By Neil Evans
Track good 4 and rail out 3m from 1100m to 450m and True the remainder
Race 1 MAIDEN PLATE (1100m)
We start the Ladies Day Cup program with the maiden sprinters at set weights. In a race of many chances, it shapes up nicely on the map for Sebring filly 12. Silent Raindrops on debut for a leading metro yard. Has been given three easy trials, and should park back in the pack with cover, and be produced for a telling burst down a suitably long run home.
Dangers: Plenty of them headed by Nicconi colt 3. Nibidano who starts his career off two quiet trials for a stable renowned for having them ready when new. Progressive 2. Felix Majestic chased hard at his second start here, although again has to work over from a wide barrier. Keep safe Astern-sired Godolphin colt 6. Shipshape on debut behind two trials; while Capitalist filly 11. Ringdembells improves at second start, and is capable of running into a place. How to play it: Silent Raindrops to win and box exacta 2,3,12. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 2 MAIDEN PLATE (1100m)
Same recipe here for the maidens. Keen on provincial three-year-old 3. Hard To Say resuming as a gelding off an 11-week spell. Looked good in a recent trial, and this time last year was diving straight into Saturday group company as a two-year-old, and lost no admirers. Drawn to get a good smother here off the speed. Dangers: Russian Revolution colt 7. Whinchat has plenty of natural ability, and was strong through the line winning two lead-up trials, but has to overcome a tough draw. At bigger odds, keep safe 9. Asteria who can improve sharply after being trapped wide second-up; while improving 1. California Press is over the odds second-up. Include in wider exotics debutant filly 12. Mount Warning who has spent a stack of time at the trials; and 6. Sumo Star on debut as a gelding behind two winning trials, and with blinkers on. How to play it: Hard To Say to win. Odds and Evens: Odds.
Racing returns to the Hawkesbury track on Thursday.Credit:Getty
Race 3 PROVINCIAL MAIDEN HCP (1100m)
The same distance augurs well for exciting Panzer Division filly 9. Selfless Act who opens her career off a strong trial win in heavy ground. Draws to get a nice run on the map, and stable has a good strike rate when they’re fresh.
Dangers: Big watch on 5. Lucky Variety resuming for the leading provincial stable off two easy trials. Another Novacastrian, 4. Counter Move stuck on well here after leading on debut, and is backing up in eight days. Trained on the track, 2. The Impact will look to settle back and run home hard after chasing from well back in the country at second start when slow to begin; while 6. Bowie Of Dubai draws better second-up, and goes in exotic plays.
How to play it: Selfless Act each way and box trifecta 2,4,5,9.Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 4 CLASS 4 HCP (2100m)
Testing staying battle, and so much will depend on how the race is run through the middle sectionals. Home-track mare 1. Travelling Kate edges up to her biggest career weight here, but she’s well placed coming back from a close-up and fighting effort in BM 72 metropolitan grade. Consistent stayer on all ground, she will look to slide over from a wide gate and stalk the speed all the way.
Dangers: No reason why big-finishing 2. Bak Da Man can’t go back to back after surging home to beat a small BM 68 field here, although better advantaged in rain-affected ground. Improving mare 8. Rosie Impact failed to arrive in time third-up at Gosford when heavily backed. Big drop in weight here, but more depth on show. Keep safe country-based 6. Enjolras who comes back from a strong-finishing effort in Highway company; while 5. Stella Glow draws well second-up, with blinkers removed. How to play it: Travelling Kate to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 5 MAIDEN PLATE (1500m)
Yet another maiden, this time over a middle distance. Can’t go past lightly raced colt 6. Oriental Tycoon second-up. Surged late when missing by a long neck at Warwick Farm off a five-month break, and with extra fitness and experience in play, parks right behind the leader here from a soft draw.
Dangers: Improving city four-year-old 1. Diamond Drummer peaks third-up finally getting on to a dry surface, and shapes well over the odds. Another improver 3. Buillt has consistently hit the line in four runs this prep, and draws to park just back behind the top fancy, and again should be strong late. Gap to the rest headed by 4. Havlicek who steps out over 200m further after working home nicely on debut. How to play it: Oriental Tycoon to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 6 BENCHMARK 68 HCP (1500m)
Always competitive this class of galloper over a middle journey. Keen on progressive four-year-old 4. Rosovo over an ideal 100m further second-up. Powered home under a big weight to beat all bar the winner here resuming, and this isn’t much stronger.
Dangers: Home track mare 3. Short Shorts is ready to peak fourth-up, with enough early speed to overcome the wide draw. Watch the betting on 10. Awesome Wonder who resumes from the inside gate for a strong metro stable behind two very quiet trials. Included in exotics 5. Duke Of Buckingham third-up with winkers back on; and 9. Starstruck Barbie fifth-up on preferred firmer ground. How to play it: Rosovo to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 7 BENCHMARK 64 HCP
Plenty of depth in what should be a robust betting affair, with a stack of hopes. Smart provincial mare 7. Ottilie only has to leave the barrier in reasonable fashion to give this an almighty shake resuming off a trial win. Led all the way in dominant fashion both runs last prep, and has been given plenty of time to develop further. Bred to run time on a firm surface here.
Dangers: Another mare first-up 10. Euphrates Dream must be respected from a nice trailing draw, with two trials under her belt. Local five-year-old 3. Tocomah is well placed to tackle a tougher grade after sweeping home to land a Class 1 here third-up. Capable mare 2. Russbuss is also better placed here deep into her prep after getting buried away and finding trouble in BM 72 Midway company 12 days ago. Previous win at the provincials was good. Resuming mare 9. Starboreta can run into a place behind a 22-week break having won a recent trial beating Delexo who then finished only a few lengths from smart Mars Mission at Rosehill last Saturday. How to play it: Ottilie to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 8 LADIES DAY CUP (1600m)
Now for the feature over a mile at Listed level. Sticking solid with six-year-old topweight 1. Kirwan’s Lane third-up. Worked home strongly resuming in Group 2 company before very disappointing 19 days ago when forced back to the inside at Randwick and didn’t finish off. Better when he can get outside runners, and also back on firmer footing. The one to beat over a distance, he has a 40 per cent winning strike rate from 17 starts.
Dangers: Drawn inside, 2. Lord Ardmore was never in the frame first-up in the Diamond Prelude, but better off in this company, and took big steps through winter winning two straight. Placed at group 3 level. Improving 5. The Frontman is on the next line third-up ahead of 6. Palmetto who draws to get a nice run second-up. How to play it: Kirwan’s Lane to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 9 BENCHMARK 64 HCP (1300m)
The likely most open race on the card is saved for last, with a stack of chances. Like home track and lightly raced mare 12. Ausbred Flirt second-up off a lengthy break over 100m further. Did his best work late charging home, resuming in a provincial class 1, and was competitive enough in deeper races up to the mile last time.
Dangers: Emerging four-year-old 3. Jamesonheart shoots for two straight after surging home to win a country BM 66 fresh. Well bred and resuming 2. Camaguey has plenty to offer in this grade. Comes through solid BM 72 metro form, but will need some early luck drawn wide. Both 7. Retiro third-up; and 8. Soarhi resuming behind two trials; are in the each-way mix. How to play it: Ausbred Flirt to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
BEST BETS
Race 2: (3) HARD TO SAY
Race 6: (4) ROSOVO
BEST VALUE
Race 4: (1) TRAVELLING KATE
