Cracking Canberra Preview by Neil Evans 11 December 2022

*RACE 1 @ 1.20pm NATIONAL TEST AND TAG CLASS 1 HCP (1200m) - Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 4. NEGATION (Kurt Goldman/Ms Hannah Williams a1.5kg; 55kg & barrier 3) -A strong Federal & Xmas meeting kicks off with the Class 1 sprinters & it shapes nicely for this improving 3YO country filly by Hellbent 4th-up in her first genuine prep. Charged home from the back to beat a handy maiden field 1st-up in heavy ground at Goulburn before two solid closing runs into a place in slightly stronger fields. Gets in with only 55.5kg after the claim, and from this draw can settle back with cover and produce a superior final 400m dash

 

DANGERS: 1. **Enzina (also accepted for Kembla on Sat); 2. *Spats Pav Bowie; 5. *Raise Hell; 6. *Patrika Mist (accepted for Kembla)

 

Likely Tempo: Solid to Good

My BET PLAN: NEGATION to WIN & Trifecta: 1,4/1,2,4,5,6/1,2,4,5,6

 

*RACE 2 @ 1.55pm NED NEDDRIE MEMORIAL BENCHMARK 60 HCP (1300m) - Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 2. MIL CIENTO (Joseph Ible/Ms Alysha Collett; 59kg & barrier 4) -Not much between a few of these, but riding with this honest & big finishing provincial 4YO gelding who is bursting to win a 2nd race, 4th up in the prep. Has attacked the line from the back & midfield in three consecutive runs at his Kembla base, despite having to work from wider gates, and this looks ideal over 100m further. Draws to sit back in the field with cover, one off the fence, and be given his head from the 450m

 

DANGERS: 1. *Diamond Class; 6. *How Do You Sleep; 7. *Keep It Down; 10. *Semana

 

Likely Tempo: Reasonable to Solid

My BET PLAN: MIL CIENTO to WIN

 

*RACE 3 @ 2.30pm PROALLIED CLASS 2 HCP (1400m) - Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 2. SELFIE TIME (Richard & Will Freedman/TBA & barrier 10) -Good quality race for this class, with a few real chances. Heading them is this talented metro-based 4YO Savabeel mare who is lightly raced and can peak 3rd-up here for the Rosehill stable. Has been fair to the line getting home in two runs back at the provincials, but the step up in distance comes at the right time, and she's drawn to sit back and get to the outside with plenty of room from the turn

 

DANGERS: 1. **Pacific Force (likely to run at Kembla on Sat); 3. *Flying Tyrol; 7. *Budderoo Blitz; 9. **You Are King

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My BET PLAN: SELFIE TIME to WIN & Box Exacta: 1,2,9

 

*RACE 4 @ 3.05pm HEFFERNAN LENDING SOLUTIONS MAIDEN HCP (1200m) - Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 4. HOBBSY (Scott Collings/Ms Alysha Collett; 57.5kg & barrier 11) -Tricky & very testing affair for the maidens with a few first starters, and naturally many chances. Keen on this debutant country 3YO by prolific sprint sire Zoustar who has recently been gelded. Travelled nicely through the line in a recent trial, and both the stable & sire stock are renowned for coming to hand quickly. Will roll across from the wider gate and ideally tuck in around midfield before finishing hard at good odds

 

DANGERS: 3. *Bullseyes; 5. *Hurricane Ablowing; 6. *Prometio Mas; 7. *Rouge Lune; 8. *Fire And Gemstone; 9. *So You Pence

 

Likely Tempo: Solid to Good

My BET PLAN: HOBBSY Each Way

 

*RACE 5 @ 3.50pm ANDREW FOSTER CLASSIC CLASS 1 PLATE (2000m) - Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 5. EL BRAVO (Ross McConville/Scott Pollard; 56.5kg & barrier 5) -Out over the much longer journey now at set weights; and delighted to be aboard this tough and still improving provincial-based 4YO by Wandjina. Has worked home into the placings in his last three, including a handy closing effort here over the same trip two starts back when supported from $3.60 into $3.20. Hard fit for this, and most of his rivals have poor records

 

DANGERS: 1. *All About Ollie; 4. *Shafty

 

Likely Tempo: Fair

My BET PLAN: EL BRAVO to WIN

 

*RACE 6 @ 4.25pm GREG BURKE RACING MANAGEMENT BENCHMARK 65 HCP (1600m) - Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 4. SWEET HONESTY (Keith Dryden/Brendan Ward; 60kg & barrier 11) -Nearly always tricky assessments around this grade over the mile. No reason, though, why this very capable & progressive 4YO home track mare can't make it three wins from her last four. Bolted in a similar race here in heavy ground three starts back before finishing well in a deeper BM 70 affair; then swept home from just off the speed to beat a slightly better line-up than this. Goes up 2kg, but only needs to slot in from the awkward wider gate to again reproduce that superior closing burst, and take her winning record at home to 66 percent from six attempts

 

DANGERS: 2. *Dip Me Lid; 3. *Departing Bullet; 7. *Casino Time

 

Likely Tempo: Reasonable

My BET PLAN: SWEET HONESTY to WIN

 

*RACE 7 @ 5.05pm TAB FEDERAL BENCHMARK 70 HCP (1000m) - Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 2. PRETTY WOMAN (Matthew Dale/TBA & barrier 6) -The feature Federal sprint is another very competitive clash, with several hopes. Like this talented and very lightly raced 4YO Written Tycoon mare who has been held back and kept fresh since a nice closing return in Highway company at Randwick six weeks ago. Proved quickly in two previous preps what sprinting ability she has, and love how the stable has kept her to the five furlongs here. Winkers go back on, and from a middle gate she can sit back just off the speed and cut loose from the 350m

 

DANGERS: 3. *Moore Euros; 4. *Devine Miss; 6. *Mandalong Superb; 7. Emma's Gift

 

Likely Tempo: Good

My BET PLAN: PRETTY WOMAN to WIN

 

*RACE 8 @ 5.45pm RISK MANAGEMENT ESSENTIALS MAIDEN PLATE (1400m) - Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 4. RISE TO IT (Ciaron Maher & David Eustace/Ms Louise Day; 57.5kg & barrier 12) -A competitive and open maiden to close the meeting, and keen on this metro-based and emerging 3YO by dual Cox Plate winner So You Think lining up for only his second start. Draws wide, but the way he finished off just behind the placegetters on debut at Newcastle suggests he will again be eased back in the field and saved for one last surge from the 1400m. Had trialled well prior, and naturally bred to get much further, nothing will be finishing harder late in the day

 

DANGERS: 2. *Mr Papera; 3. *Kenichi; 6. **Xtrarevz; 9. *Miss Adrenalin

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My BET PLAN: RISE TO IT to WIN & Quinella: 4 and 6

 

**My BEST EARLY BETS:

 

R2 2. MIL CIENTO**

R5 5. EL BRAVO*

R8 4. RISE TO IT**

 

**My BEST EARLY VALUE:

 

R7 2. PRETTY WOMAN**

 

**My BEST EARLY EXOTICS:

 

R3: Box Exacta: 1,2,9

 

GOOD LUCK

@NeilEvansmail