Stamina appears capable of turning the tables on favourite Arabian Gold when the pair do battle again in the Win More With BOBS Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Arabian Gold currently holds favouritism after her latest success at Canterbury where she held off a late challenge and a protest from main danger here in Stamina.
As Arabian Gold enjoyed all of the favours box seating, Stamina settled worse than midfield and was hampered approximately 500m from home when starting to make his move.
Getting within a half length of the winner was impressive under the circumstances and for that narrow defeat, meets Arabian Gold 1kg better off at the weights.
Stamina looks right up to turning the tables on his more fancied rival here.
The pair sit well clear on weight adjusted ratings and are up against rivals who largely have yet to shed their maiden tags.
Of the duo, it is Stamina who arguably brings more upside into the contest and at better odds than Arabian Gold, looks the way to go in the Win More With BOBS Handicap (1600m).
Expect the Peter Moody-trained son of Sebring to get a cosy run throughout from barrier 3 and go one better than his latest.
Total Attraction in the Jmr Creative Design Benchmark 84 Handicap (1200m) is capable of firing fresh for her new stable.
Now under the care of David Vandyke, the Nadeem mare has trialled twice in encouraging fashion prior to resuming, the latest at this track and trip on July 19.
The four-year-old ran on well and making the trial all the more encouraging is Nash Rawiller sticking first up.
Total Attraction has won first up previously and anything with this jockey/trainer combination warrants plenty of respect.
The Segenhoe Stud-raced mare has shown herself to be of stakes level standard in the past having claimed a pair of Group 2 placings.
While her last campaign for Peter Moody was underwhelming, David Vandyke does have the knack of sparking new stable additions immediately into form.
She is quite a tractable mare, capable of sitting up near the pace or worse than midfield and from barrier five she certainly has options.
Rawiller will likely have Total Attraction positioned in the first quintet before allowing the mare to show her class.
Total Attraction has certainly found herself in a winnable first up contest and the each way odds are appealing.
Mount Nebo was the ‘Lay Of The Day’ during last weekend’s edition of Sydney Specials and whilst there were nervous moments for those following, he did get edged out on the line as favourite at Rosehill.
Currently favourite in the www.ypr.com.au Benchmark 79 3YO Handicap (1200m), he is worth taking on again here.
The Allan Denham-trained gelding heads to Randwick now where queries still surround his ability over six furlongs despite coming so close in his latest outing.
It is an open sort of race as well with the likes of Knoydart, Another Lovechild, Turnley, Rastro and the resuming Windswept all possessing the Time figures required to claim the event.
SYDNEY SPECIALS:
BANKER: R2 #4 STAMINA @ $3.80
PLAY OF THE DAY: R5 #5 TOTAL ATTRACTION @ $4.40
LAY OF THE DAY: R4 #2 MOUNT NEBO @ $3.40
