Time to browse the best of the rest away from the Gold Coast this Saturday.
I was poor by Around The Grounds standards last week and have no interest in having two weeks in a row like that. Let’s find some winners.
Eagle Farm Race 5 – Quinella 6, 10
(6) Esha is one of the best-placed horses at Eagle Farm today. In a Class 3 Plate, she is just 1.5kg off the minimum and, apart from the topweight, she is 14.5 rating points higher than the next horse. She’s been good for Gollan and has to run well here.
(10) Quien Step is a nice sprinter coming through the grades for Ciaron Maher. Simply watch the arrogant first-up win at the Gold Coast and you will understand. There’s plenty of upside there.
Feature Race – Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes 1400m
Caulfield Race 9 – (10) Planet Red $26 + (11) Sabaj $19
I agree it’s a lottery, but I wanted to make a case for these two, who were both plain fresh but can improve drastically here.
Planet Red is a lightly raced four-year-old who hadn’t run poorly in his entire career until last start. I just felt they rode him too close fresh and that’s a forgive for me. He can be just worse than midfield, get clear air in the straight and show the turn of foot we all know he has on his day.
And I am a sucker for Sabaj. He’s going to win a big race and I think he’s a great handicap horse. He settled last fresh and, given the way the race was run and the track conditions, he was no chance. He nearly always produces some of the best late splits in his races and should also get to the outside and avoid the traffic in the straight. Will he land too far back though?
I thought Warnie and Sun God looked great chances, but I’m more concerned about them drawing well and potentially having no luck if they race tight around the bend at Caulfield.
Caulfield Quaddie (Races 7-10) – Updated Raceday
Leg 1 – 1, 5
Leg 2 – 2, 3, 6, 14, 15
Leg 3 – 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14
Leg 4 – 7, 9, 13, 17, 19
Place All-Up
Eagle Farm Race 5 – (10) Quien Step $1.85
Caulfield Race 7 – (5) Cosmic Crusader $1.20
Caulfield Race 10 – (13) Fundamental Nature $1.45
Gold Coast Race 1 – (5) Yes Donald Yes $1.65
Gold Coast Race 3 – (10) Taravia $2.30
Gold Coast Race 5 – (1) North Pole $1.65
Gold Coast Race 7 – (1) Grand Impact $1.26
Randwick Race 3 – (1) Declichy Boulevard $1.50
Rough price guide: $37
