There’s a little bit of rain around the south east of Queensland at the moment, so hopefully the Eagle Farm track doesn’t bottom out too much on Saturday.
Photo by Racing and Sports
We all know it isn’t the fastest draining surface in the world, but the good news is the rain that is around isn’t overly voluminous.
Unfortunately, neither are the standout horses which makes Saturday another tricky assignment for punters.
The banker comes in the first on the card so ideally we can get off to a strong start.
Tuskegee Hawk squares off against just six rivals which could drop to just five if Buffett is withdrawn as expected.
She’s super fit after narrowly winning a similar looking race at Doomben last weekend and shouldn’t find this any tougher.
All she needs to do is hold her form, carrying just 54kg, and she’ll be winning this.
The danger is obviously Bid Spotter who has a class edge on this lot but he’s slugging the top weight and has an apprentice riding.
He’s out to a more appropriate trip today but still might just be a run short.
Tuskegee Hawk is already into $1.70 so be quick.
After trawling the meeting for a bit of value, I stumbled across an interesting proposition in the fifth on the card, a Class 6 handicap.
Local mare Hidden Kisses will line up at double figure odds in the easiest race she’s contested in quite some time.
Trainer Robert Heathcote has kept her nice and fresh for this.
She was beaten five lengths by Peron in the Gai Waterhouse five weeks ago, after finishing 6.1L off Sookie in the Glenlogan Park Stakes back in May.
She’s back to Eagle Farm now where she’s won three times and placed another seven in 13 attempts.
She gets down to 55.5kg with the apprentice aboard, and has as good a finishing burst as any of these.
Plus she doesn’t mind a bit of sting out of the ground, unlike some of her more fancied rivals today.
Carmine King looks the one to beat after proving too good in similar here two weeks back, and should jump a deserved favourite.
Vintage Moss and De Dozen Stars are both well in the market, but both are suspect on rain-affected ground. Even dead tracks haven’t been kind to the pair in the past.
The $12 about Hidden Kisses looks a very good each-way proposition.
At the other end of the spectrum, Lennie’s Choice will likely line up well under the odds today.
He was super impressive two runs back with a win at this track resuming in midweek grade, then failed as an odds-on hope three weeks back at Caloundra.
He’s up against older horses today carrying 58kg, and he bumps into some pretty in-form gallopers in Bahsa, Elite Ateates and Tomcat plus the resuming Qfighter who has been solidly backed.
Steer clear of the $3.20 about Lennie’s Choice.
BRISBANE BEST:
BANKER: Race 1 No 2 TUSKEGEE HAWK @ $1.70
PLAY OF THE DAY: Race 5 No 2 HIDDEN KISSES @ $12
LAY OF THE DAY: Race 6 No 3 LENNIE'S CHOICE @$3.20
