By Neil Evans
Track Good 4 and rail out 2m from 1100m to 300m & True the remainder
CLASS 1 HCP (1600m)
We start over the mile under what should be clear skies. Not much separates a few here over this distance, but leaning to Rubick four-year-old 2. Gigantic who comes through superior form lines. Ploughed home to win his maiden in heavy ground at Kembla before narrowly missing in a handy Midway CL1. Draws to sit just off the speed and get to the outside which is where he wants to be.
Racing returns to Gosford on Tuesday.
Dangers: Progressive three-year-old 6. Gold Witness was ridden cold from the back at his fourth start in a more than useful country maiden before charging home to score. Likely to sit closer on a much smaller track from a low draw, and is hard fit. Watch the betting on European-bred and lightly raced five-year-old 1. Taraashoq who resumes off two forward trials for only his third run in Australia; while 5. Diatonic is also first-up behind two quieter trials, and heads the rest.
How to play it: Gigantic to win. Odds and Evens: Evens
Race 2 COLTS, GELDINGS & MAIDEN PLATE (1100m)
Now the maiden boys at set weights, and it’s all about smart Capitalist three-year-old 5. Captain Bond who returns as a gelding for his first run in nearly six months. Looked terrific winning a recent trial by nearly six lengths, and shapes as his race to lose.
Dangers: Got plenty of time for four-year-old 3. Press Forward (also accepted for Hawkesbury on Wednesday) who comes back a little in trip fourth-up and boasts enough tactical speed to overcome a wider draw. Look for 10. See You Again from a softer draw; and 12. Treasurer improving second-up; to fight out the minor end of the money.
How to play it: Captain Bond to win and quinella 3 and 5. Odds and Evens: Odds
Race 3 MAIDEN HCP (1200m)
Very open affair for the maidens, but no better value than provincial three-year-old 4. Sidenay second-up. Sat on speed before fading when resuming, but fitter now and way better placed back a little in trip and around a much smaller track where he can utilise his tactical speed advantage to more effect.
Dangers: The stable has found a nice race for 2. Watch The Clock resuming off two trials for only his second start. Must keep safe resuming filly 9. Kingston Charm who draws inside behind two quiet trials; while improving mare 10. Maslina heads the rest second-up from a nice trailing draw.
How to play it: Sidenay to win. Odds and Evens: Evens
Race 4 MAIDEN HCP (1900m)
Still with the maidens over a much longer journey, and this shapes as a lovely peaking race for home-track mare 10. Tina’s Rock fifth-up. Has kept improving this prep, working home strongly behind a dominant provincial winner only 11 days ago, and she drops down to the minimum weight.
Dangers: Progressive metro four-year-old and likely short-priced favourite 1. Desert Spring can strike at his third start, and is the obvious threat. Liked the way he chased home in a deeper provincial maiden 19 days ago, but threatens to go around under the odds stepping up an extra 400m and conceding the entire field plenty of weight. Big gap to the rest headed by stablemate of the top selection 3. Balmain Lad down sharply in weight; and 9. Single Babe who draws wide, but gets in with a light weight.
How to play it: Tina’s Rock to win and quinella 1 & 10. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 5 PROVINCIAL BENCHMARK 64 HCP (1900m)
Tough and consistent four-year-old 1. Sky Ace can go back-to-back at the track from an ideal stalking draw in a provincial-only field. Finished best to win a slightly tougher race here 12 days ago, and top city hoop hopping aboard more than offsets a 2kg weight rise.
Dangers: Big watch on progressive 7. Jack Duggan who also shoots for two straight after thrashing a weak CL1 field in the bush 11 days ago. Watch the betting on stablemate to the top selection 6. Brave Boy who has hit the line into a place in his last two, and looks well over the odds dropping sharply in weight for this tougher test. Include in exotics bets, 4. White Boots who is fitter and drew the fence; 5. Imperial Grey third-up from a soft draw; and 8. Dissenter who finished just over four lengths from the top selection last time.
How to play it: Sky Ace to win. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 6 FILLIES & MARES BENCHMARK 64 HCP (1200m)
Testing and wide race. Capable metro five-year-old 8. Passistas is primed to peak fifth-up at good odds getting back on a dry surface over a little further. Has hit the line from well back in heavy going last two, and again settles back off a good speed before producing a superior final 350m.
Dangers: Emerging city three-year-old 11. Star Mistress scored a comfortable and professional win on debut, and with good early speed will roll forward again and attempt to repeat the dose over the same trip. Big watch on resuming metro four-year-old 2. Arale who may take a run to show her best, but has trialled well in open company, and smart on her day. Country-based 5. Very Sharp who charged home to win a similar standard race here 18 days ago; and resuming 6. Selfie Time who was preferred here to Monday’s Scone meeting; can both run home into a place.
How to play it: Passistas each way and box exacta 2,8,11. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 7 FILLIES & MARES MAIDEN PLATE (1100m)
It doesn’t get any easier here for the maiden girls over the sprint trip. The addition of blinkers fourth-up can do the trick for metropolitan filly 13. Snitcat reloading off a seven-week freshen-up. Wasn’t far away in two provincial runs since returning in group 2 company late winter, and finds a race here with less depth.
Dangers: The betting will tell a story with provincial filly 9. Lucky Variety who resumes from a nice draw behind two easy trials. Fresh off a seven-month spell, well-bred filly 7. Ishani can make a statement; while improving filly 11. She’s A Bad Girl has attacked the line well in two runs this prep, but faces a task from a wide barrier. Two other metro-based runners 1. My Eloise and 6. Esprit Lucand, who both resume with blinkers coming off; go into trifectas and first four plays.
How to play it: Snitcat to win. Odds and Evens: Odds a special
Race 8 COLTS, GELDINGS & ENTIRES BENCHMARK 64 HCP (1200m)
The boys club brings us home, and it augurs well for talented and lightly raced six-year-old 2. Briars Kingdom resuming behind a steady open class trial. Was competitive in deeper races last time, normally comes to hand quickly, and reportedly has been working well.
Dangers: Plenty of them headed by 9. Operative who comes off a smart first-up maiden win, although will be tested around here from a wider draw. Expecting a big run fresh from 7. Oakfield Mahogany who won his only previous start here; while 6. Moralist back on firm footing; and last start CL1 winner here 4. The Bullring both represent some each way value.
How to play it: Briars Kingdom to win. Odds and Evens: Split
BEST BETS
Race 5: (1) SKY ACE
Race 8: (2) BRIARS KINGDOM
BEST VALUE
Race 3: (4) SIDENAY
