By Neil Evans
Track Heavy 9 and rail True
Race 1 CLASS 2 HCP (1600m)
We start over the mile on a rain-hit track thankfully starting to dry out. Wandjina five-year-old 1. Wunambul hasn’t started for nearly seven months, but is in a shrewd country yard, and best bred wet tracker in the race. Was twice placed over this trip before spelling, and this is very moderate quality for the grade.
Orange will host an eight-race card on Tuesday.Credit:Jenny Evans
Dangers: Metro four-year-old 2. Hadouken is working towards a second career win, and gets a soft trail, but a query in these conditions. Watch the betting on ex-Queensland stablemate to the top selection 6. Gibbed first-up for the new yard with a string of gear changes.
How to play it: Wunambal to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 2 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (2100m)
A few chances in the staying battle, although another one by Wanjina, 2. Alloway, is the one to beat hard fit and back in grade. Wasn’t beaten far in a highway three runs ago before sticking on OK in his next two up to BM 76 level. Naturally, back up in weight but draws to get a plumb trail just off the speed, and reliable in the ground.
Dangers: Provided the inside ground holds up OK, 5. Sorokin can threaten second-up after working home late in a handy CL1, and only win so far from five starts came in heavy going at the provincials. Honest 6. Turnaround Time will find this a little easier than city and provincial company, and best form is also on rain-affected ground; while 1. Careering Away loves it wet, and rarely runs a bad one.
How to play it: Alloway to win. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 3 MAIDEN PLATE (1000m)
Wide open maiden, but keen at the value of five-year-old mare 7. Mighty Minnie second-up. Hit the line late over a flying 800m in her first run for 13 months, and she can progress nicely over 200m further here. By Magic Albert and naturally loves rain-affected going.
Dangers: Big watch on Real Impact filly 11. Let Me Reign who debuts in blinkers behind two trials. Keep safe too at good odds 1. Chilean Express, who has had four runs back from a spell, and draws to get a nice trail. Consistent 6. Yorker has a near 50 per cent place record from 22 starts, and again should be there for a long way from the inside draw in favourable conditions. Included in wider exotics Swiss Ace mare 8. My Mirka on debut in winkers; and 12. Twiggy Lady first-up.
How to play it: Mighty Minnie each way; Let Me Reign to win; and first four 7,11/ 1,6,7,8,11,12/ 1,6,7,8,11,12/ 1,6,7,8,11,12
Race 4 MAIDEN HCP (1400m)
Metropolitan three-year-old 1. Lord Finland is primed to break through at his third start in a race with less depth. Showed a liking for heavy ground surging home late to be beaten a long neck on debut four weeks ago, and strikes peak fitness here.
Dangers: US-bred 6. Angry Liam is hunting a breakthrough win at his 22nd start, but is hard fit and gets a significant weight drop back in a weaker race. The blinkers come off stablemate to the top selection 8. Elle Effess who starts a second prep behind two very progressive trials, although still to prove herself in heavy going. Another city visitor 7. Appetite For Risk is fifth-up and can run into a place.
How to play it: Lord Finland to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 5 CLASS 1 HCP (1280m)
Improving and lightly raced five-year-old 2. Power Bank broke through third-up hitting the line from midfield in a moderate maiden. Very comfortable in rain-affected going, and this isn’t much stronger.
Dangers: The market will be a strong indicator for nomadic and ex-Victorian five-year-old 1. Private Cheetah third-up off a six-week spell, and starting a new campaign with his third trainer this year. Keep safe 4. Olympic Time fourth-up; while 6. Pahang also steps up from a third-up win against very weak opposition.
How to play it: Power Bank to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 6 FILLIES & MARES CLASS 1 HCP (1280m)
Very forgiving of improving mare 1. Silver Scissors who was afforded no favours in a BM 58 at Cowra five weeks ago. That was only her second run since last December, and she’s been freshened up for this little drop back in trip and grade. Significantly leading country jockey gets back aboard, and he won the maiden on her late last year.
Dangers: Progressive metro filly 2. Hell’s Fury is the standout threat. Finished best to claim her maiden at only third start, and has been kept ticking over at the trials four weeks between runs. Bred to thrive in the wet being by Hellbent out of a Show A Heart mare, and gets a 3.5kg weight pull on the top selection. Gap to the rest headed by last start heavy track maiden winner 3. Boorawa Girl; and 4. Super Chance from a soft draw.
How to play it: Silver Scissors to win and quinella 1 and 2. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 7 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1000m)
Plenty of chances in this dash, headed by lightly raced five-year-old mare 5. Knight Driver second-up for 13 months over 200m further. Was only just getting warmed up when resuming on firm ground a fortnight ago, and before that long break had rock-solid wet-track form in much deeper sprints than this. Suspect she’ll settle well back from the outside barrier before launching home down the middle.
Dangers: With good barrier speed, 2. Bold Offa can utilise a low draw, and comes off a dominant all-the-way fourth-up win in a weaker race. Hard to get a line on 3. Entreat having her first run in nearly two years for a new country stable. Won three from her last five, and has been given two soft trials. Big market watch too on 4. Emeriz first-up for nearly a year behind a handy trial, with blinkers going on.
How to play it: Knight Driver to win. Odds and Evens: Split.
Race 8 CLASS 2 HCP (1000m)
Promising and lightly raced metro mare 7. Sinaloa rates a near good thing first-up off two smart trial wins in soft ground. Led all the way here on debut back in autumn, and looks supremely treated only half kilo over the limit weight.
Dangers: Expecting an immediate impact from ex-Victorian mare 3. Sea Princess having her first start for the new Dubbo yard six weeks between runs. Was a dominant BM 58 winner in heavy ground from off the speed back in late June. Keep safe at good odds 6. Money Not My God who finally landed his maiden two starts back, and has built a very consistent record in rain-affected ground despite having a poor win rate; while 5. Centurion first-up can run into the minor end of the money.
How to play it: Sinaloa to win. Odds and Evens: Odds.
BEST BETS:
Race 2: ALLOWAY (2)
Race 7: KNIGHT DRIVER (5)
BEST VALUE:
Race 6: SILVER SCISSORS (1)
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au.
