The stars are back! Jacquinot on Thursday and now Golden Mile and Forbidden Love make their returns in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes, won’t that be a doozy! Last weekend, I almost tipped the card in pure bronze, no, that isn’t a brag I know that. But you would’ve made a bit of money on place multis! Insert a laughing emoji into an aggressive crying emoji. The bounce back comes this weekend!
Track Report: The rain is very on and off in Sydney at the moment, the track is currently rated a Soft 6 and if the rain continues, that will be the case this weekend. But with a hot Saturday forecast, if the rain doesn’t come, it will come into the good range. I have prepared for Soft 5, the conditions should play fair but with the rail out 5 Metres, leaders will hold a slight advantage.
Race 1 – 1500M Tab Highway Plate (C3)
King Of Spades is the one I want in the Highway. He absolutely loves this class, going for 4 starts and finishing in the Top 4 each time, including a win. He will jump and grab the rail and try and g all the way with it in front. Hannah Williams is not a jockey that I usually back, but hopefully she just lets a fast horse go fast.
Olakau’atu is developing quite the picket fence and is another horse that will jump on the pace and prove hard to get past if he finds the front. The step to 1500M works as well, as he is always chasing to the front with some stuff left in the tank. Should be in the money.
Indicative is a class horse that should be winning this IF he wasn’t in the car park. The last time he was that wide, he tired badly and faded. JMac should be very forward with him to make sure that doesn’t happen, but I am thinking he is more of a place chance.
Lord Desanimaux is a highway stalwart and thrives at this distance, he should get a suck run and make a lunge late, can factor into exotics.
Selections: 4-7-11-2
Suggested Bet: King Of Spades Each Way
Race 2 – 1100M g3 Fujitsu General Canonbury Stks
King’s Gambit just has to win right? Everything he has done until this point has been purely faultless. The debut run, the trials, the trackwork, he looks to be pure class. Everyone is saying he is an M bomb in the Blue Diamond and close to it in the Golden Slipper, but a lot of water has to go under the bridge until that happens. For now he’ll have to settle for a win in the Canonbury. Tips itself and no prizes for the price but it has to be the best bet.
Red Resistance is also a classy looking type after the way he led all the way to win on debut and gapped the field with Steel City. He is definitely the main danger to the favourite and with the way the track could play, he could jump on the bunny and out sprint them all if they aren’t careful.
The Little Pumper and Fameux round out the selections but I would be surprised if one of the first 2 don’t win.
Selections: 1-2-7-4
Suggested Bet: King’s Gambit (BEST BET)
Race 3 – 1500M Ned Australian Whisky (Bm72)
Wineglass Bay could be a good one for Waller. He seems to be a very consistent type, only missing the trifecta twice in his short career. His debut on Aussie soil was very good without winning behind 2 very good horses in Danish Prince and Green Shadows. JMac should give him every chance and I think he breaks the Aussie maiden here.
Cosmic Minerva is the favourite for the race and you can see why considering he reeled off a strong final 600m sectional last start and chased all the way from the back to narrowly miss behind Ringmaster. Up in distance now, he can win.
Resonator has the speed to cross them from the wide gate and will be the one that they have to run down in the end. Loves the cut out of the track so if it stays in the soft range he is prime for a win. He has the form behind Spiritualised and Garza Blanca that reads well, sneaky each way chance.
Daytona has very similar form to Resonator and is one to include in your trifectas and first fours.
Selections: 7-2-4-9
Suggested Bet: Wineglass Bay Win
Race 4 – 2000M Tab (Bm78)
I love an Annabel Neasham import and Tip Of The Spear could be one of the better ones I feel. His Australian debut flew under the radar I feel due to the fact that it came 5th by 2 lengths behind Bazooka. But go back and watch it, he was strong through the line and he was stuck in a lot of traffic. With clear air and an extra 500m, he can win.
Thalassophile was another horse who was strong without winning last start due to some heavy traffic but she looked quite slick when clear and will relish having JMac on her back. She can certainly be one of the main players, as the market indicates.
Secret Glamour‘s last start was too bad to be true. She never looked right from the get-go and I feel as though she needed a little break, which she has had. She likes to run on the fresh side and will appreciate the soft conditions.
Worthily has form behind Mission Phoenix, Tony Be, Logan Street Lon, Mahagoni and Global Ausbred and that is about as good as it gets with Benchmark racing. Must include in exotics.
Selections: 6-2-4-1
Suggested Bet: Tip Of The Spear Win
Race 5 – 1100M g3 Widden Stakes
I think Perfect Proposal is a great chance and there is no wonder why she continues to shorten in the market, but what I can’t get my mind around is why Steel City keeps drifting. It is totally bizarre. She showed fantastic pace in her debut when she gapped the rest of the field with Red Resistance and will take that race fitness in her stride. But Perfect Proposal will be up there at the front with her and it will be an interesting battle to see who takes the lead. The two main chances in the race in my mind.
I have been impressed by Learning To Fly in all of her trials, especially her last one where she was super strong late to out run Perfect Proposal to the line. She’ll be charging home late, but I am not sure how she will go on debut, especially when it could be a leaders track. Watch the market, she could drift as well, but she will be a player come the finish.
Dipsy Doodle was a bit green on debut, but I feel as though the latest trial was encouraging enough to show she has improved and has become better educated.
Selections: 11-9-6-2
Suggested Bet: Steel City Each Way
Race 6 – 1350M Midway (Bm72)
The favourite Cheerful Legend just so happens to be Mock owned, so he has to go on top and quite frankly this isn’t just a loyalty bet, as he is a fantastic chance. His return this prep has been excellent and he is showing a strong motor. I think the rise to 1350m should help and he can make it 2 on the trot.
Kibosh flies second up and can win for the first time in almost 2 years here if he doesn’t get stuck in traffic. Her form behind Never Second has just been franked with that horse winning in the last week, so I think some improvement comes here.
Grace Bay is building to something here. Flying Without winning in the last few starts and I have heard confidence from the camp that a place is genuinely a strong chance to happen.
Byron goes in purely because Amy McLucas is flying and needs to be respected.
Selections: 5-3-8-2
Suggested Bet: Cheerful Legend Each Way
Race 7 – 1200M Schweppes (Bm88)
One of the hottest Benchmark races you’ll see this summer with Spacewalk, Kalino and Dehorned Unicorn all going against each other and all of them should park themselves right off the speed and charge late and all 3 of them could gap the field. Spacewalk has to go on top though, his run last start was a very sick beat and with no traffic this time he should be winning on his way to a potential start in The Galaxy.
Dehorned Unicorn is the roughie of the race and will round out the selections for the first 4.
Selections: 10-2-4-7
Suggested Bet: Spacewalk Win and a 2, 4, 7 Boxed Trifecta
Race 8 – 1200M g2 Expressway Stakes
The main event of the day and boy isn’t it stacked…well, kinda. It was originally a 4 horse race, but now it is a full field with 2 group level horses and 7 benchmark level horses, but some of those are the best benchmark horses going around today.
Golden Mile is one of those group horses and he has to be the on topper here. Even tough he figures as more of a miler now, he is a class above this lot and that will take him along way. Watch the Godolphin blue to swoop them all late.
Forbidden Love is the other group horse in the race and she dropped way off last prep and I am not sure if she will ever bounce back. She trialled like a jet last week, or did she? SHe gapped the field, but that was because they were all ridden quiet for fitness and she was pushed right out, so the gap made it look impressive, but the time wasn’t reflective of the gap. Which makes me think she hasn’t returned to the star she once was. Class will have her in the finish, but I don’t think she wins.
Pizarro is the massive X factor in this race I feel. An upset could be a brewing and if anyone beats Golden Mile it is Pizarro. Should have smashed them last start but was held up late, with better luck, he can be right in the finish. He has never missed the trifecta and I don’t think he will start this weekend.
Mariamia will give herself every chance in the world by parking on speed and trying to go all the way. She did it last start and while this is harder here, she can find herself into the money. I will also say that Much Much Better is way over the odds and if the track dries out, he is a massive place chance.
Selections: 9-4-3-5
Suggested Bet: Golden Mile Win and 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 Boxed Trifecta
Race 9 – 1500M Kia Ora Stud (Bm88)
Major Artie is another one that should park himself on the speed and hold them out all the way down the straight. The form behind Cuban Royale and Banju reads spectacularly and he should be in it right down to the end.
Super Strike is a narrow second selection that could honestly cause a boilover at value odds here. Last start he was strong without being in the finish behind Jojo Was A Man and Mahagoni. Blinkers back on now and Amy McLucas on and she is flying, I would respect an each way bet on him.
Bazooka is always in the mix and needs to be respected and as he will be carrying feathers, he will most likely fly late and would not be surprised if he picks up another win at value odds, as he has already done it once this prep.
Bold Mac is a respectable favourite after 2 strong runs behind the likes of Vreneli and Beaufort Park. But he just got caught wide without cover last start. JMac on board and will try and settle him right on Major Artie’s tail and could be running past him in the final stages.
Selections: 2-1-8-4
Suggested Bet: Major Artie Win
Race 10 – 1350M Chandon (Bm78)
The get out stakes and hopefully we finish the day with a win. Contributingfactor flies second up and I think he will be in this right up to his neck. Should settle at the to of the midfield with cover and find a split in the field late and burn down the straight. Each way all day over the short favourite.
Talking about the favourite Think About It steps up to Saturday grade and will try to prove a very short quote right by winning his 4th race from 5 starts. But he is just far too short to bet on.
For Valour could be the leader that breaks their hearts as he will get the soft lead on the rails and will have to be chased down if he were to lose. Ready to peak now that he is third up and can break the Rosehill hoodoo that he has.
Soami is running very well without winning, as he just keeps finding 1 or 2 better. Now that he doesn’t have Cuban Royale or Ringmaster to contend with he can potentially get over the line as a winner.
Selections: 3-11-6-4
Suggested Bet: Contributingfactor Each Way
Top Selections For The Card
Race 1: King Of Spades
Race 2: King’s Gambit (BEST BET)
Race 3: Wineglass Bay
Race 4: Tip Of The Spear
Race 5: Steel City
Race 6: Cheerful Legend
Race 7: Spacewalk
Race 8: Golden Mile
Race 9: Major Artie
Race 10: Contributingfactor
Quaddie
Race 7: 2, 4, 7
Race 8: 3, 4, 9
Race 9: 1, 2, 4, 8
Race 10: 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11
$50 gets 23.4%