Timeform Preview - Danish Lace To Fire Fresh

Speedy mare Danish Lace looks well placed to make a winning return when she lines up at Dubbo on Monday.

Trained on the track by Peter Nestor, Danish Lace races well fresh with a win and placing from two previous attempts and can continue that form in the tab.com.au Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1100 metres.

Danish Lace showed super consistent form last campaign, highlighted by a 0.7L third in a Highway Handicap at Rosehill and a close up second at Mudgee to the good country galloper Pera Pera.

The 1100 metre journey is Danish Lace’s best, with both of her career wins coming at the trip.

In fact she has missed a place only once in six tries at the journey and she is certainly comfortable on her home track with a win and a placing from two starts.

Danish Lace’s rating has earned her a 61kg impost but that is offset be Crystal Conning’s 4kg claim and the apprentice should be able to use the five-year-old’s good gate speed to cross form gate 10 and find a position close to the lead.

Danish Lace’s best Timeform figures of last campaign are clear of anything her rivals have been producing in recent runs and she only needs to run to those numbers to be heard to beat.

Her biggest hurdle could be the wet track as all but one of Danish Lace’s runs have been on firm going - her lone try on the soft producing a rare unplaced finish though that was in city company.

At first glance at the form of Grass Cutter could see him quickly discounted but he does have plenty on his side today.

His recent runs have been in better grade including when he had a shot at the Country Championships Qualifier at this track and last time he was just nosed out in the Diggers Cup in open grade at Narromine.

He is also comfortable in wet going but it’s the distance of today’s race that will probably be his biggest hurdle as his recent form has been in the 1300-1400 metre range and he drops 200 metres today to a trip at which he is yet to place in three attempts.

Canny Winsome is another dropping in both grade and distance having also taken on a Country Championships Qualifier last time but he was a Quirindi winner before that.

Although lumped with the topweight and a potentially awkward draw he has won at 1100 metres and has a positive record on soft tracks.

The wet brings In Ernest into the race.

He has won three times on soft tracks and ran second at his only attempt on a heavy surface.

In Ernest has been consistent of late placing at his last four outings and has won at the track and distance in the past.