Best Value: Race 8 No.4 Engine Room
Next Best: Race 2 No.13 Snitzel Miss
Best Bet: Race 4 No.5 Beside The Ocean
Turf Talk:
- +8m rail with a dry track expected.
- On-speed horses should have a slight overall advantage.
- Tempo will be key to the overall outcome of races.
Race 1
Intriguing maiden to kick off the program. Chris Waller holds the key to the race. Happy to side with Konsa here third up, snagged back to last start before making up significant ground late. Straight to 1600m reads well. Man Of Wealth maps ideally from an inside draw, solid last start effort and can only improve here. Toussiant peaks third up and is screaming out for 1600m, from the draw she should land on speed. Cathedral Cove is next best.
(5) Konsa
(2) Man Of Wealth
(13) Toussiant
(1) Cathedral Cove
Race 2
A little bit to play out here prior to race time. Massive field which will certainly be affected by scratchings. Snitzel Miss has run into a couple of smart ones this prep, she peaks fitness-wise fourth up and gets in very well at the weights with the claim. On top. Makhachev did a good job on her before peaking on the run late, back to 1200m is a positive here second up. Performance stuck on well fresh when beaten by a smart one, strips fitter and can improve. Miss Supernova strips fitter 2nd up, will be in this for longer.
(13) Snitzel Miss
(5) Makhachev
(12) Performance
(11) Miss Supernova
Suggested bet: Snitzel Miss WIN
Race 3
Cellarmaster couldn’t keep up fresh over 1300m in a vastly run race, he gets a key jockey change here and should lap up the extra 100m. The stablemate Movie Night did a good job on debut when sticking on well late, another who’s bred to improve sharply up in trip. Green Spring is on a market watch, smart recent form lines and should be ready to run well here first up off a very soft recent trial. You Sexy Thing rounds out the numbers.
(6) Cellarmaster
(10) Movie Night
(3) Green Spring
(14) You Sexy Thing
Race 4
Good race this. Beside The Ocean goes on top, dominant last start winner, trials have been smart this time in and draws a smart gate. Happy to save on Stormland, back-to-back eye-catching trials, he gets Lloyd in the saddle and comes off a trial where he was untested. The untapped Straand Beauty is resuming after 14 weeks, tuned up for this with two quiet trials. First up form is sound. Da Snoop Dog showed enough on debut, can continue to improve here.
(5) Beside The Ocean
(3) Stormland
(1) Straand Beauty
(6) Da Snoop Dog
Suggested bet: Beside The Ocean WIN
Race 5
Indefensible will need a touch of luck to offset the wide draw, strong last start win and will appreciate staying at 1000m. The market watch is on Action King and Extravagant Lad, who have both been met with strong early support. Power Of The Brave has had plenty of early market support here. Claims 3kg, can be in this for a long way.
(8) Indefensible
(5) Action King
(4) Extravagant Lad
(2) Power Of The Brave
Race 6
It’s hard to go past the dominant last start winner Sequista, she was heavily backed in her win and can only go on with things now. Importantly she draws well enough here and should be able to use her turn of speed. Mamushka presents off a solid last start effort but has had a setback between runs; solid tick-over trial but lacks fitness. Written Scandal stuck on well last start when leading, she draws well again here and should get a nice enough lead. The debut winner Chix is next best, needing to improve further to remain unbeaten.
(8) Sequista
(10) Mamushka
(9) Written Scandal
(12) Chix
Suggested bet: Sequsita WIN
Race 7
The feature event of the day is the Summer Cup over 2000m. Smart contest on paper. Shangri La Spring looks exceptionally well placed here coming off an impressive last start effort when tackling 2000m for the first time, kept up to the mark with a tick-over trial and is the horse to beat. Estadio Mestalla tackles the trip for the first time, he’s in career-best form for Joe Pride and has the fitness on his side — big danger. Major Beel bounced back to form sharply last start, peaks fitness and stays at the trip. Tavi Time maps ideally again, consistent but does lack a killer punch at times.
(7) Shangri La Spring
(1) Estadio Mestalla
(3) Major Beel
(5) Tavi Time
Race 8
At the odds, I’m happy to round out the program with Engine Room, back-to-back impressive trials and a smart fresh record. On top. The last start winner Cross Tasman is the horse to beat but draws poorly here; with the rail out, Zac Lloyd has his work cut out. Hopper has come up at rather big odds, smart fresh record and another who has caught the eye at the trials. Smashing Time looks next best.
(4) Engine Room
(10) Cross Tasman
(13) Hopper
(9) Smashing Time
Suggested bet: Engine Room EW
