Interstate Racing Round Up: Saturday 21/5/16

May 20, 2016
8 min read

Picture: Anthony Johnson

Fresh off tipping the winner of the BTC Cup last week at $11, we are back and excited for another week of racing from around the country. The biggest meeting interstate comes from Doomben, with the running of the $650k Doomben Cup at Group 1 level and is supported by a very strong card. As well as that, there are two even but good meetings from Flemington and Rosehill.

Doomben

The track is rated a Good (4) at the time of writing and should remain that way. The rail is out +2m the entire circuit.

Race 5 1350m Darley BRC Sprint Handicap - Group 3 $125k

No age restriction. No class restriction. No sex restriction. Quality.

Charmed Harmony will assume his normal role and head forward with Coolring and Religify likely to be trailing him closely. There should be genuine speed but I doubt they will go too hard.

I have been waiting for Artlee to get to this trip all preparation. 1st up he was a moral beaten and then ran a cracking race in the Victory Stakes, closing hard from the tail of the field to run 3rd beaten 1.2L by Fell Swoop. Last start in the BTC Cup he was down on the fence all the way after missing the start and hit the line nicely with limited room late, running 7th beaten 2.2L. Out to a trip he loves (6:4-0-0), 4th up, with barrier 3 and back from WFA he is perfectly placed to win.

Charmed Harmony would be a fantastic horse to own. He just keeps on running well and tries his guts out every time he goes around. From barrier 11 here he will roll to the front and if he gets his own way he will be very hard to get past. Just two starts back he was only beaten a lip by Black Heart Bart and that horse is the favourite in the Group 1 Goodwood in Adelaide!

Advice: Everything is in Artlee's favour here. If he is going to win just one race this preparation this looks to be the one. If they crawl or the track favours on pacers then Charmed Harmony comes right in to the race. $17 is silly overs!

Race 7 2000m Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup - Group 1 $650k

No age restriction. No class restriction. No sex restriction. Standard Weight for Age.

Speed from the Hawkes pair Leebaz and Messene. It's Somewhat and Noble Protector should race handy also.

Volkstok'n'barrell gets his chance to add another Group 1 to his resumé here. He was poor during the Spring in Melbourne but went back to New Zealand in the Autumn and recaptured something close to his best form. His run in the Doncaster was below par but the rider said he didn't handle the going so I'm willing to forgive him there. He was good in the Hollindale and barrier 5 - B. Shinn help his cause in this. His record at 2000m is fantastic, with two of his three Group 1 wins at this trip.

Hauraki loomed up to win last start before getting tired late and running 2nd beaten a length to Leebaz in the Hollindale. He was a month between runs there and gets back out to 2000m where he is well performed. He was good in the Ranvet in the Autumn over this trip when beaten 0.8L to The United States. He has plenty of knockers at the moment, with many punters claiming he doesn't like a fight at the end of his races. They've put the blinkers on today to hopefully rectify that, and if they work he's hard to beat.

It's Somewhat was good last time out in the Hollindale. Leebaz won that race so much be considered again here. Noble Protector is getting back to something like the form that saw her well hyped last year. Her last 2000m run was a 2nd to Contributer which reads well for this.

Advice: This is a pretty poor Group 1 event and as such I'm happy to be siding with the horse that is best performed in Group 1 races, that being Volkstok'n'barrell. He gets every chance here. If the blinkers make Hauraki more genuine at the end of his races then he is clearly the biggest danger.

Flemington

The track was rated a Good (4) at the time of writing and should stay that way with fine and sunny conditions forecast. The rail is out +3m the entire course.

Race 1 Pat Hyland Plate

Two-Years-Old. No class restriction. No sex restriction. Set Weights plus Penalties.

Speed can be tricky to work out in these 2 year old races but it looks like Mysyko should go forward with Cliff Hanger and perhaps Jaws Of Steel/Sebring Dream?

I can't understand the price of Exilia Miss in this event. She was very good winning 1st up when back and wide and was strong through the line. Following that she went to Adelaide in the Queen Of Adelaide Stakes over 1050m and just started to run in to the race when Stephen Baster ran up backsides and she collided with the inside rail and wasn't asked to do anymore. I genuinely believe she was a winning contender when that occurred and am completely forgiving that run. Parnham on is a positive and she is definitely overs here.

Jaws Of Steel was a good winner over 1500m at Mornington before going to Sydney for the Champagne Stakes. He was going well in that event before copping a pretty big check at about the 250m. Forgive that run and go on the win prior which puts him right in this.

Sebring Dream was good on debut and can improve further here. Montoya's Secret is a chance also. Beach Life closed nicely at his first start and should improve off of that here.

Advice: Back Exilia Miss each way, $26 is the wrong price! Jaws Of Steel looks the biggest danger in my opinion.

Race 7 3200m Andrew Ramsden Stakes - Listed $200k

No age restriction. No class restriction. No sex restriction. Handicap.

Cafe Society should head towards the top with the Williams pair My Bantry Bay and High Church. Space and Glorious Sinndar are capable of being handy too.

De Little Engine was very good 3rd up when running on soundly behind Lucky Lucky Lucky over 2800m. He has won his two most recent 4th up runs and the step up in trip should work in his favour. His only 3200m was a 4.4L 6th in the Sandown Cup and he should get a cosy run from barrier 5.

Lucky Lucky Lucky was a good winner last time out after a solid effort in the Mornington Cup. He's drawn well to get the right run again. Meets De Little Engine 3kg worse at the weights for beating him.

Swacadelic is flying. After a strong win in the Anzac Cup he ran on soundly in the Warrnambool Cup on a very wet track. 60kgs is a slight concern in this event.

The Bandit and Glorious Sinndar looks the two best lightweight hopes.

Advice: This looks a great race for De Little Engine. With enough speed on up front and a good draw he will get the right run to be there at the end. The lightweight chances The Bandit and Glorious Sinndar must be respected.

Race 8 Hilton Nicholas Straight Six - Listed $120k

No age restriction. No class restriction. No sex restriction. Handicap.

Speed looks plentiful and should come from Bullpit, Mirage, Rain Affair, Heart Testa and Exclusive Lass. Keep an eye on how the track is playing as to whether an inside or outside draw would potentially be more beneficial.

Demonstrate has had limited luck at his three runs this preparation but has been super in all of them. He's chased home Palentino/Mahuta/Rageese in recent times and if he drew a barrier last start he would've won in my opinion. He's proving costly to follow (15 starts, 2 wins) and this is a tough race but he gets his chance today with 54kg.

I've got Durendal as his biggest danger. He had a superb preparation last time in, culminating in a win in the Standish at this track and trip at Group 3 level. 59kg over 1200m 1st up is a tough ask, but he's good enough.

My Poppette is class. She's a Group 2 winner and was super fresh with 60kg from barrier 13. Back down on the minimum here and with an outside draw she's a danger.

Advice: Although it's becoming frustrating to follow him this looks a nice race for Demonstrate. Watch the market moves surrounding My Poppette. When that stable bet they often win.

Randwick

The track was rated a Good (3) at the time of writing and should remain that way. The rail is out +6m the entire course.

Race 3 Merman And Sydeston Handicap

Three-Years-Old. BenchMark 78. No sex restriction. Handicap.

Speed from For Me Dad, Noble Joey and Bitburg. King's Troop and Surfin' Safari should be handy also. There looks to be plenty of speed in this.

Spieth appears a class above here, even though his only wins to date are a Pakenham Maiden and a Class 1 at Kembla Grange. He was dominant last start, carrying 61kg and walking in, winning by 5L. He was only beaten 1.6L in a Caulfied Guineas Prelude and that should stack up here. The likely hot pace in this small field suits his racing pattern. Note he is emergency for a Stakes race in Brisbane. If he is here, he wins.

King's Troop is down in grade and looks the next best.

Advice: Back Spieth!

Race 5 Pat Hyland Handicap

Three-Years-Old. BenchMark 75. No sex restriction. Handicap.

Dreamforce is the likely leader with High Spirit and Metallic Crown handy also.

Tsaritsa really impressed me when winning 1st up on a Soft track at Canterbury over 1250m with 59.5kg. She won well over 1400m last prep so the step up in trip here suits. She draws ideally in 3 and gets in with 56.5kg for Rory Hutchings. Top chance.

Dreamforce is bred in the purple and won his Maiden in decent style last time out. He must be respected again.

Advice: Tsaritsa was huge first up. A repeat of that performance wins this. Watch the market around Dreamforce.

Race 9 Joe Brown MBE Handicap

Three-Years-Old and Upwards. BenchMark 82. No sex restriction. Handicap.

Caped Crusader should go forward with Mohave from the inside. Suspense and She's Miss Devine can race handy too.

She's Miss Devine was a total forget run at Caulfield when on the wrong leg from the 800m and never asked for an effort. Prior to that she was good in beating the flying French Emotion despite appearing to be uncomfortable on the anti-clockwise track. Back clockwise she trialled super impressively and looks very hard to beat in this from the good draw with Hutchings' claim.

Sebring Sun had some good form as a 2 year old and has a 3rd to Exosphere on his resume. Most of his failures have been on wet tracks so the prospect of a Good track here is in his favour. His two trials leading in to this have been good.

Better Not Blue has run well behind Danish Twist at her last two but draws wide here. Caped Crusader was good 1st up but staying at 1200m doesn't suit. Suspense is the other that is a chance back to 1200m.

Advice: She's Miss Devine looks the winner on paper if you're willing to look past her last run. Sebring Sun is quality. Watch the market there.

Our Bets

Doomben

Race 5 - Artlee - 2 unit win @ $2.80

Race 7 - Volkstock'n'barrell - 1 unit win @ $6.00

Flemington

Race 1 - Exilia Miss - 0.5 units each way @ $26/$6

Race 7 - De Little Engine - 1 unit win @ $4.40

Race 8 - Demonstrate - 1 unit win @ $3.20

Rosehill

Race 3 - Spieth - 3 unit win @ $2.80

Race 5 - Tsaritsa - 2 unit win @ $2.50