The Breeders Classic meeting will be held at Rosehill this Saturday. Rosehill was rated a Good 3 on Thursday but with heavy showers forecast for Friday & Saturday, the track is likely to be rain affected on raceday.
The Black Caviar Lightning Stakes meeting will be held at Flemington on Saturday. The track was rated a Dead 4 on Thursday & with a few showers forecast for Melbourne, Flemington is likely to stay in the Dead range on raceday.
In the TAB Rewards BM95 Handicap (Sydney Race 2, 1400m), the class horse is the top weight Velrosso. But he does have to give 4kg to to the up-and-coming Ecuador. The Gai Waterhouse-trained 4YO was very impressive last preparation cumulating to a 6th place finish in the Epsom Handicap, beaten only one length by Boban. Waterhouse is setting him for the Doncaster Handicap / Queen Elizabeth Stakes so the 1400m is a good starting point for him. From barrier 5, Tommy Berry will take Ecuador straight to the lead and he’ll be hard to catch.
The Breeders Classic (Sydney Race 6, 1200m) sees the return of some very good mares including Streama, Steps In Time, Catkins and the unbeaten White Sage. I am prepared to take on the favourite White Sage and opt for Catkins. Chris Waller was very taken by Catkins efforts last preparation and has reported that the 4YO has been working well. She was beaten a nose by Red Tracer in the Group 1 Myer Classic before her spell. She had two trials in preparation for her 1st up run. She had 3 wins & a second from four 1st up run, has a good record over 1200m at Rosehill and she can handle all track conditions. From barrier 1, Hugh Bowman will park her behind the leaders along the fence and get a cushy run. Watch her let down strongly in the straight.
The VRC Derby winner Polanski will resume in the C.S.Hayes Stakes (Melbourne Race 6, 1400m), however I believe the 1400m is a bit too short for him. The South Australian visitor Hucklebuck looks a strong chance having a record 4 wins and 2 placings from 6 career starts. The Phillip Stokes-trained gelding won his only try 2nd up and over 1400m. From barrier 1, jockey Dom Tourmeur is likely to settle Hucklebuck behind the leading bunch on the fence. If he is within striking distance in the last 300m, he should win the C.S. Hayes.
In the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (Melbourne Race 7, 1000m), I believe the two mares – Samaready & Snitzerland will fight out the finish. Samaready was injured in the Manikato Stakes just before her spell. But in the start before that, she absolutely annihilated Buffering in the Moir Stakes over the 1200m, beating the multiple Group 1 sprinter by 4 lengths. Samaready has good 1st up record and had won over 1000m at Flemington before. And she loves having a bit of gift in the ground having won 5 races from 6 starts on Dead track. Regular ride Craig Newitt will be aboard and Samaready looks the horse to beat in this year’s Lightning Stakes.
By Owens Wong, Editor
