Well it was an interesting day at Eagle Farm last weekend, the highlight being the Boom brothers’ quinella in the Victory Stakes – albeit in the wrong order.
Temple Of Boom harassed Snitzerland throughout and looked to have set it up perfectly for Spirit Of Boom, but it was the rank outsider who stayed on to the end for a gutsy win.
It’s a very tough day tomorrow, and the rain that’s been around doesn’t make it any easier. The track was a Slow 7 on Friday morning, and apparently there isn’t too much more rain about so it might end up being a Dead track come race one tomorrow.
The key might be patience tomorrow – our first play doesn’t come until the P.M’s Cup (1300m) where Fillydelphia, who has been good to us in the past, comes up an $8 shot.
This looks a good race for her, particularly with the give in the ground.
She’s been very solid in her last three since winning the Sunshine Coast Cup over 1400m back in January.
That was the last time she was on a track like this, and she gets Damien Browne back in the saddle today which is a strong push.
She’s well drawn and drops to 57kg which is the lightest weight she’s carried for a long while now.
This is no walkover with several of these winning chances, but at $8 with conditions likely to suit she looks a very solid each-way play.
Dances On Stars should measure up after some good form in Sydney while Benny’s Buttons is never far off in this type of race.
Rollout The Carpet is the wildcard over from New Zealand but I’m happy to be with Fillydelphia.
The next race on the program is the feature, the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes, and I’m going to take on boom Chris Waller horse Junoob.
Don’t get me wrong – he can win this having prevailed in four of his last five, but the $2.50 is rock bottom against a relatively strong field.
He’s also well out of his comfort zone today and does come through a busy Sydney autumn.
Guy Walter mare Streama is capable of knocking off Junoob on her best form, and looks ready to run a solid race after a gutsy effort in the Queen Of The Turf behind Diamond Drille last start.
Junoob’s stablemate Moriarty also rates well for this, and should be thereabouts throughout.
Junoob looks far too short for mine in a tricky looking race.
That brings us to the last and I’m going with the resuming Enquare to place at $2 as a bit of a get-out-of-jail-if required play.
She resumed 112 days after her excellent third placing behind Sweet Idea in the Magic Millions Guineas where she was beaten less than two lengths.
She’s a super consistent filly and won her first three races last campaign including the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate.
She’s also unbeaten in two starts on a heavy track, and it’ll probably be cut up pretty severely by the time this race rolls around.
The wide barrier is the query but she has a class edge on most of these and should be thereabouts in the finish.
Banker: Race 8 No 10 Enquare to place @ $2
Play of the day: Race Race 6 No 3 Fillydelphia @ $8
Lay of the day: Race 7 No 6 Junoob @ $2.50
