Pretty good meeting. Looking forward to it. First Group 1 race of the season. Let us pinpoint some winners.
Track Conditions:
Friday at 10am Track Good (3), Penetrometer 4.47, Rail True, Track had 7.5mm of rain earlier this week and was given 3mm of irrigation this morning. Fine weather predicted and track will be good.
Race 1:
Tricky affiar here. Any of the 10 runners could win. Not the right race to bet it, watch and learn.
Race 2:
Probably a two horse race here between
Here de Angles and
Muzdaher.
Here de Angels has been outstanding at its only two runs smashing its opposition. We can expect another bold run here.
Muzdaher has only missed the placings once all of its runs, and that day it had excuses. Its first up run was sound in a pretty handy listed race for 3yo's. Step up to 1200m is in its favour. With the claim gets 1.5kg's off Here de Angles in this race. I don't think there is as much between them as the early markets suggest. Warming to
Muzdaher, but I am very wary of
Here de Angels.
Race 3:
Not interested in these.
Race 4:
A probable odds-on runner here in
Estelle Collection. Her only loss has been behind the smart Sharkbite and that was by a nose. I am not keen to take the odds likely to be offered for her however. A few in this race come out of the Crockett Stakes (1000m SWP Fillies MV) from the 26th of August.
Permaiscuous won that race, coming from last to swamp then. Natural improvement will see it go close again. In that race I liked the run of
Testajoy, she is still a mdn, but she had no luck in that race and wasn't to far off them, the step up in distance to 1200m will help her to I feel. Putting a big watch on it.
Fun in Flight won't be far away either.
No real value here. Happy to watch them.
Race 5:
The Feehan Stakes, won last year by Lad Of The Manor holding off the great Makybe Diva who was flashing home late. This is only a small field this year, but it is a quality one.
Fields Of Omagh is a grand old horse, his first up run was good enough, he'll be fitter for it, and he has a pattern to really improve big time second up. That pattern can continue tomorrow as he goes well at the valley and also at this distance range.
Lad Of The Manor hasn't had much go right for him recently. Has had a few minor hiccups and perhaps that told on him at his most recent effort. He is too good to right off this early, but I want to see him return to something near his best before I warm to backing him.
Apache Cat was outstanding second up. Missed the start, then was forced out 3wide the trip no cover working the whole way. He has had El Segundo in his way both times this time in, no El Segundo today and I think he'll like that and will be very hard to beat.
Testafiable will be fitter for its run first up. May be ridden more quiter today and look for it to be running on late, may be looking for longer now.
Red Dazzler has had a bit of a break between runs, and steps up to 1600m now. Thats my only worry with the horse, however it has had a 20day break before when it went from 1400m to 1600m and won here at the valley. He will run well.
Spinney was very good first up, step up to 1600m suits, has been freshened also since the JJ Liston Stakes, will be running on.
Spielmeister has been flying of late. Step up to WFA for the first time. Prefer to watch him first this level before backing him.
Going to stick with
Apache Cat here.
Race 6:
not interested in betting here.
Race 7:
First Group 1 of the season. Its an interesting field to. Only one horse has won at group 1 level. And thats Dance Hero whos 3 group 1 wins came when he was a 2yo. So no horse here has won an open group 1 race, might be the first time in history thats happened? Anything could win this race. I'm expecting
California Dane to improve out of sight here. All of his 5 wins have been at 1200m and 4 of those have been at this track. His stablemate,
Miss Andretti is in career best form currently. She will be mighty hard to beat.
Sassbee will be better suited here today back up to 1200m and he can turn the tables on
Miss Andretti.
Shadoways will be flying home late, but he gets back in his running and will need luck. You could make a case for anything.
I am sticking with
California DaneRace 8:
Tricky race, rather watch and learn.
Race 9:
A raffle.
Good punting.