Black Opal Stakes Race Day Preview by Neil Evans
A full field of 14 lock horns in the signature two-year-old Black Opal showdown, and an open field just got that little bit tougher with rain forecast on the day.
A Good 4 lead-up rating probably goes back to around a Soft 6 by jump time, with some heavy falls expected on Sunday, but the course is in great shape.
So too is the quality of this field, despite local regional runners not on show, and a few key runners also accepted to run in the Group 2 Todman at Randwick on Saturday.
The importance of the Black Opal - which could also easily qualify as a juvenile Group 2 - is underlined by almost the entire field from leading metropolitan-based stables.
Naturally, the pressure will come a long way from home, so who emerges on top?
Two runners take my fancy big time!
The first is the Super Seth colt Sanctified from the Gerald Ryan-Sterling Alexiou stable at Rosehill.
He dropped out when ridden too close behind early Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton, but ridden much quieter in the Inglis Millenium at Randwick, thundered home to finish just over a length from smart winner Rivellino who has since won again.
Yes he was huge odds that day, but the run augurs brilliantly for this.
The other top contender is Capitalist colt Steel Knight from the Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald yard at Warwick Farm.
A dominant winner here fresh a month back, he charged late to miss by under a length in the Black Opal Preview, and the extra furlong from a softer draw with a more senior rider on is a further boost.
Elsewhere, there's no doubting Godolphin colt Aleppo Pine is a big market watch, a month after he stuck on okay when leading in a Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield.
He's more effective when taking a sit, and he's well fitted to do that from a low draw, although keep in mind he may start at Randwick 24 hours earlier.
Black Opal Preview winner Farcited is one of only a few to even see rain-affected ground, although I question whether he will get a strong 1200m, and is also accepted for the Todman.
Both King Of Pop (accepted for the Todman), a debut winner at Warwick Farm and stablemate of Sanctified; and Tropic from the Chris Waller stable, are both genuine knock-out chances.
My BLACK OPAL Selections:
1. SANCTIFIED
2. Steel Knight
3. Aleppo Pine
4. Farcited
5. Tropic
*Meanwhile, another strong and very open Listed National Sprint over 1400m shapes up ideally for Wagga raider Cliff House despite stepping up significantly in class second-up.
The still lightly raced six-year-old made up a stack of late ground in a BM 86 Federal here over 1200m a fortnight ago, and his second-up record is outstanding.
Will naturally be forced well back from a wide barrier, but taken to the middle past the 500m, nothing will be surging home through the ground better.
Despite drawing wide, another six-year-old Berkshire Shadow is a big market watch returning for his first run since late November for the Ciaron Maher stable.
He was only beaten a bit over four lengths in the Group 1 Epsom last spring, and has an imposing 50 percent win rate first-up from six starts.
The other big each-way chance is six-year-old Wategos from the Bjorn Baker stable.
He failed to attack the line second-up at Rosehill, but came through the slower part of the track, and is much better placed here, drawn further out with a 3kg weight drop on his pet soft ground.
Must keep safe too consistent stablemate Highlights who is hard fit, and also at his best on soft.
My NATIONAL SPRINT Selections:
1. CLIFF HOUSE
2. Wategos
3. Berkshire Shadow
4. Highlights
5. Sunchyme