Empress Milly will appreciate the drop back in grade when she lines up in the Clipsal-Schneider Benchmark 65 handicap (1400m) at Wyong today.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The five-year-old mare has not won a race in 225 days but comes into this on the back of some handy form of late in tougher company.
The Paul Perry-trained runner was only beaten 3.3L at big odds in the listed Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle two back before running a narrow fifth behind the impressive Catkins at Canterbury last time out.
Up in the weights Empress Milly will receive a 2kg claim by apprentice jockey Jenny Duggan and she is well on top on weight adjusted Timeform ratings.
She is likely to take up a prominent position from barrier 11 and although she does her best racing over a shorter distance she should have the measure of this field.
The daughter of Stratum is rarely far away and this has been her easiest task in well over a year.
With the consistent En For Nellie scratched the biggest danger appears to be I’m In the Money from the Jeff Englebrecht stable who has been racing well of late.
She put in two good performances in the country before stepping up to he provincials and running a 3.4L fifth behind En For Nellie at this course.
Hugh Bowman goes on board and from barrier 3 she is likely to get a very good run on the pace.
Gibraltar’s Gem also rates a mention here after breaking through for a maiden win at Hawkesbury last start. She finds herself in tougher company here but looks to have some ability and can go on with it.
Jim Cassidy stays on board and a repeat of last starts effort will see her competitive once again.
Sastruga also looks to have some sort of claims in this, resuming from a spell to run third at Hawkesbury last start. She has not won in a long time but has credible form in this sort of company and has the ability to make her presence felt.
The lightly raced Express Power is the best of the rest, following up a win on debut with a last start second placing at Scone. She is likely to improve again and from barrier 2 will get the gun run.
Hard to go past Empress Milly here back in grade and with the 2kg claim she is not giving away much weight and she should prove too good here.
