Summary of Best Bets:
Race 7 No.4 Roselyn’s Star (Best Bet) – Strips fitter second up, gets J-Mac and maps perfectly.
Race 5 No.10 Sovereign Hill (Next Best) – Dominant first up and profiles ideally rising in trip.
Race 8 No.6 Enriched (Best Value) – Strong tempo suits and looks over the odds charging late.
Turf Talk:
- Rail +3m entire circuit.
- Expecting an even track overall, with tempo likely to dictate race shape.
- 1100m–1220m chute races should favour runners on speed, with rails runs proving key.
Race by race overview
Race 1:
Capacity field in the Highway.
(18) Regal Problem was outstanding first-up on the soft deck and should be better suited here over 1500m on a dry surface. She gets in light and should enjoy the ideal run.
(15) Hurry Miss maps poorly but has the in-form Zac Lloyd aboard to offset the draw — forgive last start, she has more than enough ability to win this.
(12) Hannah’s Bridge comes in full of confidence and is another on the up.
Selections:
(18) Regal Problem
(15) Hurry Miss
(12) Hannah’s Bridge
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 2:
Looks a two-horse race.
I’ll side with the progressive (3) Cryptonic — dominant fresh win before striking a heavy deck second-up. Back to a firm track from barrier 1 reads well.
(13) Attractiveness looks very well placed by Richard and Will Freedman, at peak fitness and ready to rise to 1350m with no weight on her back.
(2) Alabama State has reached his level but is consistent and will be in the finish again.
(12) Hazel Jean peaks fourth-up, with the dry deck and rise in trip bringing her right into the mix.
Selections:
(3) Cryptonic
(13) Attractiveness
(2) Alabama State
(12) Hazel Jean
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 3:
Feature event of the day — the G3 Canonbury Stakes for the 2yo colts and geldings.
(1) Incognito goes on top but is extremely short. Smart debut win in the Breeders’ Plate and has looked sharp in two trials this prep. If he gets to $2+ he may become a bet.
(5) Written In Munny didn’t handle the wet at all last start and could improve sharply back on top of the ground.
(7) Confederation and (8) Hidrix have both trialled well, get in nicely at the weights and should find the rail in running.
(4) Eviction Notice is second prep but still needs to strengthen.
Selections:
(1) Incognito
(5) Written In Munny
(7) Confederation
(8) Hidrix
(4) Eviction Notice
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 4:
Fillies’ turn for the G3 Widden Stakes.
I’ve been extremely impressed by the trials of the well-bred (9) Miss Scandal — she’s travelled strongly under a hold in both hit-outs and worked through the line nicely. Maps to find the 1-1 and looks the one to beat.
Happy to also back (2) Hardanger, smart on debut behind Warwoven and now gets the blinkers on.
(3) Miss Chanel can improve second-up, with wet back to dry a positive.
(6) Chilly Girl maps ideally from barrier 2 and looks a quality filly.
Selections:
(9) Miss Scandal
(2) Hardanger
(3) Miss Chanel
(6) Chilly Girl
Suggested Bet: Miss Scandal WIN / Save Hardanger
Race 5:
Above-average tempo expected.
(10) Sovereign Hill was impossible not to be impressed by first-up — dominant visually and strong on the clock. Strips fitter and rises in trip with a perfect profile.
(7) Off The Press needs luck from the draw but the claim and slight drop in distance help.
(5) Interjection rounds out the numbers — overdue and likely to land on speed.
Selections:
(10) Sovereign Hill
(7) Off The Press
(5) Interjection
Suggested Bet: Sovereign Hill WIN
Race 6:
On paper, it’s (7) Cross Tasman’s race to lose. Three straight wins while raising the bar each start, now fully fit and staying at 1500m — very hard to beat.
(10) Amplify looks the clear danger, coming off a career-best first-up win and should find the rail in running.
(3) Just Party has the fitness edge and is a hard horse to catch but always runs well.
(8) Pippie Beach is next best, consistent and gets McDonald aboard.
Selections:
(7) Cross Tasman
(10) Amplify
(3) Just Party
(8) Pippie Beach
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 7:
One of the better bets of the day.
(4) Roselyn’s Star was strong first-up but no match for a gun ride by James McDonald aboard a race-fit Hawker Hall. She strips fitter second-up, gets James in the saddle and draws perfectly.
(3) Eye Of The Fire looks the only real danger — smart fresh win and solid again second-up in the wet.
(9) Sixties goes in the mix but looks short over an unsuited 1200m fresh.
(8) Iron Man is next best.
Selections:
(4) Roselyn’s Star
(3) Eye Of The Fire
(9) Sixties
(8) Iron Man
Suggested Bet: Roselyn’s Star WIN
Race 8:
Cracking edition of the JRA Plate with enormous speed expected early.
With that tempo, I’m happy to put (6) Enriched on top at the price — he came of age last prep and looked superb in a recent 850m trial. Expect him charging home late.
(2) The Instructor was caught in a brutal on-speed tempo last start; happy to trust the SP and the camp third-up.
(1) Zarastro has a strong fresh record but faces pressure.
(4) Willaidow has been well backed and maps to get the gun run with McDonald aboard.
Selections:
(6) Enriched
(2) The Instructor
(1) Zarastro
(4) Willaidow
Suggested Bet: Enriched WIN
Race 9:
The hardest race on the program.
(2) Cormac T goes on top — forgive the fresh run on a heavy track over an unsuitable 1500m. Fitter now and suited at a firm 2000m.
(7) Willie Oppa has strong market support and is on the way up.
(9) Placid Pearl has also been well backed, consistent and should improve sharply going wet to dry.
(3) Heaven Bound can also figure. Wide open.
Selections:
(2) Cormac T
(7) Willie Oppa
(9) Placid Pearl
(3) Heaven Bound
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 10:
Cracking way to end the program, a quality BM72.
I’ll put (13) Nepo Baby on top at the odds — 2/2 fresh and looked sharp in a recent trial. The inside draw is key.
(4) Stormland would have been on top but faces a horror draw from the chute, though his form is excellent.
(6) Sequista has finally worked it out, comes in flying and gets in light with the claim.
Selections:
(13) Nepo Baby
(4) Stormland
(6) Sequista
Suggested Bet: No Bet
