The first three-year-old races of the new season kick-start the Moonee Valley card this Saturday with David Hayes’ filly Gregers one that profiles as a player in early spring features.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Gregers showed herself a good talent last term with a win at C&D on debut turning out to be a strong piece of form and a close up Blue Diamond effort marking her down as one to follow this spring.
Her efforts there saw her come away from the season rated 107p, a figure that has her very well placed today, particularly after the claim.
The official handicap has her just 1lb clear of Diamond Glow and I’m Too Sexy but the Timeform scale shows a difference of 9 and 15lbs respectively.
It’s hard to see those two fillies matching it with Gregers under today’s conditions leaving Metastasio as the credible danger.
Metastasio won her first two starts in good style and showed herself to be a useful filly in her own right but Gregers stayed on past her in the Blue Diamond and they meet off the same mark today.
Further to that Metastasio opts not to claim (granted she gets the services of top jock Craig Williams) and is left giving weight all around.
An in-form Gregers deserves favouritism, at least in our opinion, and her well-being is well worth a gamble at the $3 on offer.
The last provides another good play at much the same odds with Henwood making plenty appeal in the 1200m contest.
After winning a good form race at Bendigo first time out Henwood came to the Valley and was without luck, finishing third in a bunched finish behind Flyingconi who is again a rival today.
Last time Henwood dropped back to the 1000m and was only really warming up late, hitting the line strongly over the last 200m to finish runner up.
Now, back up to the more suitable 1200m, he looks to have found his race. A wide draw is perhaps of some concern but he gets the services of Glen Boss to overcome that and should he get even luck in running is well fancied to come out on top.
One favourite worth taking on is the resuming Cleverdude who steps out in race one.
Clevadude brings a big reputation along with him having won his first two races by wide margins before an easily forgiven run in the Magic Millions.
For all that he shapes as a promising horse, and has a wide margin C&D win to his name, at this stage his form, and the clock, suggest he still has something to prove in today’s company and trading at a quote short of $2.50 seems to underestimate the task in front of him.
He can win, but so can Weinholt who is at least as well performed to this point and so can Kiwi visitor Cauthen, a wide margin winner on debut in New Zealand who comes across the Tasman in search of spring riches.
THE MELBOURNE MAIL:
Banker: Race 2 #1 Gregers @ $3.00
Play Of The Day: Race 8 #9 Henwood @ $3.00
Lay Of The Day: Race 1 #1 Clevadude @ $2.40
