Australia Racing Preview for 2/7/2014
by Grant Davies
Wow! What a fantastic day of racing (and betting!) at Caulfield today! We have the two divisions of the Sportingbet Blue Diamond Preludes and another 6 Graded stakes races including the highlight of the day, the Grade 1 SPORTINGBET WFA C.F. ORR STAKES. We also pop up to Royal Randwick just for one race, but what a great race it should be, the Grade 2 WFA SCSI EXPRESSWAY STAKES.
CAULFIELD – AUS A
RACE 2 – GRADE 3 HERALD SUN CARLYON CUP 1600m $150000 (AUS)
STAR ROLLING was good enough to my eye first up over 1400m. Last preparation he stepped up in distance like he does today and he won in fantastic fashion in Adelaide. PAKAL resumes here today and his last first up effort was at this very track and distance…he won by 6 lengths! He has trialled well too! CHASE THE RAINBOW gets out to the mile, if he is ridden towards the speed and tempo suits (which it looks it should) then he is definitely a winning chance. BASS STRAIGHT is another with fresh form and Fiorente form, at WFA! You cannot possibly ignore that! BIT OF HELL won his recent trial well and has had the ultimate gear change…GELDED! Beware; they always seem to be more on the job after that!
SELECTIONS – 4 Star Rolling / 3 Chase the Rainbow / 2 Pakal
RACE 3 – GRADE 2 HYLAND RACE COLOURS AUTUMN STAKES 1400m $220000 (AUS)
Plenty of interest here in this race with 8 of the 10 runners resuming from spells! Looking at it from a trial point of view, LATE CHARGE and POLANKSI both have been very impressive, as have ROCK HERO and THUNDER FANTASY who had their trials up in Sydney. COUNTERSNIP is one of the pair with match fitness and this can never be underestimated in these races. PYRROLIC and ACCORD (Mick Kent’s stable mates) are young but both seem smart based on their debut wins and the form behind them has been made to look good.
SELECTIONS – 1 Polansk / 9 Pyrrolic / 4 Countersnip
RACE 4 – GRADE 3 KEVIN HAYES STAKES 1200m $135000 (AUS)
SHAMALIA definitely looked good in her two Sydney wins. BOUND FOR EARTH has the scalp of Guelph this distance when winning her first up assignment last preparation (although Guelph did make her pay the next three starts) so that has to bode well, also has trialled well in Sydney for this. SPIRITS DANCE and WHISTLE BABY were both good here last time in their respective efforts and SPIRIT DANCE does get a weight advantage today. THE HUNTRESS delivered some impressive splits chasing Gregers fresh last prep and her fresh stats are good. DIAMOND GLOW is one I am very interested to see here, the run last start was full of merit and closed hard, the race was faster than the listed class that day.
SELECTIONS – 1 Bound for Earth / 2 The Huntress / 3 Diamond Glow
RACE 5 – GRADE 3 SPORTINGBET BLUE DIAMOND PRELUDE (FILIIES) 1100m $150000 (AUS)
Not many 2yo's give the track record's a scare, especially not early season fillies but that's what EARTHQUAKE…nearly broke the track record on debut (not many do that), she travelled so strongly at high speed and stopped the clock ay 56.49, cannot fault her….but is she bombproof? Does the Caulfield curse get her? I think she will be just fine! ELOPING is 2 from 2, won the Diamond Preview well and they ran faster time than the boys. TOP DOLLY was well spoken of on debut and chased home MM runner-up Oakleigh Girl, it’s possible she has come on well from that too. LUMOSTY closed well on debut for second in the Diamond Preview, more ground suits to my eye. Bottom three, MUMBAI ROCK, ROYAL OCEAN and SNITSNBITS are all first go out…who knows? But no real word on the street about any of them.
SELECTIONS – 3 Earthquake / 1 Eloping / 4 Lumosty
RACE 6 – GRADE 3 SPORTINGBET BLUE DIAMOND PRELUDE (COLTS & GELDINGS) 1100m $150000 (AUS)
RUBICK told us all how good he was when he trialled and backed it up with an unbelievable debut win in an unforgettable time of 56.39 (The splits were 10.3, 10.88 & 10.76 and an easing down 11.3 for the last 200m). He has the Caulfield curse too but I cannot see that bothering him a bit, he wins! JABALI is one who has trialled well, and I personally like him on debut enough to include here today. FRANCESCO is another who has definite ability. MOHAVE is out of a very professional stable and acts and runs accordingly so cannot be ignored. NOSTRADAMUS looked the real deal at Flemington and more importantly nailed the distance. JABALI is the “over the odds” horse to me.
SELECTIONS – 4 Rubick / 5 Nostradamus / 8 Jabali
RACE 7 – GRADE 2 SCHWEPPES RUBITON STAKES 1100m $175000 (AUS)
BETTER THAN READY is a really good 4YO, He has had a trial up at home, went well and he’s only lost once out of four starts fresh, hard to go against. Quality 3YO LION OF BELFORT, another resuming and yet again another who trialled very well. The Zoustar form that he carries is enough to say that he can be in the finish here today. LANKAN RUPEE resumes as well and like so many today first up (making it that little bit harder) he has also trialled super. Last time we saw him on track he won easily at WFA, serious danger in this edition! Can’t leave out FIRST COMMAND (painful I know), but the old fella (8YO) has found his way into the top 2 at 5 of his 7 races second up, and we know he likes it here.
SELECTIONS – 1 Better Than Ready / 3 Lankan Rupee / 4 First Command
RACE 8 – GRADE 1 WFA SPORTINGBET C.F. ORR STAKES 1400m $400000 (AUS)
Can’t really read the speed in this race so not going to let it factor. SHAMUS AWARD resumes, his last fresh effort was good. Yes we all know he won the Cox Plate as maiden but for some reason a lot of people forget how good all his placing’s prior were and the class he was up against. . MOMENT OF CHANGE was huge 1st-up, wide on speed and he tried to steal the race with pure guts, only just got nailed! He has match fitness on a few here and can use it! EUROZONE has to be a definite winning chance here today, his first prep was terrific and I am betting he has come back better!
SELECTIONS – 7 Shamus Award / 3 Moment of Change / 8 Eurozone
RACE 9 – GRADE 3 ROUTLEYS BAKERY BELLMAINE STAKES 1200m $150000 (AUS)
COUNTED ran a great race in a Grade 2 WFA last time after a win over SPENDING who just missed at Moonee Valley after blowing the start. POWER PRINCESS just flies fresh, she possesses WFA and G1 placing’s to Black Caviar and Barakey. ARINOSA is a favourite and don’t forget, she won WFA VS males fresh last time we saw her in work. CORONATION SHALLAN and KOONOOMOO are the “trialled well” horses here making things a little more difficult and we all know HI BELLE can rocket home fresh too!
SELECTIONS – 2 Power Princess / 15 Spending / 1 Arinosa
ROYAL RANDWICK – AUS B
RACE 6 – GRADE 2 SCSI EXPRESSWAY STAKES 1200m $200000 (AUS)
BOBAN for me was the story of the spring last campaign, just kept doing what he was asked to do…win! You have to love a horse like that; it was like things just clicked. Fancy he can start out well here today. Guy Walter's APPEARANCE should run a ripper here I reckon and could be well overs. Many of these have later aims whereas RAIN AFFAIR will be revved to go, but I think if he does not get wet tracks then he realistically cannot win. SPEEDINESS was another who came of age last time in (Not as good as BOBAN) but he’ll be in this too.
SELECTIONS - 1 Boban / 10 Appearance / 7 Speediness
Wow! What a fantastic day of racing (and betting!) at Caulfield today! We have the two divisions of the Sportingbet Blue Diamond Preludes and another 6 Graded stakes races including the highlight of the day, the Grade 1 SPORTINGBET WFA C.F. ORR STAKES. We also pop up to Royal Randwick just for one race, but what a great race it should be, the Grade 2 WFA SCSI EXPRESSWAY STAKES.
CAULFIELD – AUS A
RACE 2 – GRADE 3 HERALD SUN CARLYON CUP 1600m $150000 (AUS)
STAR ROLLING was good enough to my eye first up over 1400m. Last preparation he stepped up in distance like he does today and he won in fantastic fashion in Adelaide. PAKAL resumes here today and his last first up effort was at this very track and distance…he won by 6 lengths! He has trialled well too! CHASE THE RAINBOW gets out to the mile, if he is ridden towards the speed and tempo suits (which it looks it should) then he is definitely a winning chance. BASS STRAIGHT is another with fresh form and Fiorente form, at WFA! You cannot possibly ignore that! BIT OF HELL won his recent trial well and has had the ultimate gear change…GELDED! Beware; they always seem to be more on the job after that!
SELECTIONS – 4 Star Rolling / 3 Chase the Rainbow / 2 Pakal
RACE 3 – GRADE 2 HYLAND RACE COLOURS AUTUMN STAKES 1400m $220000 (AUS)
Plenty of interest here in this race with 8 of the 10 runners resuming from spells! Looking at it from a trial point of view, LATE CHARGE and POLANKSI both have been very impressive, as have ROCK HERO and THUNDER FANTASY who had their trials up in Sydney. COUNTERSNIP is one of the pair with match fitness and this can never be underestimated in these races. PYRROLIC and ACCORD (Mick Kent’s stable mates) are young but both seem smart based on their debut wins and the form behind them has been made to look good.
SELECTIONS – 1 Polansk / 9 Pyrrolic / 4 Countersnip
RACE 4 – GRADE 3 KEVIN HAYES STAKES 1200m $135000 (AUS)
SHAMALIA definitely looked good in her two Sydney wins. BOUND FOR EARTH has the scalp of Guelph this distance when winning her first up assignment last preparation (although Guelph did make her pay the next three starts) so that has to bode well, also has trialled well in Sydney for this. SPIRITS DANCE and WHISTLE BABY were both good here last time in their respective efforts and SPIRIT DANCE does get a weight advantage today. THE HUNTRESS delivered some impressive splits chasing Gregers fresh last prep and her fresh stats are good. DIAMOND GLOW is one I am very interested to see here, the run last start was full of merit and closed hard, the race was faster than the listed class that day.
SELECTIONS – 1 Bound for Earth / 2 The Huntress / 3 Diamond Glow
RACE 5 – GRADE 3 SPORTINGBET BLUE DIAMOND PRELUDE (FILIIES) 1100m $150000 (AUS)
Not many 2yo's give the track record's a scare, especially not early season fillies but that's what EARTHQUAKE…nearly broke the track record on debut (not many do that), she travelled so strongly at high speed and stopped the clock ay 56.49, cannot fault her….but is she bombproof? Does the Caulfield curse get her? I think she will be just fine! ELOPING is 2 from 2, won the Diamond Preview well and they ran faster time than the boys. TOP DOLLY was well spoken of on debut and chased home MM runner-up Oakleigh Girl, it’s possible she has come on well from that too. LUMOSTY closed well on debut for second in the Diamond Preview, more ground suits to my eye. Bottom three, MUMBAI ROCK, ROYAL OCEAN and SNITSNBITS are all first go out…who knows? But no real word on the street about any of them.
SELECTIONS – 3 Earthquake / 1 Eloping / 4 Lumosty
RACE 6 – GRADE 3 SPORTINGBET BLUE DIAMOND PRELUDE (COLTS & GELDINGS) 1100m $150000 (AUS)
RUBICK told us all how good he was when he trialled and backed it up with an unbelievable debut win in an unforgettable time of 56.39 (The splits were 10.3, 10.88 & 10.76 and an easing down 11.3 for the last 200m). He has the Caulfield curse too but I cannot see that bothering him a bit, he wins! JABALI is one who has trialled well, and I personally like him on debut enough to include here today. FRANCESCO is another who has definite ability. MOHAVE is out of a very professional stable and acts and runs accordingly so cannot be ignored. NOSTRADAMUS looked the real deal at Flemington and more importantly nailed the distance. JABALI is the “over the odds” horse to me.
SELECTIONS – 4 Rubick / 5 Nostradamus / 8 Jabali
RACE 7 – GRADE 2 SCHWEPPES RUBITON STAKES 1100m $175000 (AUS)
BETTER THAN READY is a really good 4YO, He has had a trial up at home, went well and he’s only lost once out of four starts fresh, hard to go against. Quality 3YO LION OF BELFORT, another resuming and yet again another who trialled very well. The Zoustar form that he carries is enough to say that he can be in the finish here today. LANKAN RUPEE resumes as well and like so many today first up (making it that little bit harder) he has also trialled super. Last time we saw him on track he won easily at WFA, serious danger in this edition! Can’t leave out FIRST COMMAND (painful I know), but the old fella (8YO) has found his way into the top 2 at 5 of his 7 races second up, and we know he likes it here.
SELECTIONS – 1 Better Than Ready / 3 Lankan Rupee / 4 First Command
RACE 8 – GRADE 1 WFA SPORTINGBET C.F. ORR STAKES 1400m $400000 (AUS)
Can’t really read the speed in this race so not going to let it factor. SHAMUS AWARD resumes, his last fresh effort was good. Yes we all know he won the Cox Plate as maiden but for some reason a lot of people forget how good all his placing’s prior were and the class he was up against. . MOMENT OF CHANGE was huge 1st-up, wide on speed and he tried to steal the race with pure guts, only just got nailed! He has match fitness on a few here and can use it! EUROZONE has to be a definite winning chance here today, his first prep was terrific and I am betting he has come back better!
SELECTIONS – 7 Shamus Award / 3 Moment of Change / 8 Eurozone
RACE 9 – GRADE 3 ROUTLEYS BAKERY BELLMAINE STAKES 1200m $150000 (AUS)
COUNTED ran a great race in a Grade 2 WFA last time after a win over SPENDING who just missed at Moonee Valley after blowing the start. POWER PRINCESS just flies fresh, she possesses WFA and G1 placing’s to Black Caviar and Barakey. ARINOSA is a favourite and don’t forget, she won WFA VS males fresh last time we saw her in work. CORONATION SHALLAN and KOONOOMOO are the “trialled well” horses here making things a little more difficult and we all know HI BELLE can rocket home fresh too!
SELECTIONS – 2 Power Princess / 15 Spending / 1 Arinosa
ROYAL RANDWICK – AUS B
RACE 6 – GRADE 2 SCSI EXPRESSWAY STAKES 1200m $200000 (AUS)
BOBAN for me was the story of the spring last campaign, just kept doing what he was asked to do…win! You have to love a horse like that; it was like things just clicked. Fancy he can start out well here today. Guy Walter's APPEARANCE should run a ripper here I reckon and could be well overs. Many of these have later aims whereas RAIN AFFAIR will be revved to go, but I think if he does not get wet tracks then he realistically cannot win. SPEEDINESS was another who came of age last time in (Not as good as BOBAN) but he’ll be in this too.
SELECTIONS - 1 Boban / 10 Appearance / 7 Speediness
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