start when an odds on favourite in C2 company. Thereis harder and he draws wide. James McDonald rides 2. Robusto for Chris Waller, on of four stable runners.
How to play it: Token Capitalist each way.
RACE 8 – 4.40PM THE HUNTER (1300m)
5. In The Congo was attacked in front in the Golden Eagle by Mr Mozart and thought he was brave to finish just four lengths off the winner in seventh. In The Congo was also jumping 1200m to 1500m having contested the Sydney Stakes two weeks prior. This looks a better set-up for the Golden Rose winner coming back to 1300m where he can better use his natural speed. Drawn barrier 2, he’ll get first crack at finding the front.
6. Vilana’s Golden Eagle chances copped a hammer blow with the barrier draw. He found himself giving away an impossible start and did well to get as close as he did, finishing eighth. Nash Rawiller sticks and there should be a spot for him just in behind the speed here. If Jim Byrne gets the first half of the race right on 1. Apache Chase, he’s in with a huge showing. Has to lump the top weight of 59kg but it didn’t stop Lost And Running last year.
How to play it: In The Congo to win.
RACE 9 – 5.20PM KARAKA 2023 BENCHMARK 88 HCP (1300m)
Doesn’t take too much imagination to conclude that 1. Waihaha Falls should have won the Sydney Stakes first up. Forced back from the wide gate he motored to the line in restricted room. That was on the back of two arrogant wins in the middle of the year as he worked his way through the grades. His rapidly rising rating sees him carry 61.5kg, even after the claim of Reece Jones, and his best form to date have been away from good tracks. They’re both levellers. He’s far from over the line but he does set up beautifully from the low draw. The market hasn’t missed him but he’s clearly a sprinter on the rise. 18. Democracy Manifest did a fantastic job to run on into second last start given that the leader and winner 5. Cotehele got an absolute picnic out in front. That won’t be the case here. He’ll relish the hot tempo.
How to play it: Waihaha Falls to win.
RACE 10 – 5.55PM NZB JACK NEWTON LEGEND MILE BENCHMARK 78 HCP (1600m)
There’s enough in the early price to give 12. Kermanding the chance to bounce back. He was too bad to be true last start at Randwick when sent around a $6.50 chance. The five-year-old settled out the back from the wide draw and made no impression late. The jockey reported that he may have got his tongue over the bit. The only other explanation could be that he flattened off second up having run so well first up despite a 79-week spell. Like that he has been given three weeks to freshen up from that. He also draws to settle closer and gets back onto a good track. They’re all positives. 6. One Aye ran a terrific race in the Big Dance last start despite being sent around at $71. She was shuffled back in the first half of the race before matching motors with Diamil in the sprint to the line. 11. Adjourn is the big unknown. The British import is being kept very safe in early betting.
How to play it: Kermanding each way.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au.
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