Friday, 8 June 2012: In form galloper Salander can return to winning form in today's Don Small's 80th Handicap (race 3) in Canberra.
 | Trainer Peter Wiggins
Photo by Racing and Sports | |
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Racing is on the Acton track in the nation's capital today and Salander, although coming well back in journey for this 1280m Benchmark 65, should be hard to hold out.
The mare has been in excellent form this campaign and has yet to finishing further back than runner up.
She resumed on the turf here over 1000m in a Class 1 and after settling well back charged home to finish runner up.
She then returned there over 1200m and again got back, yet again running on hard to find one better.
That race, when second behind Myname'sjames, has been a top form race with six subsequent winners.
Salander 
stepped up to 1400m on the turf again and from the inside gate settled fifth.
She worked into the clear in the straight and ran away with a strong win as favourite.
Next was here on the Acton course over 1750m in a Benchmark 60.
Drawing wide she settled midfield and was poised there before turning wider and running on strongly to finish runner up in another good form race.
Last start, again on the all weather course but up to 1900m, she dropped out to a clear last and was there to the turn before unleashing a big finish, running on into second again to go down by a neck behind Prince Warrior.
The mare tackles the Acton again here but drops 600m in journey.
She carries the same weight and the gate is negated by the fatc she'll be back anyway.
There's no doubt she'll be spotting a start at the top of the straight but has a good finishing dash and keeps coming and will be hard to hold out again.
The topweight
Crown Time will also be getting home hard and looks the main danger.
Also prepared on the course, the gelding was a second up winner last time in before running some good races in town through the rest of the campaign.
After a spell he resumed over 1206m here and after drifting back to near last came with a strong finish for fourth, beaten 2.4 lengths behind You're Canny.
His second up form is very good with two wins and a second from three tries and he has won two of his four starts here.
He will find this grade easier and the bigger weight is almost offset by the claim.
From a good gate he should enjoy a nice run ands with improvement on the fresh up effort he looks a leading chance here.
Playa battled on well here last time and should give a sight in this small field now after a couple of scratchings.
The gelding resumed from a long spell here over the same journey in a Benchmark 55 and after racing on the speed his fitness waned and he finished third.
He will strip much fitter for that and with the lighter weight here will take catching again.
Al Ahmar resumes and has a decent record fresh.
The gelding is better over slightly further but can get home into the finish.
