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The big meeting at Warrnambool continues with the track one of five set to stage racing action on Wednesday.
They are joined by Ascot, Canterbury, Ipswich and Murray Bridge, but it is very much The Bool which will be the centre of attention.
Race 8 Warrnambool
Midtown Boss @ 4.20
Race 5 Canterbury
Garcilistyla @ 7.00
Race 5 Ipswich
Bassac Lane @ 6.00
Boss backed for Listed success
The eighth race on the 10-race card at The Bool is the most valuable contest of the day, with the 1200m Listed Wangoom Handicap the day's feature contest.
Lindsey Smith saddles top weight Tuvalu here, with the gelding having been competing at a higher level so far this season.
The six-year-old has made two starts at Group 1 level this season including when runner-up in the 1800m Underwood Stakes at Caulfield in September.
The gelding was freshened following that effort, placing third in the Group 2 McCafe Crystal Mile over 1600m at Moonee Valley.
The son of Kermadec resumes here having been spelled following a down the field effort in the Group 1 Railway Stakes over 1600m at Ascot in November.
This trip is short of his best, however, and MIDTOWN BOSS is the pick for the in-form Matt Laurie stable.
The gelding has been in recent form this prep winning twice and placing second three times from his five starts.
Both of the 4.20 pick's victories have come when racing down the straight at Flemington, including by over half-a-length in an 1100m Benchmark 78 handicap in March.
A change of tactics saw the four-year-old race from off the pace on that occasion and he has a good draw in barrier three here.
While all five of the selection's starts this time around have come on a good surface, the wet conditions here are no issue having run well on soft going in the past.
Billy Egan's mount is a progressive type who looks up to delivering his first victory at Listed level.
Waller gelding to triumph at Canterbury
The fifth race of the day at Canterbury is a 1250m Benchmark 78 handicap.
A field of 10 have been declared for the race, including The Instructor for the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott team.
The three-year-old gets a marked drop in grade having jumped at odds of $71 for the Group 2 Arrowfield 3yo Sprint over 1200m at Randwick first up this prep.
The youngster could finish only 10th in a 12-runner field that day and he is oft note on his first handicap start since winning on the Hillside track at Sandown in October.
The son of Russian Revolution has to concede weight to his rivals here and Chris Waller's GRACILISTYLA is the selection on this occasion.
The gelding has placed on each of his last three starts, with all three of those efforts coming when racing at Benchmark 78 level.
The 7.00 pick came home just under two-and-a-half-lengths behind the winner when third over 1350m at Rosehill on his penultimate start.
A third in a 1400m contest held on a soft 5 surface at Randwick followed, and he has been freshened since that effort on 17th February.
James McDonald, on board at Randwick, is again in the saddle and, while his mount failed to shine in a barrier trial at Hawkesbury last month, he looks up to scoring here.
Lane looking good at Ipswich
Toby Edmonds saddles BASSAC LANE in the fifth race of the day at Ipswich with the four-year-old selected to register a victory in a 1700m Benchmark 68 handicap.
The gelding broke his maiden at the first attempt on the polytrack at Gold Coast in July last year and has shown good form in four outings since then.
The 6.00 selection resumed this prep with a good second in a Class 2 handicap over 1200m at this venue in March.
The pick raced on a good 4 track that day, but won when switched to a soft 6 surface when contesting a 1400m Benchmark 62 event at Sunshine Coast subsequently.
While barrier 10 isn't ideal here, the son of Nicconi remains open to improvement and looks capable of saluting under Robbie Dolan.
