From Bjorn Baker
Horse: Infatuation
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 4, Carlton Dry 3.5 F&M BM 78 Hcp) She will strip much fitter for her unplaced first-up effort at Rosehill earlier this month. She was a tad disappointing on face value first-up, but she over-raced early and just raced a bit above herself fresh. She has had a number of good gallops in between and she should improve sharply second-up.
Horse: Iowna Merc
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 9, The Warra) He’s definitely a little bit stronger. He’s at the top level now where he’s got to compete in stakes races and he needs to take the extra step to knock one of those off. He just needs to find a length or so to be winning a stakes race, he gets his chance on Saturday. He has come back great. He has trialled well. He always does trial well and he tends to run really well first-up – he was third in the stakes race at Scone first-up last time in.
From Donna Scott
Horse: Arthur The Great
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 1, Highway Hcp) Arthur The Great will carry 60kg with Blaike McDougall. I think Arthur will run it (1400m) in this grade, solid wins with weight and well placed off three wins and has upside. Only concern is first trip away – he’s toey and reluctant in the parade ring. Hopefully, he behaves and brings his best to the races as he does have the ability.
Horse: Daze Off
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 1, Highway Hcp) Daze Off has 54kg and Winona Costin. The mare (Daze Off) will appreciate the drop in weight, is progressive and placed last start over 1400m; Winona has won on her and will use the gate (5).
From Nathan Doyle
Horse: Wooloowin
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 4, Carlton Dry 3.5 F&M BM 78 Hcp) Wooloowin spent over a year off the scene due to a knee issue and her return was further delayed by some wet weather. Wooloowin’s fresh win at Kensington over three weeks ago was a relief. I wasn’t confident to trial her or start her on the wet tracks so we tipped her back out and waited for the better tracks. I think it will be a blessing for her because she has showed us so much potential, I thought it was worth the wait and hopefully our patience pays off. It was terrific off so long off, it’s very hard to win first-up and she was quite dynamic. She’s a horse that’s always shown us a lot of potential so it was a bit of a relief to see her get back and do what we know she can. She’s a nice fresh horse but it was just the right race, and spacing the runs I thought was the right thing to do. I think she will go down there and acquit herself well, I’d be disappointed if she’s not in the finish.
Horse: Midnight Opal
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 6, Evergreen Turf BM 78 Hcp) Midnight Opal worked in the blinkers on Tuesday morning and the blinkers should help Midnight Opal at a crucial stage of the race and if they do the trick expects him to go close. He doesn’t seem to concentrate in the middle stages of the race. He was very strong late the other day, he’s always got that flashing light of being strong through the line but being flat from the 600m-200m which is where you win your races. He’s running well but being frustrating at the same time. Jason (Collett) says he’s got it there under the bonnet, he’s just got to use it.
From James Cummings
Horse: Pisanello
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 3, Traffic Logistics BM 78 Hcp) Pisanello returns from an impressive 1100m win at Flemington on Champions Day. While he will have to lump 60kg, two kilos more than he carted to victory last start, he is up to the challenge and the four-year-old is thriving this campaign. He’s a progressive horse and it’s amazing how well he’s come back. The trip (to Melbourne) hasn’t put a dent in the horse’s exuberance. Barrier one, a little bit of a challenge, with the track a (soft) six. He’s certainly ready to progress through the grades.
Horse: Fleetwood
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 9, The Warra) Fleetwood will resume in the Group 3 The Warra. I can envisage the horse winning the race, but I do also believe he’ll be better for the run. He’s up against it at the weights, it’s not an easy ask for the horse. He’s on 53 kilos, but he’s still out of the handicap here. You’ve got to be mindful of fit and in-form horses. I can see him really warming to the task, running on and setting up well for the rest of the prep.
Horse: Restonica
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 10, Elite Sand & Soil CG&E BM 78 Hcp) He bids to atone for a narrow defeat at the hands of Spanish Fox last start. He’ll enjoy getting back to Kembla where he’s looked good in the past. He could be really chiming in up the middle….and he couldn’t be training any better.
From Gary Portelli
Horse: Encap
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 8, The Gong) Encap finished outside of the placings in 11th in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill on November 2, and the excuses at the time have been cleared up since. He had the issue with his foot prior to the day and we had a bit of a stewards situation but they passed him fit on the day. That was good, but watching the race later I think he was holding back on the hard ground. He had a bit of bruise on his heel and I think we’ll see a lot of improvement this week. His foot is fine now. He was just holding back that bit when we were on the way when we raced him, but he is good now. Next start, he’s got that run under his belt, plenty of work since then and he’ll be ready to go.
From Joseph Pride
Horse: Lekvarte
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 8, The Gong) Lekvarte was a brilliant winner of the Angst Stakes (1600m) at Randwick two starts ago and was far from disgraced when 6th to Atishu in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington at her most recent appearance. It was probably a bit strong for her to be fair, that Group One standard. She has just never raced as well when I have travelled her for some reason. She likes Sydney. To me, she always runs a length or so off what she is capable of when she’s away. I’ve had horses like that in the past, so hopefully Kembla should suit her.
Horse: King Of The Castle
Message: (Saturday, Kembla Grange Race 8, The Gong) King Of The Castle lumped 62.5kg to victory in a 1500m benchmark race last start. It was good to see him back in the winner’s circle and he’s going well. He will drop a fair bit in weight for his next start, which is nice.
From The Editor
Kembla Grange Race 7 – Rock Empire
Kembla Grange Race 8 – Gringotts
