Tony Gollan mare Tear It Up grabbed a strong win in the Strathayr Handicap (1200m) at Toowoomba on New Year’s Eve and can go right on with it tomorrow at a juicy price in the Listed Nudgee Quality.
She bumps into a talented bunch of mares today but looks very nicely placed here under just 54.5kg and rates a strong winning hope at her $11 quote.
Before we continue, let me note that one of Tear It Up’s toughest opponents today is stablemate Miss Leibert who narrowly missed behind Driefontein on Magic Millions day two weeks back.
Bob El-Issa rode both horses last start, although Gollan has opted to put apprentice Priscilla Schmidt back in Miss Leibert’s saddle today despite her not being permitted to claim an allowance.
"Nothing against Bobby who rode Miss Leibert well at the Coast, but Priscilla would have ridden her there except she had to ride in Brisbane late that day," Gollan told AAP during the week.
"Priscilla is riding well, she does a lot of work for us and the horse goes extra well for her. I have no worries putting her on."
It means El-Issa remains aboard Tear It Up who finishing almost two lengths clear in winning that Strathayr Handicap 25 days ago.
We’ve rated that performance much higher than Miss Leibert’s behind Driefontein, so we’ll stick with her.
Sept De Coeurs and Divine City, both well in the market for this, also come through that Driefontein race.
Also well favoured for this is Little Brown Horse coming off a romp at Doomben last weekend in no-metro-win grade.
She’s been in excellent form this campaign and does like the wet, although she’ll find this race a fair way harder.
One more aside is that there’s been a bit of rain around Brisbane and it may well continue throughout the day tomorrow.
Tear It Up’s had one start in the rain for a 2.5L fifth placing in the Listed Travel Associates Classic back in November over this trip.
She looks to have improved since then and with her progressive profile looks a solid each-way play today at $11.
Now, earlier in the week I thought I’d found a moral in Plumage, lining up in the Bollinger Benchmark 75 Handicap (2200m).
I loved her win here 24 days ago over the same trip, where she hit the front 200m from home and was ridden right out to finish almost three lengths clear.
It was her first go over this trip and she absolutely relished it.
However since the heavens opened I couldn’t possibly be backing her at the $3.80 in this big field.
The last time she struck a wet track was three runs back on November 30, and she was beaten 15.5L, dropping out to last midway through and simply not handling the give in the ground.
There’s a few in this field that don’t seem to mind it wet - the progressive Walhaan, John Thompson’s Smiles For Layla and the consistent Analie’s Daughter to name three.
Leave Plumage alone today.
The banker comes in race six, the open three-year-old Bundaberg Distilling Company Handicap (1500m), where Robert Heathcote hopes Sea Red can take the next step towards a Queensland Oaks campaign later this year.
The daughter of Sebring looks blessed with untapped ability having won both races this campaign by almost 10 lengths combined.
This is a tougher assignment today but she’s out to more of a trip now and I’d expect her to be finishing the best of these once more.
Stick with her at the $2.50, but watch out for Secret Harmony to also be coming home with a strong finish particularly if the rains keep coming.
BANKER: Race 6 No 9 Sea Red @ $2.50
BET OF THE DAY: Race 7 No 8 Tear It Up @ $11
LAY OF THE DAY: Race 5 No 4 Plumage @ $3.80
