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Canberra Racing Review Friday 25 October 2019

The rail was out 7m the entire course and the track was rates a Good 4. It became clear early in the day, that horses were advantaged racing on the outside section of the track in the straight and that proved the winning pattern. Punters should be alert to this when assessing the form of runners coming out of the program.

 

Race 1 (1200m)

 

PIPING ROLLER was backed into the red following a big effort at Kembla and won accordingly for the Newman yard at Hawkesbury. JOKES set a strong tempo with Piping Roller taking the sit. She got the better of Jokes at the 200m and cruised away for an impressive 4L win. The Your Song filly does everything right and can go on from this. The second favourite CHARBROL had a nice run forward of midfield and kept trying. SCARLEO was last and the widest on turning and made up many lengths to place third. Jokes, not surprisingly, compounded.  There was very little market support for the Waterhouse-Bott debutant ELDER PRICE and he failed to flatter.

 

Race 2 (1300m)

 

FIRST RESPONDER ran a heavily-backed favourite, but could only find the placings behind the Led Hodgson-trained DIAMOND CLASS. The second favourite Litchfield led comfortably with First Responder on his flank.  Diamond Class missed the start by two lengths and looked to have plenty to give improving her position before the turn. The 4kg apprentice brought her to the outside and she ate up the ground to win by a comfortable three lengths. There was a hint with Scarleo in the previous race, that the outside may be the place to be and Diamond Class set a winning trend for the rest of the day. Nearer the rail, First Responder and Litchfield were engaged in a ding-dong battle and both jockeys would have had expectations of winning before Diamond Class appeared from the shadows. They were strong efforts in the circumstances. There was merit in the runs of ILLINOIS GURU (on the rail) and INTERCONTENENTAL.    

 

Race 3 (1000m)

 

CORCRA presented as the one to beat and the $2.50 favourite didn’t disappoint for the Sydney yard. He was a candidate to lead but got caught three wide outside GLOCK and GUILTLESS and jockey Lerena elected to sit off them three wide. He worked the gelding out wide - clearly tweaking that it was the place to be - and won by an easy 3.5L from BRUSSLES and KOOTALOO. Brussels sat behind the speed on the rail and came home well in the middle of the track, as did Kootaloo.  DENMAN’S LIGHT was okay and GUILTLESS (at long odds) showed plenty of dash in the worst part of the track and we can be be forgiving of him.

 

Race 4 (2000m)

 

There was plenty of money for the Sydney-trained STICK ‘EM UP off a 5 week freshen and he proved the victor in a good betting race. THINK MUSIC led as expected over the middle distance and HIGH STREET, who was wide around the first turn, did some work to sit outside her. SEPULCHRE and Stick ‘Em Up had good runs in midfield. At the 600m Stick ‘Em Up improved three wide and then joined a scramble for the favoured outside going. The first four home were all the widest in the straight and gapped the others. There was merit in the runs of Sepulchre and LAMOUR in the placed positions. It was again tough going for horses racing nearer the rail.

 

Race 5 (1000m)

 

CALESCENT only has to present ready to take beating and the market indicated she was. She jumped at $2.1 with ROSBERG at $3.70 and then it was $11 + the rest.  It was a three horse charge for the lead with Calescent sitting with widest. The filly eased to the middle of the track and held off BLACK BACARDI in a brave on-speed effort. There was a tonne of merit in the run of Black Bacardi who was back on the rail and managing a run through when others fanned wider. She came hard on the inside of the winner and didn’t give up. It was also a big effort by SEAWATCH holding third placing. He felt plenty of pressure on the rail with the leading trio and was still a chance leading half way down the straight in the worst going. MISS ANTARES finished it off well out wide.   

 

Race 6 (1600)

 

The market sorted out TRUST THE PROCESS and IS THAT SO as clearly the ones to beat and it was the former and second favourite who prevailed. MAHJONG ROSE and Is That So settled one-two early as expected, with Mahjong Rose easing when YESTERYEAR, who was caught wide, moved forward to sit on Is That So. The winner sat one back, one out, and worked to the outside on turning with LIAM’S THE BOSS who had sat midfield. There was 1.5L in it on the line with Is That So sticking on well 3L from the winner, electing to stay closer to the middle ground. PRINCE CAMELOT was just in the market and looked in need of it.      

 

Race 7 (1000)

 

The three best-backed fought this out with the $7.0 chance CACCINI prevailing. The big money came for EVE’S MISS and they left it in the bag. Three went hard with Eve’s Miss, who was the widest, taking a slender lead at the 600m. The winner Caccini was last at this point. They fanned out as expected and it was the two widest runners, Caccini and Hard Core who flew late to just nudge Eve’s Miss into third in a ding-dong finish. It was a huge effort by Eve’s Miss who had the pressure on all the way and elected to stay in the middle ground.  DANGEROUS BREEDING was disadvantaged closer to the rail and was beaten less than a length. There was also a lot to like about her run. Caccini had to do it from last and couldn’t have been more impressive.

 

Race 8 (1600)

 

The Dryden yard had three genuine contenders in the race and it was GUNGA DIN that the money came for and he delivered the cash for supporters. BURRANGONG made the lead with MONTE MAJURE easing behind them and Gunga Din did some early work to settle on his outside. Dolan cleverly eased the gelding to sit wider and was in the perfect position outside Monte Majura on turning and had him covered at the 200m. The grand old stager Le Cavalier was two lengths last most of the way and was the only one to issue a challenge coming hard closer to the outside rail. Monte was brave as always. The equal-second favourite SWEET KNUNKLE had no choice but to stick to the inside of the track and had no hope from there. All honours to the winner and his hoop Robbie Dolan.

 

Race 9 (1300)

 

The Dryden yard made it a double when HEAVEN ON EARTH won the last at $9.0. The speed was on all the way with a line of three clear before the turn. Heaven On Earth sat of the rail behind them and defying the pattern of the day burst through. Then somewhat fortuitously she ran out after the 200m and was straightened up in the better going, coming away to win by 3L. No knock at all on the effort of the second placed MOSS THE BOSS who endured a stack of pressure in the leading group, and when Heaven And Earth moved out, he surprisingly took an inside tack. Near the rail, it was a mighty job to hold second from the swoopers headed by VERDI and the favourite FRANCISCO PIZARO. A good and deserved win by Heaven On Earth.