A drop in grade and distance appears ideal for Hammond Lane at Quirindi on Tuesday.
Hammond Lane contests the Emirates Park Class 2 Handicap (1000m) which rounds out proceedings at Quirindi on Tuesday.
He lines up in a field of 11 where the son of Dreamscape looks one of the more progressive types in the field having recorded two wins and as many minor placings in four starts.
The latest came when attempting to make all in an 1100m Benchmark 60 Handicap at Wyong.
On that occasion, Hammond Lane while collared 200m from home, kept fighting right to the line.
He went on to finish third, beaten less than a length with the performance returning a Timeform rating of 74.
This number is equal to a master figure recorded on debut at Scone late last year and also run to again when winning first up at Tamworth over 1200m.
Such a figure has him rating highly amongst the field he lines up in on Tuesday.
Trainer Sue Grills drops Hammond Lane back to 1000m which is largely expectewd to suit the three-year-old.
Sophie Young jumps back aboard and expect the apprentice to be positive from a middle draw.
The pair should either lead or be handy with the likes of Foreign Secretary and Ruby La Rouge drawn inside also possessing the early speed to drive forward.
Overall, it appears a most suitable race for Hammond Lane and at this stage is the deserving favourite.
Ruby La Rouge has improved with each career outing to date and last start shed her maiden tag over 900m at Wellington on debut for the Dar Lunn stable.
As mentioned, the daughter of Beautiful Crown will be prominent throughout.
She is another in the field with upside although it should be noted connections have elected to skip a grade with her.
The filly is Class 1 eligible and with the Kris Lees-trained Raido (Scratched) compressing the weights, Ruby La Rouge sits well outside of the handicap.
At double figure odds in betting as of Tuesday morning, she profiles as a genuine value player.
The penny has perhaps dropped for Foreign Secretary based on how she made all over 1100m at Armidale 15 days ago.
She shapes as another value runner while Shalama is worth keeping safe from barrier 1.
The gelding has placed in his past three outings and from barrier 1, should enjoy all of the favours in transit and appreciate a drop back to Class 2 company.
The Jeff Englebrecht-trained runner was particularly bold at Muswellbrook last start, enduring a tough run caught wide out on the track yet still managed to finish a three-quarter length second.
It is Hammond Lane though who is expected to have the weight of support in the Emirates Park Class 2 Handicap (1000m) at Quirindi on Tuesday and justifiably so.
