Howmuchdoyouloveme, the 2012 Ramornie Handicap winner will return to Grafton today to defend his title, and in the process will look to break a weight carrying record.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The four-year-old gelding now under the care of Katina Cotiopoulos will be required to carry 60.5kg, some 6.5kg more than he carried last year, giving the rest of the field 3kg.
The biggest weight carried to win the $150,000 race was 58kg by The Jackal in 2008 but on recent form the son of Written Tycoon looks in good order to make it back to back wins in the 1200m feature.
After a solid enough effort in the Group 1 TJ Smith behind Black Caviar, Howmuchdoyouloveme has gone on to win his last two starts in fine fashion, the most recent in the Group 3 W.J Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm with 60kg.
With Nash Rawiller on board, Howmuchdoyouloveme had plenty of work to do to cross over and lead from the wide barrier but even with the big weight was able to hang on by a head and once again looks hard to go past again today.
The former Caulfield Sprint winner has a definite class edge on these and with regular jockey Brenton Avdulla back on board Howmuchdoyouloveme looks well placed to put himself into Grafton racing folklore.
Runner up behind Howmuchdoyouloveme last start, River Lad once again looms as the main danger, getting a 1kg weight swing on last start.
The five-year-old gelding was third in this race last year and has now failed to beat Howmuchdoyouloveme in all three previous meetings.
He will get a good run from barrier three and should be there at the finish but not sure he quite has the class edge to get past the imposing Howmuchdoyouloveme, currently the $3.40 favourite.
Pentasia also rates a mention in this down in the weights with only 54kg. The Marc Quinn-trained mare resumed in good order with a win in listed company at Doomben before a solid showing in the Lightning Handicap behind Howmuchdoyouloveme,
She possesses a very good career record but just needs a bit of luck from the wide draw. If she finds cover with only 54kg she will be hitting the line strongly and looks one of the main dangers.
Adebisi rounds out the main chances resuming from a spell in this with a record of four wins from seven previous first up efforts.
The son of Shovhog was very good last campaign in group and listed company and with such an outstanding record when fresh is likely to once again make his presence felt.
Adebisi is likely to push forward from barrier eight to find the lead and will take plenty of running down once again.
Outside of the main chances, Border Rebel who has not won in a while now also has some claims in this but will need to show a lot more than he produced in the lead-up race here last start.
Big Bonanza also comes into this off a metropolitan win at Rosehill and tends to do his best racing over the 1200m journey.
Whilst it appears to be a very competitive affair, expecting Howmuchdoyouloveme to prove too good for these and as The Jackal did, make it back to back wins and break a weight carrying record.
