3 minute read
Track Soft 5 and rail out 5m.
Race 1 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1600m):
Progressive four-year-old 5. Alastor produced a dominant finish from just off the speed at Taree, and can repeat the dose in a deeper race with the same weight and barrier.
Dangers: Rival provincial mare 7. Unwavering Faith resumes off two forward trials having swept home to win her last two before being spelled. Local five-year-old 4. Manseneta is banging on the door after hitting the line from well back in a similar race here a fortnight ago, although settling back from the inside is not ideal.
How to lay it: Alastor to win. Odds and Evens: Odds
Race 2 CLASS 3 HCP (1400m):
Home track mare 4. Auntie Monnie hadn't missed a place in three consecutive starts before a fair effort at big odds in a tougher Highway at Rosehill where the run was better than it looked. Drops back to her pet distance.
Dangers: Honest five-year-old 2. Famous gets some overdue weight relief fifth-up, and was scratched from Thursday's Coffs Cup meeting to be saved for this. Include 1. Lancer and 5. Mystic Splendour in exotics.
How to play it: Aunty Monnie to win and trifecta 1,2,4/1,2,4/1,2,4,5. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 3 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (2100m):
Progressive four-year-old 2. Vanbari was strong through the line despite coming through a slower part of the track here fourth-up, and steps out to the longer trip at an ideal time.
Dangers: Stablemate 5. Past Tense is the immediate threat having missed out narrowly at Scone, and drops 4kg for this; while another Novacastrian 8. Jazirat won that Scone race and also gets down in weight, but all three career wins have come on heavy ground.
How to play it: Vanbari to win. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 4 MAIDEN PLATE (1000m):
Lightly raced provincial mare 7. Sheer Success fought on very well in heavy going at Scone in her first run for seven months. Naturally improves back on a drier surface, and from the good gate is the one to beat.
Dangers: Drawn right alongside, rival provincial mare 6. Only Need Time resumes off a smart trial win; while three-year-old 8. Hiraishin debuts behind a nice trial win; and 5. Obey also begins her career off some smart work at the trials.
How to play it: Sheer Success to win and quinella 6 and 7. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 5 MAIDEN PLATE (1200m):
A maiden with some depth, but that shouldn't stop promising local three-year-old 11. Ezekeil breaking through second-up, with a pivotal 3kg allowance. Charged late into a place here a fortnight back, and the leading trainer has removed the winkers.
Dangers: Gap to the rest headed by improving 2. Castlehyde; while four-year-old first starter 3. Hemsworth has trialled okay; and local mare 8. Kegstar can improve sharply third-up.
How to play it: Ezekeil to win. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 6 MAIDEN HCP (1400m):
Very tricky affair. Local mare 13. Medician Miss can improve significantly second-up with a 3kg claim having trialled strongly last week.
Dangers: Big watch on provincial mare and French import 4. High Fever having her first run in Australia off two trials; while 2. Flying Scotsman is honest and best of the rest.
How to play it: Medicine Miss each way. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 7 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1200m):
Lightly raced provincial mare 9. Pleading has returned off a lengthy break in dynamic fashion, winning both starts including an impressive effort from midfield at Taree running down a good country sprinter. Up in trip from a trickier draw, but still only needs clear air from the 400m.
Dangers: Progressive six-year-old 2. Yulong Base did his best work late resuming in a deep BM 74 here, and extra furlong is a natural bonus. Provincial mare 6. Cool Missile can improve sharply third-up after two weak efforts this prep, and was preferred here to Coffs on Thursday; while including in exotics hard-fit 8. Hard Faith from a soft draw.
How to play it: Pleading to win and trifecta 2,9/2,6,8,9/2,6,8,9. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 8 CLASS 2 HCP (1000m):
This looks a lovely first-up target for talented provincial four-year-old 3. Apache Blue starting his second prep. Cruised home in his first two starts back in January before tackling metro opposition over the border, and has been fitted with two progressive trials. The one to beat.
Dangers: Expect local mare 5. Ashre Jahre to improve sharply second-up on a firmer track after doing nothing fresh when easy in betting. Lightly raced six-year-old 1. I'm A Cracker ran well above himself first-up here off a long break in a competitive BM 74, but the handicapper hasn't missed him climbing to 59.5kg.
How to play it: Apache Blue to win. Odds and Evens: Odds
