It’s time for a midweek fill with an exciting set of cards upon us for racing on Wednesday with the main event being the Group 3 Launceston Cup.
We also set our sights on the eight-race meeting at Sandown Hillside and the seven-race card from Gosford.
Previews and best bets below.
gosford race 1
#4 russian standard
A two-year-old colt by Golden Slipper winning sire Capitalist, Russian Standard looks like he possesses good ability to make it a winning debut.
His two trial wins at Randwick over 735 metres and 742 metres have both been professional.
He has jumped, shown nice gate speed and early pace, settled in the lead and responded to light riding in both trials.
Having drawn barrier nine, he should be able to push across and lead this field up. The track configuration also helps his cause with the tight turning Gosford circuit and its short 262 metre straight usually favouring on-pace runners.
The Mark Newnham stable is having a massive run of form at the moment as well.
February has produced 27 runners for nine winners at a ROI of 99%.
Suggested Bet: Russian Standard win at $4.4
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 2, 4, 8/ 2, 4, 8, 12/ 2, 4, 8, 12
Gosford Race 4
#4 Castel Sant’Angelo
Castel Sant’Angelo has been building towards a big run this preparation.
This Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained stayer has slowly but surely improved with each run in his campaign.
He was well beaten first-up in an unsuitable race where he was out the back of the field and hacking away to finish ninth out of 10 runners over the mile.
Despite what looked like a poor run first it was his second-up run that has us excited for this race.
A step up in distance to 2200m and racing outside the lead really sparked him up.
That race did have a bit of early speed in it and he did a great job to hang on and run third to the favourite for this race, La Grisa.
He rises again in distance to 2600m, gets a race that lacks any early pace which should allow him to get control of the lead and gets a track that will favour his racing style.
Suggested Bet: Castel Sant’Angelo each way at $6 the win and $1.95 the place
Suggested Exotic: Quinella – 2 & 4
GOSFORD RACE 6
#7 CHAMPAGNE VEGA
Having strung two wins together, albeit in Canberra, Champagne Vega looks extremely well placed to make it three wins in a row here.
Joseph Ible may not be one of the big name trainers in the Sydney ranks but he places his horses intelligently.
Hugh Bowman hops in the saddle for this ride which is a big jockey change and having drawn barrier one, he can settle handy to speed and take the shortcuts along the rails.
The five-year-old gelding also gets a three kilo weight relief from his last start win and he should be able to settle much closer to the speed than last start.
Flexible, who is the even-money favourite, looks to map in the rear half of the field but is clearly the main danger.
Champagne Vega looks a great each-way bet in this event.
Suggested Bet: Champagne Vega each at $7 the win and $2.2 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 7, 8/ 4, 7, 8/ 4, 5, 7, 8
sandown HILLSIDE RACE 5
#8 GRABLE
Jamie Edwards brings his three-year-old filly Grable to town following an impressive debut victory at Warrnambool just over a fortnight ago.
Jockey Dean Yendall took the ride on the occasion and he sticks with her here, as the pair look to get a favourable map.
Grable led all the way in her one-and-a-half length triumph over 1200m first-up with a big gap back to third and even wider margins to the rest of the field.
With the rail out 12m, she should be able to give a good kick into the straight and hopefully hold on from the fast finishers out wider on the course.
The step up to 1500m should be of no concern especially if she controls the front and Yendall can dictate the pace.
Suggested Bet: Grable each-way at $8.50 the win and $2.8 the place
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 8, 12/ 8, 10, 12/ 5, 6, 8, 10, 12
Launceston Race 8
#5 BARADE
He was well beaten in the Hobart Cup by Double You Tee last start but Barade looks set to turn the tables in the Launceston Cup.
The Archie Alexander-trained six-year-old gelding had his fair share of excuses at this 25th career start where he got way too far back and rattled home to finish third – just under two lengths away from Double You Tee.
The gap between runs also seemed to take its toll late as he was asked to make a sustained sweeping run around the field from the 700m mark off a 36-day freshen up.
After meeting Double You Tee half a kilo better last start, he now meets him 4.5 kilos better off at the weight and that might just prove the difference here.
Suggested Bet: Barade win at $4
