Cracking Canberra Preview 9 October 2020 by Neil Evans

*RACE 1 @ 1.10pm HEFFERNAN LENDING SOLUTIONS HCP (1600m) - Benchmark 60; Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

A tactical battle over the mile gets us under way. Local 4YO mare 4. TEMOIN CHAUD (Nick Olive/Blaike McDougall; 58kg) has been disappointing this prep, but should be right at her peak now fourth-up staying at the trip, and this isn't strong.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Home track 6YO mare 3. Zaromatic hasn't done much this prep, but will relish this easier task after being outclassed in a much tougher BM 70 Federal; while 8YO 2. Trying was okay late in that same race as Temoin Chaud, but would need to find a length or two under this weight.

 

Likely Tempo: Moderate

My Betting Attack: TEMOIN CHAUD to WIN

 

*RACE 2 @ 1.45pm CIVIUM PROPERTY PLATE (1600m) - Class 1; Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

Not a great deal of pace in this either, but improving 4YO Wagga mare 6. SUMDEEL (Wayne Carroll/Blaike McDougall; 57kg) can win third-up from a nice trailing draw. Hit the line well after striking trouble in a much tougher Highway at Rosehill, and only needs clear air from the 400m. Bolted in her only previous start on a wet track.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Expect Albury mare and former Kiwi 5. Stilton to improve second-up over more ground. Local 3YO 3. Astrobleme wasn't far away in a handy CL1 here, and backs up quickly. Drawn to get a good run, and won his only previous start in heavy going. Local 7YO 8. Jophiel has been threatening to break the maiden all prep, and only has to run up to his last effort over further to be somewhere in the finish. Warwick Farm 4YO 1. Overflowing can improve sharply third-up with the blinkers going on; while Goulburn mare 7. Zarafah has been ordinary in her last couple, but has a liking for wet tracks.

 

Likely Tempo: Fair

My Betting Attack: SUMDEEL to WIN & FIRST FOUR: 6/1,3,5,7,8/1,3,5,7,8/1,3,5,7,8

 

*RACE 3 @ 2.25pm CHARMAN EARTHMOVING JACK THOMAS HCP (1000m) - Class 1; Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

Back to the short course, and while the market will be a big guide, local 3YO gelding 3. WATCH ME SIZZLE (Nick Olive/Richard Bensley; 58kg) looks the one to beat resuming with the blinkers added. Hasn't publicly trialled, but been in work for a while, & took on much stronger opposition in his first prep.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Kembla 5YO 1. Cops And Robbers seems to save his best for this track, although weighted to his best; while home track 4YO 2. Mas Dinero also resumes with no official trial, but rarely runs a bad one.

 

Likely Tempo: Solid to Good

My Betting Attack: WATCH ME SIZZLE to WIN

 

*RACE 4 @ 3.05pm CARBINE CLUB BOB BARLOW MEMORIAL HCP (1300m) - Maiden; Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

Improving 3YO Warwick Farm colt 2. ASTERO (Matthew Smith/Blaike McDougall; 57.5kg) didn't finish off in a much deeper metro maiden after a sound debut at Nowra. Has trialled well since, and looks the one to beat.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Hard to believe local 4YO mare 3. Wandonna is still searching for that first win ahead of her 14th start, but has run six placings. Can be ridden on speed or from midfield, and has only gone under narrowly in her last couple. Home-track 4YO 1. Underthespotlight was run down late in a thinner maiden third-up at Leeton, and bred to handle this rating, but won't want to do too much work early from the wide draw.

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My Betting Attack: ASTERO to WIN & QUINELLA: 2 and 3

 

*RACE 5 @ 3.40pm CLEANAWAY PLATE (1000m) - Maiden; Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

Tricky sprint at set weights. Liked the one-off recent trial from 3YO Goulburn debutant 9. TO THE NINES (Tash Burleigh/Blaike McDougall; 56.5kg) who opens up his career in a thin race. Bred to handle the wet being by Epaulette out of a Spinning World mare.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Local 4YO gelding 2. Budderoo Blitz resumes for a second prep. Hasn't officially been to the trials, but stable is renowned for having them ready, and bred to handle wet ground. Warwick Farm mare 6. Indignant did her best work late fourth-up at Goulburn, and is edging towards a break-through win, although may be looking for further.

 

Likely Tempo: Solid to Good

My Betting Attack: TO THE NINES to WIN

 

*RACE 6 @ 4.20pm RISK MANAGEMENT ESSENTIALS CAMARENA HCP (2000m) - Benchmark 65; Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

Good competitive race behind a solid tempo. Ultra consistent Randwick 4YO 2. HOLY SUNDAY (John Sargent/Koby Jennings; 59.5kg) disappointed in a CL2 over the mile at Scone last start, but looking for this trip now. Previous form over the mile was rock solid, including a CL1 win before a good thing beaten here in similar grade when badly held up from the 300m.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Progressive local 5YO 7. Mohahna has won his last two in dominant fashion at CL1 level, but takes on some better ones here. Another one trained on the track, 6YO 5. Eaglehawk has beaten all bar the winner in three of his last four. Will roll forward from a wide draw, and could dictate for a long way; while rival local 6YO 1. Foxbeat has been mixing his form all prep, but gets some weight relief here coming back in distance.

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My Betting Attack: HOLY SUNDAY to WIN

 

*RACE 7 @ 4.55pm SKY RACING RACE CALLERS CUP HCP (1000m) - Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

High pressure dash, with a stack of chances. Progressive 5YO Albury gelding 9. LOGAN RIVER (Mitchell Beer/Josh Richards; 55.5kg) should have won last time out in a handy BM at Wagga when badly held up. Previous form was strong, including a fast-finishing win on a bog track three runs back, and he looks well treated at the weights.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Warwick Farm mare and former Kiwi 3. Bothered won three straight up to BM 72 level before failing in a stronger race at Rosehill. Has been freshened for this drop back in trip, and the wetter the better. Tough mare 2. Goldfinch will appreciate the drop in grade third-up. Speedy 6YO mare 8. Eve's Miss can be hard to catch, but she has good early speed and this is her pet trip. Lightly raced 8YO 7. Whycatchim found the pressure of a BM 70 Federal too much last start, but carries 8kg less here after the claim; while watch for local 5YO Gunga Din finishing hard late first-up for 10 weeks and back sharply from the mile.

 

Likely Tempo: Good

My Betting Attack: LOGAN RIVER to WIN

 

*RACE 8 @ 5.30pm TAB FEDERAL TONY CAMPBELL MEMORIAL CUP HCP (1400m) - Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

Feature race of the day, and hard to see local 5YO gelding 6. EXPRESS COURIER (Keith Dryden/Blaike McDougall; 57kg) not repeating the dose after powering home to win a similar race first-up in his preferred heavy ground. Boasts a 33 per cent winning strike rate from 15 starts, and maps to finish over them again carrying 2.5kg less.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Rival 7YO gelding 4. Supreme Polarity gets to his right trip second-up. Came from a long way back resuming at Kembla, and draws to get cover. Local 6YO 10. Royal Thunder drops significantly in weight after a handy first-up run here in a deeper Federal field; while South Coast 5YO 1. Peyton Place is better suited back to this trip, but has to lump a big weight.

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My Betting Attack: EXPRESS COURIER to WIN and QUINELLA: 4 & 6

 

*RACE 9 @ 6.08pm NEW ZEALAND BLOODSTOCK HCP (1200m) - Benchmark 60; Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

Competitive sprint to finish. Expecting big improvement third-up from 4YO Randwick gelding 1. CAPTAIN SOLO (John Thompson/Koby Jennings; 61.5kg) with the blinkers going on. Weighted to his best, but much more effective on wet ground.

 

*MAIN DANGERS: Improving local 4YO 3. Zelago showed good improvement finding the line second up in a Federal three weeks back, and also has a liking for rain-affected going. Home track mare 11. Il Professionale is also well placed third-up in these conditions and down in weight.

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My Betting Attack: CAPTAIN SOLO to WIN & BOXED EXACTA: 1,3,11

 

**My BEST EARLY BETS:

 

R1 4. TEMOIN CHAUD**

R2 6. SUMDEEL***

R3 3. WATCH ME SIZZLE**

R6 2. HOLY SUNDAY*

R8 6. EXPRESS COURIER**

 

**My BEST EARLY VALUE:

 

R7 9. LOGAN RIVER**

R9 1. CAPTAIN SOLO*

 

**TRAINERS TO FOLLOW:

 

Nick Olive**

Keith Dryden**

 

**JOCKEYS TO FOLLOW:

 

Blaike McDougall*****

Koby Jennings**