3 minute read

Terry Croft is quietly confident he's found the right race for the lightly-raced Riviera Blue ($12 on TAB) to make it two on the bounce at Kembla Grange on Saturday.

Riviera Blue broke his maiden in style with a 1-3/4 length success at Newcastle last start and can go on with the job when he contests the Bull Point CG&E Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).

"I think it's a good race for him," Terry Croft said.

"He has done alright since his win the other day and we will keep him at the 1200m. I think he has a very good chance."

Riviera Blue's maiden win came at his fourth career start after the gelding was transferred to Croft's yard from Garry White earlier this year.

The son of Air Force Blue finished fourth on his debut for his new stable at Hawkesbury on February 8 before putting his best foot forward to salute for the first time at Newcastle this month.

"I thought he was pretty impressive the way he won," Croft said.

"He has always shown us a bit of ability from his first trial with us when he went good and Hugh (Bowman) rode him that day and gave him a bit of a rap.

"His run at Hawkesbury was good before that but he just got too far back on that day and we thought he would go good at Newcastle.

"We put the blinkers on him to sharpen him up and it worked."

Riviera Blue will race with blinkers on again at Kembla Grange as well as a tongue tie. Ashley Morgan will take the ride on the weekend where Riviera Blue has drawn barrier six in a field of 10 runners.

Riviera Blue has been nominated to run at next week's Warwick Farm (Wednesday) and Hawkesbury (Thursday) meetings but Croft is keen to head south to Kembla this weekend. He also accepted with Duma in the Waniora Point Maiden Handicap (1600m) but the three-year-old filly is no guarantee to run.

The daughter of Pierro has also been nominated for next Thursday's meeting on home turf at Hawkesbury: "We will decide tomorrow but I think she might better suited on top of the ground," Croft said.

Kembla Grange was rated a Heavy 9 on Friday with racing to kick off at 1.10pm on Saturday.