The Gong meeting will be held at Kembla Grange this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Soft 6 on Thursday and with fine weather leading up to the weekend, Kembla will border on Good/Soft condition on raceday.
Perennial Highway Handicap winner Matthew Dunn has a strong chance in the opening event at Kembla (Kembla Grange Race 1, 1400m). Zoustar gelding Texas Fireball finished off quite well first-up over 1200m at Eagle Farm three weeks ago. Fitter on Saturday and he did win his only start over 1400m. Joshua Parr will take over the rein and with pretty good pace in the race, Parr will drop back in the field and Texas Fireball will run over the top of this field.
Rock Empire has been performing very well this campaign and he’s the one to beat in the ABAX Civil BM 88 Handicap (Kembla Grange Race 7, 1600m). This Team Waterhouse-Bott-trained 4YO is only lightly raced but he has already won three races from only seven career starts. He won back to back BM 72 races in September before coming in 4th two weeks ago at Rosehill. Having drawn the rail, Tim Clark will have little work to do to go to the front and Rock Empire could prove hard to catch.
Top weight Gringotts is the highest rated horse in The Gong and he’s going to win accordingly (Kembla Grange Race 8, 1600m). The Ciaron Maher-trained 5YO has been in terrific form this year winning the Tamworth Cup in the autumn and he has been in the money on all three attempts this campaign. After running 2nds in the Bill Ritchie Stakes and the Alan Brown Stakes, the gelding took out the Big Dance brilliantly two weeks ago. He handles any track conditions and is unbeaten over 1600m winning three from three at the trip. Tommy Berry will go forward and sit one off one back in a stalking position and Gringotts will prove too strong in the run home.
By Owens Wong
