3 minute read
Track Good 4 and rail out 6m from 1400m to the WP & true the remainder:
Race 1 MAIDEN PLATE (1400m):
Consistent four-year-old 4. Texas Open is ready to win fourth-up. Beaten all bar the winner in his last two, the latest working home strong from the second half of the field at Goulburn when solid enough in the market.
Dangers: Honest 2. Launch Mode has been placed in four of his last five runs, and draws to do no work right behind the speed. Expecting an improved run third-up from 6. Prophet's Magic settling a little closer this time with winkers going on. Improving 3. Side Cash is yet to run a place from 11 starts, but hit the line well here a fortnight ago when resuming off a lengthy break, and can run into the minor money; while 8. Clearedhot is the best of the rest second-up.
How to play it: Texas Open to win
Race 2 MAIDEN HCP (1200m):
Lightly raced Albury filly 5. Imposing Tallulah can strike here, resuming for only her third start. Led until the last stride on debut last spring before failing to fire 25 days later and was quickly spelled. Reportedly been working well, and tuned up for this with a smart 1000m trial win.
Dangers: Home tracker 1. Future Fund is drawn to be tucked away with cover back in the field and be saved for one big finish after charging home here to go under a long neck first-up at double figure odds. Keep watch too on lightly raced 3. Hot Toddy who did his best work late from midfield in that same race as the former. Included in exotics 6. Downtown's Abbey who improves into her second start.
How to play it: Imposing Tallulah to win
Race 3 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1000m):
Tactical and competitive sprint here, and it augurs well for Canberra four-year-old 7. Vaderzan returning for his first run since mid November. Only missed a place once across a competitive prep last spring, including a dominant maiden win at home, and is well up to this grade fresh.
Dangers: Watch for 1. Narito charging home late second-up. Resuming home tracker 6. Backwater Trader also likes to settle back with cover and find the line hard, and stable has made significant gear changes. Victorian mare 3. Sheila has been going okay in weaker races over the border either side of a 20-week spell, and gets blinkers back on. Both 2. Free State third-up; and 4. King Of The Bounty resuming behind a quiet trial at bigger odds; can run into the money; while honest mare 5. Shooting For Stars draws to get cover just off the speed.
How to play it: Vaderzan to win
Race 4 MAIDEN PLATE (1000m):
Still over the five furlongs, and well bred provincial filly 9. Bambi Belle looks primed resuming for a second prep off two soft track trials. Won the first on the South Coast before showing good speed at Rosehill and holding on nicely to only be grabbed late, but still with something in hand.
Dangers: Keep safe beautifully bred two-year-old filly 12. Satin Stiletto who hasn't started since a one-off debut run in Listed company at Eagle Farm late last year, but was sound in a recent open class trial, and likely to jump favourite. Lightly raced improver 5. That's The Word can run into the money second-up for the new Canberra stable coming back from provincial opposition. Watch the betting on 4. Kermadec Treasure who hasn't been seen officially since a quiet Doomben trial last winter, but debuts as a gelding for the new local yard.
How to play it: Bambi Belle to win
Race 5 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1800m):
Now for a Heat of the Wagga Stayers Series, and progressive Victorian four-year-old 1. Mr Saxabeat can continue building on an impressive record third-up, and take his winning strike rate to 60 percent from five starts. Was only even through the line resuming in a BM 64 off a lengthy break, but ridden closer and back in grade 18 days ago, swerpt home for a comfortable win. Draws to get another handy trail just behind the speed, and this isn''t much stronger.
Dangers: Keep safe improving 7. Bringbackthebears who is well suited fourth-up over a furlong further. Consistency is a problem for 3. El Lago, but if he reproduces anything near a dominant BM 58 win at Goulburn two runs back, he'll be in the finish. Both Victorian raiders 4. Abseiler and 5. Emperor Of France can be hard to catch; but get into this type of race quite well at the weights.
How to play it: Mr Saxabeat to win
Race 6 BENCHMARK 82 HCP (1400m):
Talented mare 5. Invertational is well placed here second-up and five weeks between runs over 200m further. Kept working home okay first-up in the deeper National Sprint Preview BM 89 at Canberra, and the winner of that race then ran a brave second in the National Sprint Final on Black Opal day. Has since trialled nicely, and well capable of going on to win smarter races than this.
Dangers: Big market watch on 2. Trooper Knuckle resuming off a quiet trial from the inside draw after tackling tougher opposition last prep. Stablemate mare 6. Offspring settled well back and was never a factor when resuming in a deeper Country C'ship Qualifier at Moruya, but can improve sharply here. Evergreen 1. Napoleon Solo draws to get a handy trail, and has a fair second-up record; while 8. Broadside Armour is the best of the rest.
How to play it: Invertational to win
Race 7 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1200m):
Plenty of chances in the closer headed by progressive filly 3. Lyrical Beauty who is well placed back at country level second-up after working home okay in a much deeper CL3 Highway at Randwick 26 days ago. Naturally up sharply in weight, but won at the same stage over this trip last prep, and has a class edge on these.
Dangers: Big watch on talented 8. Cable Express who reloads 11 weeks after an impressive debut win at Canberra. Honest 1. Puerto Rico comes back from a better Class 3 race, and winkers go on deep into the prep. Keep safe last start country CL1 winner 4. Chasing A Quid who draws to get a handy trail just off the speed. Honest 5. Nats Enough who is trained on the track; improving mare 7. Princess Halo third-up; and 9. Artist resuming for only his third start; are all capable of running into the money.
How to play it: Lyrical Beauty to win
BEST BETS:
R5 1. MR SAXABEAT
R6 5. INVERTATIONAL
BEST VALUE:
R2. 5. IMPOSING TALLULAH
