Chris Scholtz - Early Thoughts
R&S Contributing Editor Chris Scholtz takes a look at tomorrow’s Sydney racing.
SELECTIONS
Talented import showed strong improvement second up when he drove home for second to Hiyaam over 2000m at Randwick on March 9.
He has won third up in the past and should be well suited getting out to 2400m under his light weight under the prevailing conditions, having recorded a strong win over 2800m in heavy going when he made his Australian debut at Flemington in November.
Big opportunity for this talented sprinter to improve on his third in this event last year and register a Group 1 win in a race that favours lightweights.
Showed he was up for it with an excellent first-up fourth at weight-for-age in the Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick where he closed off in the fastest sectionals to finish only a neck from Ball Of Muscle and Redzel.
Tumbles to 52kg under these favourable handicap conditions and that surely gives him the opportunity to get home over the top of them in what is certain to be a high pressure race from the jump.
Genuine mare is well placed to go to a new peak returning to her own sex after a nice build up to this 1900m event in good form races.
She was best of the beaten horses when getting home strongly for fourth in the Canberra Cup (2000m) when having just her third start of current prep and confidently expect she will have taken benefit from the run over that trip. Will be favoured by these conditions as she is at her best on affected surfaces.
BLACKBOOK UPDATE from 16 March (Horses to follow at their next three starts)
Autocratic - Nice type. Will keep improving.
Probabeel - Classy Kiwi. She will eat up longer trips.Mastering - Really needs 1400m.
McCreery - Working nicely towards a suitable handicap.Ready Set Sail - Big filly with a bright future.
Jumbo Ozaki - Ran into a traffic jam. Stay with him.Recent Blackbook winners - Multaja; All Pluck; Widgee Turf; Pohutukawa; Tumbler; Star Missile; Mishani Vaidra; Renewal; Sikandarabad.
ELIGIBLE BLACKBOOK RUNNERS for 23 March
Rosehill (Sat) - Resin (R1), Dealmaker (R4), Purple Sector (R4), Land Of Plenty (R5), Rome (R7) and Viridine (R8)
Mornington (Sat) - Battlecamp (R1) and Stars Of Carrum (R7)Eagle Farm (Sat) - Macewen (R4), Deconstructed (R7), High Mist (R7), Veladero (R8) and Spin (R9)
Morphettville (Sat) - Aristrocratic Miss (R2)TRIAL WATCH HORSES - 23/25 March
Rosehill (Sat) - Into The Abyss (R1), Gem Song (R2), Military Zone (R2), Lyre (R7), Free Of Debt (R7), Loving Gaby (R7) and Nature Strip (R8)
Lyre (Randwick 14 March) - The Blue Diamond winner was impressive winning her heat over 1050m in 1.05.9 (36.20), adapting comfortably to the affected track and clockwise direction first time. She was always covering ground three wide but travelled strongly on the bit and her class was obvious when she responded to a squeeze in the last 200m to forge clear and win the heat by a soft two lengths.
Loving Gaby (Randwick 14 March) - Equally if not more impressive than Lyre to the eye was this strong Melbourne in her first Sydney gallop in a shorter 735m heat. She posted the quickest time of the five 2YO heats over the distance (44.40) as she cruised easily on the outside of leader before surging away for a comfortable 2.3 lengths win. She obviously has the talent to match her size.
Free Of Debt (Randwick 14 March) - Adelaide colt had no issues with the clockwise direction but recorded a slightly slower time than Loving Gaby (44.64) winning his 735m heat. He did it the hard way having to sit five wide from the start but was still dominant at the finish as he extended strongly to score by a widening 3.3 lengths. He’s a free striding colt with plenty of strength.
Nature Strip (Randwick 14 March) - Just too fast for his rivals in his first Sydney trial, running the quickest time (44.23) of all the 735m heats after James McDonald tried his best to get him to settle off the leaders in the first 400m. He was too keen with a high head carriage but was more comfortable over the last 300m when McDonald gave him rein and allowed to run at his own speed, raising the question why they want to harness his natural speed. He was coasting at the finish to score by 2.5 lengths.
Canberra (Sat) - Luminiscent (R1)
Muswellbrook (Sun) - The Lifeline (R4)
Goulburn - Think It Over (R5)
Recent Trial Watch winners - Trumbull; Traumatised; Easy Eddie; Tell Me; Fasika; Evening Slippers; Green Aeon; Chabreet; Pin Sec; Yes Yes Yes; Ball Of Muscle; Trapeze Artist.
Chris’ final observations and full audio preview of all Sydney races will be available after 9.30am Saturday on the R&S website and tweeted by @ScholtzRacing.
