By Brad Gray
Race 1 – 11.05AM SELECT EVENTS MIDWAY HANDICAP (1700 METRES)
5. Jumeirah Beach carries an extra 2.5kg from last start at Hawkesbury, but the win had so much more merit than the narrow margin suggests. The six-year-old was awkwardly positioned approaching the turn, and after becoming unbalanced having attempted to angle into the clear, he surged late to score an unlikely victory. The conditions won’t bother him either. He’s proved himself just as effective on wet ground recently. The step out to 1700m should not be an excuse either. 8. Highborn Harry was plain at the midweeks last start, but it was in a BM78 and in a race that didn’t change much throughout. His two runs prior were eye catching, one of which was in Midway company when charging home into third over 1500m. Ran second to Flying Bandit in an 1800m Midway in November. 2. Camaguey has five lengths to make up on Jumeirah Beach, but was only first up, and he improved sharply second up over 1800m last campaign in BM94 company, running a narrow third. He’ll settle much closer over this trip.
How to play it: Jumeirah Beach to win.
Caballus wins the Eskimo Prince Stakes at Randwick last year. It has been something of a struggle since, but the gelding can strike at Scone on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Race 2 – 11.40AM TAB HIGHWAY CLASS 3 HANDICAP (1600 METRES)
Want to be forgiving of 9. Win The Day’s performance at Warwick Farm last start. The mare began well but was allowed to slide back through the field looking for cover. She never travelled thereafter, run off her feet over 1300m in BM72 company. Her run prior when second to Ballinderry Sal as a $7 chance in Highway Handicap company was brave. It’s been a busy second preparation for the daughter of Hellbent, but she will handle whatever the Scone track throws up on Saturday and the timing looks right to try her over the mile. Her recent Canberra win over Canadian Ruler also reads well now, too. 12. Pharoahzano closed off well when second to Canadian Ruler at Hawkesbury last start. The progression out to 1600m looks perfect now, and he is racing at home for Cam Crockett. Only has to repeat his last-start performance to be in the finish again. It’s not going to be an easy watch for 10. Due Calzini – it never is with his pattern – but if there’s a positive to the wide draw it’s that he’ll get plenty of time to wind up.
How to play it: Win The Day to win.
Race 3 – 12.15PM YARRAMAN PARK WOODLANDS STAKES (1100 METRES)
2. Akaysha looked to get her chance at Randwick last start, but she stalked a truly run 1100m, which set up for Grand Eagle to sweep home from last. There was more merit to the run than meets the eye. On debut the Capitalist filly showed a great turn of foot to win at Kembla Grange. Beadman ran home into second, while 6. Stardom was two lengths away in third. Those form lines look very strong now. Tom Sherry rode her there, and he jumps back aboard. He has been tasked with overcoming a wide draw but would prefer her out there than drawn in. This track was rated soft 12 months ago and the majority of winners came from off the speed, down the middle. Convinced, rightly or wrongly, and we’ll only know in time, that 15. Sylph is as talented as any two-year-old here. She just doesn’t know what she is doing. Racing manners have proved costly in two runs. She’ll jump from the widest gate, but she has no tactical speed so it probably doesn’t change much. Ran home in fast time in a quick race behind Agarwood last start.
How to play it: Akaysha to win.
Race 4 – 12.50PM LION 3&4YO BENCHMARK 72 HANDICAP (1300 METRES)
6. Invader Zim did enough first up behind stablemate Step Aside at Randwick over 1200m. He was forced back to last and had to circle widest. Invader Zim’s past two wins have come second up. He perhaps should have won second up last campaign too when shuffled back in the run at Wyong. It was no fault of his own. Saturday’s set-up looks perfect, stepping out to 1300m on what should be a soft track with rain around throughout the week leading into Saturday. He also meets his two main threats with a run under his belt. Chris Waller has also put the blinkers on for the first time. The stable think highly of 1. Blazing Harry, and rightly so given what he has shown in glimpses in his seven starts to date. He is lumped with 62kg in this grade. Has found the line in two trials. 5. Oh Diamond Lil is a free-running style of mare that has gapped her rivals in two trial wins. She refused to allow Kerrin McEvoy to go any slower on her.
How to play it: Invader Zim each way.
Race 5 – 1.25PM MUSWELLBROOK FORD BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1700 METRES)
19. Gentileschi is playing at home for co-trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich. The stable target this meeting. The four-year-old mare was an arrogant winner first up at Muswellbrook. That was over 1450m on a heavy track with 60kg on her back. This distance looks perfect now second up out to 1700m. As does the prospect of her getting her toe into the ground again. Her two previous wins at Scone were in much weaker grade, but she was dominant on both occasions. Drops to 54kg and can stalk midfield. 9. Kind Words made an early move last start to put pressure on the favourite Know Thyself. The move backfired leaving Kind Words with nothing at the finish. Expect a more conservative ride on Saturday. Would love this to be 2000m and not 1700m, but this mare looks to be going particularly well. 2. Miracle Spin holds his form through preparations once he is fit enough, and he showed last start when third to Le Vampires, the subsequent Gosford Cup winner, that he’s trending towards another peak performance.
How to play it: Gentileschi to win.
Race 6 – 2PM GRO EVENTS BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
7. Dollar Magic won this race 12 months ago. She hasn’t won a race since, but has placed in four of her subsequent six starts. The middle draw suits, allowing her to blend into the race at the right time. She can race well from anywhere in the field, and she handles all ground. The daughter of Shamus Award won a recent trial by five lengths. From what we saw there, trainer Scott Singleton looks to have this mare exactly where he wants her. Be surprised if she’s not in the top three. 3. Tanglewood chased home Far Too Easy and Front Page in the Kosciuszko last start before spelling. He remains an underrated sprinter despite winning four of his 12 starts. Looks to have trialled as well as ever and races well fresh. 15. Left Field’s racing pattern makes her a frustrating mare to catch. We know she possesses a booming finish. Her trials are always exceptional, and it’s been no different this time back. At this meeting last year she resumed in the Denises Joy charging home from last behind Commemorative and Spring Lee.
How to play it: Dollar Magic each way.
Race 7 – 2.35PM COOLMORE DENISE’S JOY STAKES (1100 METRES)
6. Soft Love remains undefeated for Mornington-based trainer Matt Laurie, who has been lethal with his runners in NSW lately. The Pierata filly found herself in a horrible spot at Caulfield last start yet came away at the finish to put a margin on 12. Thames. Her last 200m split was the third quickest of the meeting. She has been given a six-week freshen since then with a tick-over trial at Rosehill keeping her up to the mark. The niggle is barrier one. How the track plays will have some bearing on her chances. Her regular rider, Harry Coffey, will just need the breaks to fall his way at some point in the straight. 8. Gerringong’s form is all at Canterbury at this early point in her career. Two dominant wins at that track booked her a spot in the Sunlight where she ran midfield behind Private Harry and Lady Of Camelot. She’s still untapped. Has trialled well. 2. Shohisha’s Light Fingers run before spelling got better by the week in autumn. The four fillies that beat her home were Lady Shenandoah, Lady Of Camelot, Lilac and Lazzura.
How to play it: Soft Love to win.
Race 8 – 3.10PM EMIRATES PARK KIDS FOUNDATION ORTENSIA STAKES (1100 METRES)
11. Caballus resumes as a gelding. Want to give the son of I Am Invincible the chance to rediscover his best form. He hit the ground running in his first campaign for Bjorn Baker, winning an Eskimo Prince at just his second outing for the new yard, beating Makarena and Encap. That prompted the stable to raise the bar in spring with runs in the Moir, Manikato and Sydney Stakes. He lacked confidence when dropped back in grade in two runs thereafter. The bar has been lowered for his return on Saturday, tackling listed company. Has attacked the line in two trials. The stable had options with untapped mare 13. Clear Thinking on her home track, opting for the 1100m Ortensia. We have no trial to judge her on, but a winner of four of her six starts speaks of her quality. 6. Pisanello should get the speed to suit. He needs to be left alone in the early stages so will be giving away big head start, but he can produce a fast close when everything falls in to place, as evidenced by his Canterbury win last start.
How to play it: Caballus to win.
Race 9 – 3.50PM ARROWFIELD DARK JEWEL CLASSIC (1400 METRES)
9. Written In Code went down at Hawkesbury last start, but punters should not be too harsh on her performance. The mare is flying and still clocked fast closing splits in what was a leader-dominated race. The first three to the turn ran the trifecta. Don’t think she loves heavy tracks either. The five-year-old was dynamic on firmer footing in two wins before that. The mare strikes this fourth up out to 1400m and should love the big Scone straight to wind up. A soft track would be fine. Wouldn’t want it any wetter, which it shouldn’t be. It’s a compressed weight scale, and she looks well placed to win again. 1. Vibrant Sun sits alone at the top of the weights with 60kg. That’s courtesy of her group 1 win in the Australasian Oaks at Morphettville as a three-year-old. That poses problems as far as placement, but she looks to be humming given how she has trialled. Her most recent Rosehill second was an outstanding piece of work to the eye. Stablemates 12. Count Your Blessings and 17. Captain Amelia are going better than the form guide suggests.
How to play it: Written In Code to win.
Race 10 – 4.30PM SCONE EQUINE LUSKIN STAR STAKES (1300 METRES)
16. Gallant Star was beaten by a superior wet-tracker at Hawkesbury last start when second to Cool Jakey. The five-year-old has started no longer than $2.90 in his most recent four starts. The price is right to back him on Saturday. The likes of Clearly Innocent and Artlee have used to the Country Championships as a lead in to win this race in the past. Gets some weight relief in on the 53kg minimum and will appreciate getting back onto a firmer track. Soft is fine, but heavy dulls his finish. Expecting a slightly more conservative ride, too, given the speed engaged. 8. Phearson isn’t doing himself any favours with slow getaways. It’s put him out of play in two runs back, yet he has still run well. Could have been fighting out the finish had he begun on terms. He’s on the quick turnaround having charged late behind Barber in the Takeover Target last Saturday. 11. Whinchat resumes after a 61-week break, but has had three trials. He is a control freak. He is six from six in races he has led, and zero from six in the races that he hasn’t.
How to play it: Gallant Star to win.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
