February continues to shine this Wednesday with bumper mid-week meetings at both Warwick Farm and Sandown. With autumn in the air, and Group 1 racing on our doorstep, find out who our experts are expecting to announce themselves!
Warwick Farm Race 4
#4 Tycoon Jenny
Tycoon Jenny looks the good thing of the day on a tricky program. The Written Tycoon mare makes her debut for the Gai Waterhouse camp, and she has trialled incredibly well, leading into this first-up assignment. The 2kg apprentice claim is advantageous, and she looks dangerous jumping from barrier four. She is ready to fire fresh, and the flood of early money indicates a bold performance. Hard to toss!
Euros is too consistent to pot. The Capitalist mare continues to improve in her races, and she should be rock-hard fit at this campaign stage. The drop back to 1100m could prove a training masterstroke, and with a clean start, I expect her to pilot the field. Her recent winning record is the primary concern.
Vinolass is the intriguing runner of the field. The unbeaten Supido mare has been dominant on the country and provincial scenes, and she deserves her shot at this level in town on Wednesday. On times and margins, the enigmatic four-year-old will be competitive, and if her more fancied rivals leave the kettle on during the race’s early stages, she can take advantage late. This is her acid test!
Suggested Bet: Tycoon Jenny @ $3.10
Warwick Farm RACE 5
#10 About A Girl
About A Girl makes her Australian debut on Wednesday for the almighty Chris Waller stable. The Almanzor filly was successful at her only career start overseas, and her recent barrier trials at Rosehill and Warwick Farm turned heads. The 1400m looks like an ideal starting point for the preparation, and the talented three-year-old should get the perfect run in transit from the enviable barrier. The James McDonald factor will attract further market support, and she looks to have a big autumn campaign ahead of her.
Soldier Of Rome will start favourite after a brave on-speed first-up performance. The Snitzel colt never shirked the task and was only grabbed in the final stride. He will roll forward from barrier four, and if he is left to his own devices, he could lead his rivals a merry dance. The step out to 1400m is the primary concern.
Battlefield is over the odds. The Deep Field gelding doesn’t know how to run a bad race, and he looks well placed in this company. Racing on the quick back-up is a positive, and I suspect he will have the fitness edge on the majority of his rivals. With even luck in transit, he will be thereabouts again.
Suggested Bet: About A Girl @ $4.00
Sandown Race 5
#1 Bold Manner
Bold Manner displayed resilience and determination when winning last-start at the track at the distance. The Pins mare has been excellent this preparation, and the Benchmark 70 grade shouldn’t hold any fears for the tough six-year-old. From the middle alley, she will jump on the bunny, and if she can control the clock throughout, she can win again. The grandstand allocated weight is the primary concern.
Fiasco Tess flies fresh. The Sebring mare has been specked at a price in early betting, and I suspect the addition of Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra will attract further market support. The 1400m is in her wheelhouse, and she can threaten if she doesn’t get too far out of her ground during the early stages of the races. Her racing pattern and style will always require an element of luck.
Versilia is ready to peak. Both runs of this preparation have been full of merit, and the seven-furlong trip looks perfect at this stage of her spell. The Snitzel mare oozes class, and I suspect her best performance could be fences and panels above her rivals. She tends to find one better on the day.
Suggested Bet: Bold Manner @ $6.00
Sandown Race 6
#8 Eloped
Eloped is ready for the 2100m. The Fiorente mare looks ominous on the quick back-up, and her last-start victory was tough and gritty. From barrier one, she will drift back and find her hooves, and if Craig Williams presents her with the right run on straightening, I expect her to figure in the finish. Watch for the big girl late!
Charisse looked a good thing licked last start. The Churchill mare was blocked for a run at a crucial stage, and the result was argued and ultimately decided in the stewards room. The longer trip is advantageous, and she gets her shot at redemption against a similar field. The lightly-raced four-year-old is racing consistently, and Wednesday’s event could be a launching pad into some better races during the autumn. She needs to put another win on the board.
Entitled Princess will be suited to the shorter trip. The Tavistock is a model of consistency, and she hasn’t missed a top four spot since Donald Trump was in office. From barrier three, she can camp on the leaders’ back, and if she sees daylight before the final furlong, she can make her presence felt late. The stable may be going back to the well one too many times.
Suggested Bet: Eloped @ $9.00
