Chris Scholtz - Early Thoughts
R&S Contributing Editor Chris Scholtz takes a look at tomorrow’s Sydney racing.
SELECTIONS
Gets the typical Chris Waller prep of a three weeks break since a fine last start win over 1550m on the Kensington track followed by a pleasing trial placing in between at Rosehill on January 2.
She was only third up when handling the soft track well to score under 60kg on December 21 for her second win in just eight starts when well handled by Jay Ford. She’s the lightly raced one on the way up in this field, the in-form jockey sticks and a 3kg weight drop sees her well placed to continue her upward progression.
Randwick Race 5 - 8 Single Bullet
Perfect conditions for this sometimes enigmatic 4YO to put another win on the board as he flies when fresh and will be carrying 3kg under the limit after the claim for Robbie Dolan, dropping 8kg from his last start at Rosehill 35 days ago when was left with too much to do from the back half over 1100m.
Recorded his second career win over this course and distance at his previous start when he let down with an explosive sprint in slow ground under 60kg and expecting pretty much the same here with his feather weight.
Weights and measures students will be all over this Godolphin runner as he is clearly the best weighted entry in this field dropping to only 51.5kg after Robbie Dolan takes his claim.
In recent starts since November he has conceded between 1.5kg and 4kg to race rivals Samadoubt, Sweet Deal and Organza yet this time gets a minimum 4kg off those horses over this favourable trip.
Makes great each-way appeal as he holds scope to improve on his last outing when running home late over 1200m at Warwick Farm on December 22 carrying 55kg when having his first start in over a month.
BLACKBOOK UPDATE from 5 January (Horses to follow at their next three starts)
Botti - Nice first-up effort. Follow with confidence.
Harmattan - Certain to be suited over more ground.Emperor’s Way - More suitable races lie ahead.
Exceltara - Back and wide left him with too much to do.Recent Blackbook winners - Teodora; Gresham; Military Zone; Nahuel; So Si Bon; Easy Eddie; Miss Norway; Our Crown Mistress; My Nordic Hero; Kentucky Breeze; Firsthand; Chapter And Verse.
ELIGIBLE BLACKBOOK RUNNERS for 12 January
Randwick (Sat) - Highway Sixtysix (R1), Strome (R4), Frolic (R5), Solo Mission (R6) and Asterius (R9)
Gold Coast (Sat) - Umberto (R3), Black On Gold (R4), Zizzis (R7), Rome (R8), Husson Eagle (R9) and Smartedge (R9)Flemington (Sat) - Naantali (R6), Invincible Al (R7) and Tbilisi (R9)
Nowra (Mon) - Emshalky (R6)TRIAL WATCH HORSES - January 11/12/14
Gold Coast (Sat) - Altair (R1), Kaepernick (R5), Invincible Star (R5), Czarson (R8) and Arbeitsam (R9)
Kaepernick (Canterbury 20 December) - First outing since his second at Flemington on November 8 and it was typical of his racing style that he settled at the rear before peeling to the outside on straightening where he quickly built momentum to sweep past his rivals with his trademark turn of foot in the quickest of the 900m heats (54.61; 34.47). They pick and choose his races but there is certain to be a suitable summer sprint for him in coming weeks.
Czarson (Warwick Farm 27 December) - Locked horns with his highly vaunted unbeaten stablemate UNITE AND CONQUER and clearly took the honours with an impressive last 400m, driving to the line strongly to win in the fastest of all the 807m heats (46.20; 32.90). His stablemate led easily sitting four off the fence but it was the last 150m from this youngster that really impressed as he easily made up the leeway and went through the line in fine style. Both youngsters head to the Magic Millions Classic with this trial indicating there is very little between the pair.
Randwick (Sat) - Hand From Above (R3), Marsupial (R5) and Eagle Bay (R8)
Kembla Grange (Sat) - Kylease (R3), Smart Decision (R5) and Uralla Kingdom (R5)
Kylease (Warwick Farm 27 December) - We noted the trial win by this unraced Choisir filly at Warwick Farm on December 18 and this effort confirmed that she has gone ahead in the right manner as she heads towards what should be a worthy race debut. She pulled her way to an easy lead after 150m in her 807m heat and from there travelled well within herself sitting four and five off the rail to win untouched by a good margin in excellent sectional time for the session (46.90; 32.60). Nice filly.
Nowra (Mon) - She’s Sureel (R4) and Jenaya (R8)
Chris’ final observations and full audio preview of all Sydney races will be available after 9.30am Saturday on the R&S website and tweeted by @ScholtzRacing.
