Vayakhan will appreciate the step up in trip at Warwick Farm today when stepping out in the Get Racy Benchmark 79 Handicap (2200m).
The former French galloper, now with David Vandyke ran a narrow second in his first Australian outing at Newcastle before scoring an easy win at the same course over the mile last start.
The four-year-old has finished in the money all eight career starts and based on his French form will appreciate the step up to 2200m today.
Vayakhan rates well on weight adjusted Timeform ratings and Blake Shinn who has ridden the horse in both runs this campaign stays on board.
On what he has produced his last two outings and over the France, on best form Vayakhan looks hard to go past and should be winning this on the way to some sterner tasks.
Lucky Liaison seems to have hit some form in recent times and will be shooting for three wins in a row after scoring a good win over 2400m here last time out.
James McDonald who has been in outstanding form of late will go on board for the first time and despite dropping back slightly in trip looks a big danger here.
Does go up some 4kg on his last start win but expect him to be in the mix and looks the biggest danger to Vayakhan.
Gai Waterhouse will saddle up the consistent Tamariz and has elected to take the blinkers off after running third in his last two outings.
Finished 1.2L away behind Lucky Liason last start and meets him considerably better at the weights here.
Tim Clark will take the ride and despite not being tested past the 2000m, Tamariz rates well on his recent form and has certainly shown enough to feature right in the finish of this.
Likely to push forward from barrier 4 and will certainly give them all something to run down over the final stages.
With the scratching of Grand Marshal, these look the main chances although the other two chances will be no easy beats.
Both Murphy’s Delight and Strike Me Lucky have been racing well enough to run into the placings but not sure they are quite up to the top couple of chances.
