Well we barely scraped a pass mark last weekend.
Kurtley let us down but Floral Insight snuck into the minors and the lay Tambo’s Jewel was well beaten.
It’s a pretty good Easter Saturday program at Eagle Farm this weekend with plenty of value around as is often the case when they roll out the big fields up here.
Gerald Ryan brings Angel Of Mercy up the highway for the Winning Edge Members’ Quality (1600m) and she should simply prove too classy for this lot.
This five-year-old mare spent the spring in Western Australia and returned to Ryan’s yard after running fourth resuming in the Listed Bunbury Stakes last month.
She relished being back in Sydney on Golden Slipper day finishing within two lengths of Catkins in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes on a wet ground and that form should prove superior here.
Interestingly that was the first time she’d placed on a heavy track. She generally does her best work on a firmer surface which she should find up here today.
She’s unbeaten over the mile and can get the job done up here today.
Lady Echelon and Grey Assignment are classy gallopers in this class of the world and should be battling it out for the minors while Kiss Me Deadly is in red-hot form, but it’s hard to imagine that trio will trouble Angel Of Mercy.
Fast forward to race five, and the always-classy Whiskey Allround resumes at a juicy price in the open three-year-old sprint over 1000m.
The Tony Gollan gelding is currently quoted around the $8.50 mark but his best form would have him winning this race.
I’ll preface all of this by saying he hasn’t won in 546 days which is clearly a major concern.
But in fairness, most of the races he’s run in since his two-year-old days have been a fraction above his level.
There was a trip to Melbourne over the spring which preceded his narrow second to Enquare in a similar race to Doomben last campaign.
Enquare went on to win a Listed race after that start before claiming the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate.
Whiskey Allround has won three of four over this trip and usually fires fresh.
Agitate looks the one to beat after a solid win resuming and a narrow second placing at Doomben last start.
He’s been freshened up and his recent trial win suggests he’s ready to go.
Snitzel’s Jewel finds a nice race today while Good Job Bro could measure up without surprising, but at $8.50 I’m prepared to have something on Whiskey Allround to see if he can snap that winless run.
Now, I’m going to throw them on the line a little here suggesting Love Rocks might be a tad underdone resuming in the Winning Edge Hinkler Quality (1200m).
He was scratched last weekend over 1110m and saved for this which was probably wise because he’s better off over this journey.
But he is winless in two first-up starts and runs into a pretty fit looking Excellantes who wasn’t too far off at Doomben last weekend.
He links back up with Damien Browne for this who has won six of nine aboard the star sprinter.
Vintage Moss can also pose a threat resuming while Benny’s Buttons rates well on his last-start win and Mishani Warrior has won a couple in a row.
I’m tempted to let Love Rocks just go around today, but I expect he’ll be winning more races later this campaign.
BANKER: Race 3 No 3 Angel Of Mercy @ $1.80
BET OF THE DAY: Race 5 No 1 Whiskey Allround @ $8.50
LAY OF THE DAY: Race 7 No 5 Love Rocks @ $4.40
