Rightio, the action officially shifts to Brisbane this weekend with the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) highlighting an excellent day’s racing.
Queensland’s best sprinter Buffering is chasing a maiden home-state Group 1 win to go with the three he collected over the spring, and he won’t get a better chance to tick that niggling item off the bucket list.
He only has seven to beat home to be winning this, and it’s a distinctly easier race than he’s been in for most of his career.
He’s had four weeks to recover from his third placing in the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) behind Lankan Rupee.
That was on a bog track and Buffering ran a huge race, tracking Lankan Rupee the entire journey and sticking on well for an 11th Group 1 minor placing.
It was a big improvement on his first-up seventh in the Challenge Stakes (1000m), and he should be close to his peak now back in his home state.
If he’s anywhere near his best, he’ll simply prove too good for these.
I’d expect him to go straight to the front from gate three.
After the scratching of Snitzerland this morning, the Boom brothers look the two most likely to spring an upset.
Temple Of Boom won the Victory Stakes two weeks ago in a slashing return to form while the ultra-consistent Spirit Of Boom, also eyeing a home-state Group 1, flew home to narrowly miss behind his stablemate in that race.
In any event, they all look to be battling it out for the minors on Saturday. Buffering is a level above these.
One of the earlier features on the card is the Mick Dittman Plate (1110m) for the three-year-olds, and this looms as another foregone conclusion with Paul Messara’s Havana rating well clear of these.
The son of Starcraft finished sixth in the Royal Sovereign Stakes three weeks back beaten 3.7L by Sidestep, and that looks a superior formline heading into this.
Dothraki was beaten 3.5L in the Royal Sovereign, before coming out and winning the Gold Coast Guineas last weekend.
He beat home a handy share of three-year-olds and I’m expecting Havana to do the same here making the $2.80 looks well over the odds.
Agitate looks the biggest danger having collected a pair of second placings in his last couple since winning a race here back in February, but this is a much tougher test of his talents.
Le Val is the other interesting runner, resuming almost a year after his failure in the Sires’ Produce here where he picked up an injury.
He won the Ken Russell Memorial pretty easily as a two-year-old but there has to be a query on his fitness today.
Havana should simply be too good.
Let’s fast forward to the Bribie Handicap, the last and most intriguing race on the card.
It pains me to say it, but we’re going to take on bush warrior Our Boy Malachi who has won 11 of 12 career starts.
He stepped up impressively two weeks back at Eagle Farm winning over 1000m – his first test in town – but this is a much sterner examination of his ability.
He’s currently $3.20 favourite to win a red-hot sprint, and I couldn’t possibly have him at that price.
Standing in his way is the battle-hardened Excellantes, coming off a career-best showing in the Hinkler Quality which yielded his ninth career win.
And potentially posing an even bigger problem is the resuming Cape Kidnappers, one of the quickest and still largely untapped horses north of the Tweed.
He’s had injury troubles throughout his career but has still managed seven wins from 10 career starts.
He won a trial leading into this, has won three of four at the track, and four of five fresh.
The six-year-old also boasts and excellent record on wet tracks.
Toss in Seeking More, who beat home Excellantes at his last start, and the wildcard Saluter and this looks a very challenging assignment for Our Boy Malachi.
BANKER: Race 7 No 1 Buffering @ $2.25
BET OF THE DAY: Race 3 No 6 Havana @ $2.80
LAY OF THE DAY: Race 8 No 5 Our Boy Malachi @ $3.20
