Black Jag from the Chris Waller stable will be out to break a long winless drought in the Go Hire- The Event People Benchmark 66 (2000m) at Kembla Grange today.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The three-year-old gelding has been racing well in recent times but has been unable to chalk up his second career win but gets his chance here in what looks to be a very winnable race.
The son of Excites was only 2.5L off Euryale in Saturday grade two starts back over 1900m before being beaten under a length to the in form Tremec at Gosford last start over 2100m.
Black Jag loomed up at the 200m on that occasion but was outgunned over the concluding stages so Waller drops him back to 2000m for this with Nash Rawiller on board.
He should not find this any harder than what he came up against last start and although has not won a race in 556 days, he rates on top on Timeform weight adjusted ratings in this field.
He will come into barrier 11 after scratchings but is likely to push forward like he did last start and there is no better jockeys for on pace runners than Nash Rawiller.
A few of these are likely to race up on the pace but there does not appear to be a natural leader, so if he does go forward he should get a pretty easy time of it.
Fedde from the Grahame Begg stable also comes out of the same race as Black Jag, running third on that occasion but was almost a further three lengths back. He gets a big swing in the weights here however, with the 3kg claim for apprentice jockey Jake Matthews and looms as the biggest danger.
He will be running on from back in the field and with only 55.5kg will be getting to the line very well.
Sindarin has also been thereabouts in recent times and drops back in class for this after she was safely held by the in form Havana Rey in Saturday company last start.
She looks much better suited to this sort of company although untried at the distance is a slight query.
An interesting runner in the field is the Queanbeyan-trained Dubai Ruler who steps up in grade here after an easy win on the Canberra Acton track last start. This looms as his toughest task to date although he appears to have plenty of ability and can't be dismissed in this.
Blazing Dragon and Raleigh appear to be the best of the rest but have plenty of ground to make up against this lot.
Both gallopers finished down the track to Havana Rey at Warwick Farm last start and a repeat of that performance will not see them in contention today.
Looks an interesting race and if Black Jag can produce his best he will be right in the finish again here.
Enjoy the race.
