3 minute read

Promising filly Duty Bound can return to winning form in today's Fred Cooper Cup (race 5) at Goulburn.

The filly was runner up in town last start but returning to her home track for this 1600m Benchmark 63 she should prove hardest to beat.

Prepared by Danny Williams, the filly raced in Queensland at her first two starts, kicking off over 1200m on the Sunshine Coast with a fast finishing fifth.

She then headed to town over a mile at Eagle Farm and after settling third in the run turned there and fought on well to finish runner up behind Murrumba Downs.

The fact she was sent to Queensland during the winter carnival speaks volumes of Williams' opinion of her and her effort to go to a mile in town at just her second run was very good.

That was the end of her juvenile season, and after a good spell she resumed over 1300m at Randwick in November.

Settling off the speed, the filly worked home well for a 6.3 length third behind Dark Brown Sugar.

Straight to a mile again but back in maiden class here she raced off the sped but proved far too classy for her rivals with her breakthrough win.

She then headed back to twon and to 1900m at Canterbury Park in a Benchmark 65.

Settling fourth, she worked home strongly in the straight and ran into second but was no match for the promising Fat Al, finishing runner–up.

Duty Bound again returns to her home track in easier grade and drops back to a mile.

She has the minimum weight here against the older horses and has drawn ideally in gate six for Josh Adams.

The filly will be fitter again and looks the one to beat.

Guy Walter's Red River is racing in top form and looks the clear second pick.

The gelding placed over 1000m at Canberra fresh up then placed there again over 1200m, both times working home strongly.

He then stepped up to 1400m here in a Class 1 and after settling second last cruised home fort a comfortable length win.

He then turned in a top effort here as he not only jumped to a mile for the first time but jumped a grade to a Class 3.

But he still proved too good in sitting on the speed and fighting off the challengers to score a narrow win.

Last start, back to 1400m in a Class 3, he drifted back to worse than midfield from an inside gate and after turning fourth last worked to the line well to finish third.

The extra furlong suits here today and although drawn wide he'll probably settle back anyway.

From his four runs at the course he has three wins and a last start third and he should be hard to hold out again.

Local galloper Another Legend may need some luck from an outside gate but he looks a strong each way chance.

The Hugh Moran trained gelding was a third up winner in similar grade over 1400m, racing on the speed and lifting strongly for a narrow win.

He then stepped up to a mile in tougher grade in the Goulburn Cup where he sat of the speed and turned midfield before battling away to finish a 4.4 length ninth.

A fortnight later he dropped back to 1200m and understandably was run off his legs early but really got home well to finish a 1.5 length fourth.

He is suited back to the longer journey here and has an excellent record at the track and trip.

Zoot Suit is a lightly raced type fitter for one run back from a spell and looks well placed here.

From the Hawkes yard, the gelding had little luck fresh but in this class over a mile and the inside drawn he should give a big sight.