‘The Gong’ meeting will be held at Kembla Grange this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with mainly fine and warm weather in the Illawarra area leading up to the weekend, Kembla Grange will be racing on a Good track on raceday.
Top weight Pandemic is the class horse in the ABAC Constracting CG&E BM78 Handicap (Kembla Grange Race 5, 1200m). This Sepoy gelding has been racing against black-type oppositions like Standout, Villami and Cosmic Force. It’s going to be a drop in class on Saturday hence the big weight (62kg). With the 2kg claim from the in-form apprentice Tom Sherry, Pandemic has what could be a winning weight of 60kg. Stepping up to 1200m should suit and so should the dry track. With reasonable pace in the race, Sherry is going to settle behind mid-field with plenty of cover. Watch Pandemic motoring home down the long Kembla straight.
Jockey of the moment Jason Collett will be on board Macroura and the filly is a top chance in the Traffic Logistics F&M BM78 Handicap (Kembla Grange Race 6, 1200m). This 3YO won three straight in her first preparation before a 7th in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins. Macroura resumed with a 3rd over 1100m on a very Heavy track three weeks ago. Fitter and ready to step up to 1200m. Drawn nicely in barrier 4, Collett will go forward in a slowly run race and sit just behind the leaders and Macroura could be hard to catch.
Good miler Rock from the Team Hawkes stable is ready to take out ‘The Gong’ (Kembla Grange Race7, 1600m). This Pierro 5YO has been in good form having taken out the Cameron Handicap (1500m) earlier in the Spring before coming from third last and beaten only 2.3 lengths in the Epsom Handicap. And last start over the Flemington mile, the gelding finished less than a length from Yulong Prince in the Group 1 Cantala Stakes. The 5YO is rock hard fit and regular rider Tommy Berry knows the horse well. Berry will settle in the second half of the field and Rock will showcase his turn-of-foot in the straight and run over the top of this field.
By Owens Wong, Editor
