By Neil Evans
Selections based on a good track
Race 1 CLASS 1 HCP (1425m)
Kembla-based runners are set to dominate the opener on Cup day. Progressive three-year-old 1. Mr Rock It closed off strongly in a much deeper metro BM72 16 days ago and desperately wants to get back out over more ground deep into the prep. A big jump in weight has been offset by a 3kg jockey claim, and blinkers are off for the first time.
Dangers: Underrated seven-year-old 2. Destacado resumes with a 2kg claim after a steady trial. Debatable whether provincial mare 5. Patrika Mist backs up in three days from a flat first-up run at Canberra. Gap to the rest.
How to play it: Mr Rock It to win; Odds and Evens: Split
Rosehill Highway winner To The Nines is a chance in the Moruya Cup.Credit:Getty
Race 2 MAIDEN HCP (1010m)
This shapes as an ideal debut assignment for Smart Missile three-year-old 3. Missile Leader from a low draw. Hasn’t publicly been seen since a nice heavy-track trial in August but has since been gelded, and this is a typical new prep from an evergreen Canberra stable.
Dangers: Drawn the fence, improving home-track filly 4. Quire is the immediate threat after chasing home a speedster at Goulburn 17 days ago. Include in exotics 5. Fire And Gemstone second up and down sharply in weight after the claim. Local four-year-old 1. Lord Remy can improve on a quick back-up with winkers removed fourth up.
How to play it: Missile Leader to win; Odds and Evens: Split
Race 3 CLASS 3 HCP (1200m)
Another one from the Keith Dryden stable, in-form four-year-old 1. Eastern Glow can add another paling to the picket fence second up in a very suitable sprint. Won his last two at Goulburn up to BM58 level in winter before spelling, then returned with a solid CL2 win here from just off the speed lumping 60kg. Again drawn to get a good smoother tracking the pace, and drops 1.5kg for the class rise. The one to beat.
Dangers: Improving mare 2. Miss Ostend found the line OK in a similar-graded race at Goulburn and afforded handy weight relief after the claim fourth up. 7. Paper Daisy will find this a little easier than a provincial 64. 3. Free State and 8. Tai Lung can add value to the first four plays.
How to play it: Eastern Glow to win; Odds and Evens: Split
Race 4 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1010m)
Back to the short course, and it stacks up a treat for progressive and lightly raced provincial filly 5. Artieos second up. Showed speed at big odds when fresh in that sprint at Goulburn, and debut-winning jockey from late August gets back on with a key gear alteration.
Dangers: Smart home track four-year-old 1. Harley Street resumes off a dominant trial win under a big weight. Doubt anything else can win, but exotic players can include 4. Greaves resuming from the inside barrier and a stablemate of the former; and 7. Monte Drifter, which draws to find a trail deep into the prep.
How to play it: Artieos to win; Odds and Evens: Odds
Race 5 MAIDEN PLATE (1200m)
Tricky maiden. Improving three-year-old 5. Rogue Lune looks ready to peak at third start for the leading home track stable. Worked home OK just behind the placegetters in a provincial line-up 23 days back, and less pressure here. Is by Puissance De Lune and more effective if ridden a little quieter.
Dangers: Big watch on the betting with resuming mare and now stablemate 8. Santorini Sun having her first run for the Natalie Jarvis yard since switching from team Maher-Eustace. At bigger odds keep safe 9. Get ’Em In, which reloads four weeks after a fair debut at Hawkesbury. 3. Burrowa flopped badly on debut at Gosford on Saturday, and 4. Direct Target resumes off a fair trial.
How to play it: Rogue Lune; Odds and Evens: Split
Race 6 MORUYA TOWN PLATE (1200m)
The feature sprint awaits tough Canberra five-year-old 2. Fangela third up. Returned with a smart win at home after tracking the speed before failing to hit the line in tougher BM72 metro grade when not suited tucked away in limited space. Much better placed here drawn further out, and back up to the six furlongs.
Dangers: Four-year-old 4. Espirito will be hard to hold out 16 days after sticking on strong in a Midway BM72 at Randwick, and the winner of that race then flashed home to unluckily miss in a BM78 on Saturday. Provincial-based 6. Don Luigi has been tough through the line from on speed in his last two and gets much needed weight relief here. From the inside draw, keep safe consistent 10. Delightful Dream, which hit the line impressively in a lead-up sprint here and hasn’t been out of a place in his last five. Expect home-tracker 3. Kattegat to be finding the post late third up.
How to play it: Fangela to win and trifecta 2,4,6/2,3,4,6,10/2,3,4,6,10; Odds and Evens: Evens
Race 7 MORUYA CUP (1425m)
14. Toretto can bounce straight back from a city failure in a tougher BM78 23 days ago. Previously he charged home to beat a good quality Federal field in Canberra and, with only 54kg on his back, can settle well off the speed with cover and produce a superior closing 400m.
Dangers: 2. Five Kingdom resumes under a big weight nine weeks after failing in the Little Dance at Randwick. Despite a wide draw, keep safe 13. To The Nines. Finished best to win a CL3 Highway two starts ago before a tough effort in BM72 metro grade. Watch the betting from the inside draw aboard 4. Highly Desired. Comes off a four-week turnaround via a quiet trial. 3. Philipsburg, also drawn wide, is unlikely to back up from an even effort at Randwick on Saturday.
How to play it: Toretto each way; Odds and Evens: Evens
Race 8 CLASS 3 HCP (1650m)
Good open battle for this class over the middle distance to finish. Keen on Canberra five-year-old 6. Cash Register down significantly in weight from a softer draw. Came off a CL2 win at the Sapphire Coast to hit the line late in three consecutive runs before again attacking the line here over the same trip a fortnight ago. Ready to win again.
Dangers: 4. Last Quest is drawn to get a soft run third up after beating the top selection in that CL2. Tough six-year-old 3. Budderoo Blitz again has a strong claim off a dominant BM58 win and draws to get cover off the speed. 2. Direct Affect fifth up with gear changes and 5. Bel Suono down in weight both go in trifecta and first four plays.
How to play it: Cash Register to win; Odds and Evens: Evens
BEST BETS: Race 2 (3) MISSILE LEADER; Race 3 (1) EASTERN GLOW
BEST VALUE: Race 6 (2) FANGELA
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
