By Neil Evans
The strength of Sydney’s often unrivalled carnival form depth gets another test at Thursday’s feature Hawkesbury meeting.
Two tough and progressive Kembla-based gallopers lock horns in a mouth-watering Conditional Benchmark 68 Hcp over 2000m, both coming out of a Saturday Midway BM 72 race held at Randwick 19 days ago.
Racing returns to Hawkesbury on Thursday.Credit: Jenny Evans
Flying Bandit, an exciting four-year-old staying type by multiple group 1 winner Trapeze Artist, is eying off a third win in his seventh career start.
After notching consecutive wins in his first campaign, Flying Bandit returned for a second prep off a 17-week spell, flying home to miss by a whisker in BM 68 company at Hawkesbury.
He then twice closed off strong in tougher Midway BM 72 Saturday grade at Randwick a fortnight apart, the latest beating all but the winner on group 1 Epsom Hcp day when forced to settle near last from a wide draw.
Right behind him from that race won by State Of America was third-placed Extreme Freedom who comes through similar big-finishing form lines, and is primed to renew the rivalry at Hawkesbury.
And almost fitting is the fact they are drawn alongside each other in the two inside barriers.
Flying Bandit opened around $3 in early betting, with Extreme Freedom at $4.50, with locally trained mare Colours Of Autumn on the third line at around $6.50.
Meanwhile, a tough and underrated provincial galloper is also out to prove the strength of one of Australia’s leading country form bases in a BM 64 Hcp for the boys over 1100m to close the meeting.
Wyong-based Lord Bob, who opened at $21, re-loads nearly three weeks after powering home to win a BM 66 Hcp (1000m) at Dubbo.
That was the six-year-old’s second win in three starts coming off a six-week freshen-up and further enhanced the depth and strength around Dubbo racing.
From that October 4 meeting alone, two runners won at their next start, not to mention the follow-up success from the club’s feature Gold Cup meeting on September 29.
Despite stepping up to stronger opposition, including smart four-year-old early $3.90 favourite Cassiel who resumes for the Snowden stable, Lord Bob will carry only 1kg above the minimum weight after jockey Mitch Stapleford’s 3kg claim.
