3 minute read
Track Good 4 and rail out 5m.
Race 1 MAIDEN HCP (1200m):
Plenty of chances in the opener headed by four-year-old 3. Just Ziggy who is ready to break through after four runs back. Been placed in three of those, including close-up here carrying 2kg more, and draws to get a nice trail just off the speed.
Dangers: Resuming four-year-old 1. Wiki has trialled quietly, and this is a drop in grade after running three straight placings in a tidy first prep. Big watch on improving ex-metro mare 4. Initiation having her first run for a new provincial stable with blinkers added. Worked home okay resuming in a deeper maiden, although will need to slot in front the wide barrier. Watch the longer price betting on four-year-old 2. No Respect who resumes as a gelding off a long break with blinkers on; while 8. Lanova can improve at her second start from the inside draw.
How to play it: Just Ziggy to win. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 2 CLASS 2 HCP (1200m):
Consistent five-year-old 3. Uprise can return to the winner's stall after being placed in three from four this prep. Drawn to track the speed, and finds an easier assignment coming back to a more suitable 1200m. Only won two from 24, but has been placed a further 13 times.
Dangers: Stablemate five-year-old 2. Courageous will be hard to stop after bouncing to the front and giving nothing else a chance second-up when heavily backed. A little tougher here, but he's on the rise, and gets that same 3kg allowance. Keep safe progressive mare 7. Innervoice who has hit the line hard in her last two here in handy BM 58 grade, and gets some weight relief. Local five-year-old 4. Stonecold Flex bolted in a Class 1 two runs back, but mixes his form and best is normally produced on a much wetter surface.
How to play it: Uprise to win and box exacta 2,3,7. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 3 MAIDEN PLATE (1500m):
Like the third-up placement here for provincial four-year-old 4. Hemsworth with blinkers going on. Has been well backed and close-up in two better Tamworth maidens so far, and the extra trip is a plus being by Reliable Man.
Dangers: Honest seven-year-old 6. Oso Good has handy Victorian form up to 2400m, and can settle midfield and finish hard third-up. Watch for sharp improvement from imported provincial mare 9. High Fever second-up off a long break, and drawn to get a soft run.
How to play it: Hemsworth to win. Odds and Evens: Evens
Race 4 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1500m):
Good middle distance battle with plenty of chances. Provincial mare 3. Miss Scalini is ready to strike third-up. Chased home one of the better mares in country NSW resuming before close-up in a similar race here nearly four weeks ago. Draws to get a soft run on speed.
Dangers: Home track five-year-old 2. Lord Jaysea charged home ahead of the top selection two runs back in a similar race despite drifting heavily in betting. Tricky draw, but superior rider goes on. Improving mare 4. Tilly's Star was strong through the line second-up in the tougher Newmarket at Murwillumbah, and will relish the step up in distance. Include in exotics both 7. Condover Hall who drops in weight from a handy draw; and 9. Charlie's Law who also gets significant weight relief and draws the fence.
How to play it: Miss Scalini to win and box exacta 2,3,4. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 5 CLASS 1 HCP (1500m):
Progressive Pierro four-year-old 1. Green Protector is headed for much bigger targets, and can go back-to-back fifth up from the inside draw. Came off a couple of useful runs in tougher metro grade to sweep home in dominant fashion at Murwillumbah as a hot favorite. The one to beat.
Dangers: Provincial mare 2. Whelk can improve sharply second-up over more ground. Keep safe local and hard fit five-year-old 4. Bladnoch who motored home to claim his maiden here deep into the prep; while improving mare 7. Muscadelle can also drive into the finish third-up out in distance, and draws to get a trail back in the field.
How to play it: Green Protector to win. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 6 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1000m):
Back to the sprint trip, and lightly raced seven-year-old mare 9. Miss Devinci gets her chance to break a long drought second-up. Led for a long way in deeper grade resuming at Gunnedah when easy in betting, and draws well.
Dangers: Local five-year-old 10. Manly Hanover is also well placed second-up from an ideal deraw, with a superior rider back on. Home track mare 2. Jazzles drops in trip on the 10 day back-up, although faces a task from the wide draw; while local five-year-old 4. Zapluck is a month between runs via a soft trial after narrowly winning a similar race.
How to play it: Miss Devinci to win and quinella 9 and 10. Odds and Evens: Split
Race 7 CLASS 1 HCP (1000m):
Tricky sprint to finish. Keen on four-year-old provincial mare 7. Duchess Nicci resuming for a second prep off a very quiet trial. Only out of a place once in four starts earlier in the year, and just missed on debut in a maiden with more depth.
Dangers: Improving local three-year-old 2. Oblivion hasn't been far away in three runs this prep, and gets a key gear change. Must keep safe honest five-year-old 4. Admiral Ash who has worked home late in three runs this prep; while provincial mare 1. Rahni Factor has plenty of natural speed, and can give a big sight from a low draw.
How to play it: Duchess Nicci to win. Odds and Evens: Split
BEST BETS:
R3 4. HEMSWORTH
R5 1. GREEN PROTECTOR
BEST VALUE:
R7 7. DUCHESS NICCI
