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Racing & Sports Canberra Racing Review - Friday 3 April 2020

Canberra Racing Review Friday 3 April

 

They ran on a heavy 8 with the rail out 7m and it raced pretty well. It was only in the final race that the winner came from extra-wide. The training honours to Keith Dryden with a double. The jockey honours were equally shared.

 

 

Race 1 (1300m) Maiden

 

INLAND RETREAT ($2.70) and SCARLEO ($1.80F) were backed the exclusion of all others and fought it out. They both sat off a comfortable tempo in the small field and paired up on turning. Inland Retreat got the upper hand close to the line, with the leader SAILING ALONG ($16) sticking it out well in third. Scarleo was no easy-beat and there was merit in the winning effort. Both will improve off the runs. A warning was recorded against Scarleo who proved difficult to load.

 

Race 2 (1600m) BM55

 

The winner FIRST LADY ($2.50F) had been competitive in better races and the strong market support suggested this was going to be her day. It was busy early with BOYS DAY OUT ($10.0) out finding the lead after the 1200m. First Lady sat last one off the rail and improved to be the widest in the small field on turning. It was hard fought to the 150m with Boys Day Out giving a good site but the winner proved too good coming away over the closing stations to win by 2L. Stewards inquired into the disappointing effort of WAR DECK ($2.60). The gelding was slow out and then was pushed forward to sit three wide until the 800m. The jockey believed he wasn’t comfortable in the heavy conditions. PINCH PASSION ($8.5) finished it off well in third a whisker behind the second placegetter. It was a strong win by First Lady and she will get over further ground.   

 

Race 3 (1600m) CL1

 

It was the quinella for Canberra trainer Keith Dryden with EXPRESS COURIER ($4.60) just nudging out YOUR KNUCKLESHIP ($6.0), with a good space to the rest. Express Courier was backed in from $6.50 and it was no mean feat delivering off an Albury Maiden win. The winner was positioned last on the rail by apprentice Ellen Hennessy while Your Knuckleship was perfectly positioned by Chad Lever one out behind the speed. He looked the one on turning, but Express Courier came through on the rail and worked outside the leading pair to just wear down the stablemate. The 3.20 favourite OUTAHAND disappointed. He sat back and had to be pushed along well before turning. He got a second wind late in the piece and would probably appreciate dryer conditions and/or a longer trip. FIGHT THE NEED ($10) toughed it out well in third.    

 

 

Race 4 (1000m) Maiden

 

The two best backed ran the quinella with the $3.0 favourite SEVENTH SEAL prevailing by nearly 2L from GAMBLERS QUEST ($3.30); backed in from $4.20. Peter and Paul Snowden added to their strong training record at the track despite Seventh Seal experiencing a late betting drift. The full brother to the well-performed First Seal was resuming as a gelding and his recent trials had been good. Layt settled him in a perfect trailing position while Gambler’s Quest was just beyond midfield and three wide throughout. The winner was perfectly positioned on turning and came away. Gamblers Quest finished the race off strongly and would have lost no admirers. MOSSY OAK $17) also finished the race off well in third in a much improved effort. All three are worth following. FULL OF FIRE ($6.0) jumped waywardly and recovered to sit outside the leader. He looked the winner on turning and battled on alright in fourth. He’d come off a long break and will be much improved.

 

Race 5 (1000m) BM60

 

It was another win for trainer Keith Dryden with ELTHAM PALACE ($1.75) backed to the exclusion of all others. The fact that the second favourite started at $9.50 gives a perspective on the market confidence. McDougall has Eltham Place outside the leader with OLIFANTS ($26) outside him and it was busy. The 3yo filly took the lead on turning and never looked like being beaten. POWERS COURT ($10) did a good job placing second with the 4kg claimer up and NOBODY’S PUPPET ($9.50) a lip behind in third. It was a good effort by Nobody’s Puppet who began awkwardly and rearward on the rail. The mare had a little bit of trouble poking through on the inner and toughed it out well. The Nick Olive stablemate ACTION SHALE ($11.0) finished off well in fourth. All honours with the winner who goes wet and dry and keeps getting better.

 

Race 6 (1300m) BM70 Federal

 

It was an open race with FLORA BEL running the $4.40 favourite. The mare ran last and was found to have pulled up with lameness in the near foreleg. The dominant winner PEYTON PLACE ($7.0) was a surprise drifter presented off a 6 week freshen following a big BM66 win at Goulburn. He raced keenly in the lead and worked to the centre of the track on turning. He son had them all off the bit and in the end came away easily to win from BELLAGRANO ($6.0) who raced three-wide throughout and COUP DE MAIN ($7.0), with a whisker between them. The later was slow to begin and also raced three wide throughout. Peyton Place was dominant and will only be better for the outing.     

 

Race 7 (1300m) CL1

 

There was only 0.7L between the top four with the hot favourite PROPOSE TO ME ($1.75) having to be content with third. The Sydney-trained AUSTREET ($16) took the race out making sharp second-up improvement. It was busy upfront early with INTERCONTINENTAL ($13) coming way to lead from WICKED WILLY ($9.5) with FLIGHT COMMANDER ($8.0) improving wide from the before the 600m into third. The winner was back and presented very wide before the turn. The four contenders were spread right across the track at the 100m. Austreet powered home against the outside rail to lip-out Wicked Willy with Propose to Me just 0.2L behind in third. Propose To Me was slow to begin and raced wide throughout. She was likely disadvantaged finishing on the inside section of the track and will keep for another day. Matt Cahill’s adventurous ride paid off.