Selections and best bets from Chris Scholtz with Trial Watch and Blackbook Report for racing at Scone and Doomben on May 11.
SCONE May 11
RACE 2 (12) Bajan Gold (EW)
RACE 4 (5) Southern Lad (EW)
RACE 5: (3) Prophet’s Thumb (EW)
RACE 6: (11) Mahalangur
RACE 8: (2) Viridine
RACE 1: 1-2-3-7
RACE 2: 12-11-5-1
RACE 3: 1-6-5-9
RACE 4: 5-6-3-2
RACE 5: 3-8-14-9
RACE 6: 11-3-2-5
RACE 7: 11-3-14-5
RACE 8: 2-6-3-12
DOOMBEN May 11
RACE 2: (13) Magic Fox (EW)
RACE 6: (3) Strasbourg (EW)
RACE 9: (7) Our Libretto (EW)
RACE 1: 4-2-1-3
RACE 2: 13-4-2-7
RACE 3: 10-16-9-2
RACE 4: 12-3-4-1
RACE 5: 1-4-3-5
RACE 6: 3-1-6-4
RACE 7: 10-4-3-7
RACE 8: 1-2-13-7
RACE 9: 7-14-9-5
SCONE PARLAY
RACE 2 (12) BAJAN GOLD: These restricted distance races are never easy when two stables provide half the field (Waller/Lees) but in this case I am confident this has been a target race for this Waller import. A two-time winner in this distance range in the UK, it will be his fifth start in Australia and significantly with 55kg it will be the first time he has carried less than 56.5kg in any of his local races. Secondly he has been crying out for a spacious track like Scone as he has been clearly disadvantaged on the tighter tracks like Warwick Farm and Hawkesbury. It can all come together for him under these conditions.
RACE 6 (11) MAHALANGUR: Deserves a crack at this class and should test his higher weighted rivals off the back of his strong last start Benchmark win over 1400m at Randwick on April 20 when he was strongest over the last 200m. This could work out much the same as he is a foolproof type who can be relied on to jump and hold a forward position in a race devoid of testing early pace and that will make him hard to run down at the weights.
RACE 8 (2) VIRIDINE: Classy G1 placegetter has mixed his form in three starts since resuming but that can be put down to varying track conditions. Bounced back on a good surface last time when he was beaten less than length under 59kg in the G3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick and he can definitely make improvement off that effort.
TRIAL WATCH REPORT
NOTED TRIAL RUNNERS – May 11
SCONE: Cloud Spirit (R3); Egyptian Missile (R3); Pretty In Pink (R5); Prophet’s Thumb (R5); Sweet Ava (R5); Ready To Prophet (R5); Wonderbabe (R5); Snow Valley (R5); Deploy (R6); Resin (R6); Savatiano (R7); Con Te Partiri (R7); Organza (R7)
DOOMBEN: Strasbourg (R6); Nature Strip (R8); Easy Eddie (R8); White Moss (R8);
CAULFIELD: Firsthand (R8)
KEMBLA GRANGE: Black Sunrise (R2); Discombe (R2); River Bird (R3); Jacquine Reward (R4); Larson (R4); Minted (R4); Primal Scream (R4)
RECENT TRIAL WATCH WINNERS: England; Gododdin; California Zimbol; Constellations; Demerara; Life Less Ordinary; I’m A Legend; Intuition; Merlinite; Persepolis; Reloaded; Walk The Runway; Pelorus Jack; Human Nature; A Room Somewhere; Grey Lion; Top Striker; Trekking; Plague Stone.
BLACKBOOK REPORT
ELIGIBLE BLACKBOOK RUNNERS – May 11
SCONE: Wild Planet (R1); Raqeeq (R2); Pretty In Pink (R5); Resin (R6); In The Abyss (R7); Viridine (R8)
DOOMBEN: Mewstone Rock (R1); Viral (R4)
CAULFIELD: William Thomas (R2); Saccharo (R3);
MORPHETTVILLE: Chapada (R7)
RECENT BLACKBOOK WINNERS: Sasko; Autocratic; Life Less Ordinary; Abdon; Declarationofheart; Libertini; Graceful Storm; Pierata; Indian Thunder; Spin; Zoutori; Invincible Gem; Multaja; All Pluck; Widgee Turf.
