Black Type races in both Melbourne and Sydney and a host of big names return to the track.
The even better news is we should be racing on dry tracks in both states for the first time in months.
The even better news is we should be racing on dry tracks in both states for the first time in months.
Who's hot?
Jockey Tegan Harrison and trainer Tony Gollan have combined five times in the last week for five winners - doubles at Ipswich last Friday and again at Doomben on Saturday plus another winner at Doomben on Wednesday.
They have just one chance tomorrow to see if they can keep their 100% strike rate for the 2015/16 season intact - last start winner El Campeador (Doomben Race 2 No. 6).
Caulfield
*** As of 9am this morning the track was rated a Good 4. The forecast is for a partly cloudy day. ***
P.B. Lawrence Stakes (Group 2, 1400m, w-f-a)
*** There are no early scratchings ***
Smokin' Joey is our favourite on the back of successive victories and he will appreciate the w-f-a conditions after conceding a lot of weight to his rivals at his last two starts. He has residual Winter Carnival fitness on his side too whereas six of his eight rivals are first-up. His run in the G1 Stradbroke Handicap (below) was good coming from well back in a slowly run race.
Dibayani looked awesome cruising home in an 800m jumpout at Flemington on July 31 so it's no surprise to see him well tried in the market even though this is his first start in Australia. Going back through his form he was placed behind the likes of Designs On Rome and Able Friend in the H1 Hong Kong Derby. That's solid form.
Excess Knowledge has had a couple of solid trials in readiness for this first-up assignment and being a Waterhouse horse you'd expect him to be up on the speed and rock hard fit. He did win fresh last prep and Kerrin McEvoy has followed him down from Sydney after guiding him to victory last start in the G3 Doncaster Prelude. He's only missed a place once in five fresh runs.
Petrology had every possible chance last start in the G3 Bletchingly Stakes but Smokin' Joey gave him a head start and then a case of windburn as he went past. Second-up last campaign he was a six length ninth (below) behind Dissident in the G1 Orr Stakes at this track and distance. I find it difficult to entertain him as a winning proposition but he could blunder into the minors.
Mourinho is probably looking for further but his last three fresh runs have produced two wins and a second including victory over Dissident in the G2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley back in January. He followed that with an unlucky third behind the same horse (above) in the aforementioned G1 Orr Stakes. He does look like he'll get a wonderful passage in transit here behind The Cleaner from the inside gate.
The Cleaner will start double figure odds here and though he has never won at a distance shorter than 1600m he has placed at 1400m and he has three wins and three placings from eight first-up runs. He's the natural leader and it's unlikely anyone will want to serve it up to him and when that happens he's always hard to run down.
Of the others No Tricks has fitness on her side after contesting the Brisbane Winter Carnival and she is a last start winner. She's never missed a top four placing in her eight starts up to 1600m. I suspect Taiyoo and Big Memory will need the run.
Locky's Selections
3 Mourinho
1 Smokin' Joey
4 Dibayani
2 The Cleaner
1 Smokin' Joey
4 Dibayani
2 The Cleaner
Blue Bood
Redzel (Rosehill Race 5 No. 6) is by G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Snitzel out of Millrich - herself a winner of the G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes as a two-year-old before placing in the G1 Golden Slipper behind Flying Spur and Octagonal. She also placed in this very race the G3 San Domenico Stakes at three. Her previous progeny include the stakeswinner Danerich - winner of the G3 McNeil Stakes.
Thrown in at the Deep End
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| No horses were harmed during the taking of this photograph |
Vezelay (Caulfield Race 4 No. 10) has risen quickly through the ranks and has proved competitive every time trainers Leon and Troy Corstens have raised the bar. She wasn't far off them in the G1 William Reid Stakes last time out - and that was just her fifth career start. Prior to that she was a close-up third in the G2 Kewney Stakes. This is much easier and down on the minimum weight with the good barrier she should be handy and will give a great sight for a long way.
Roughie
Buon Auspicio (Doomben Race 4 No. 7) has won three from five out of the Doomben 1350m chute and is coming off a last start win. The Bryan Guy stable is flying at the moment and with no weight and a nice draw I think she's a worthwhile each-way bet at what should be double figure odds.
One To Follow
Raposo (Caulfield Race 9 No. 2) was tipped here last start and was brave in defeat after a wide run. In fact all his runs this prep have been solid and he looks like the 1800m will suit. He has form around the likes of subsequent winners Volcanic Ash and Herstory and despite the big weight I think he'll prove too good for this lot.
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