With five Group 1s it’s a big night of racing at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Here are commentator Aaron White’s thoughts on the night, courtesy of trackside.co.nz
Race 1 – 5:14pm. $25,000 CLASSIQUE LANDSCAPERS MOBILE PACE 2200m
2 Hooray Henry, 11 Cos I Can, 10 Seaclusion, 8 The Surfer
We haven’t seen Hooray Henry on the track for 91 days. He does have the “big” scalp of Copy That on his CV. Drawn to be prominent and can give some cheek at nice odds. Cos I Can is clearly the top-rated horse in the field and will start from the outside of the second row as a consequence. Bold victory April 11 and no reason why he couldn’t double up. Seaclusion makes her return to racing after two sharp workouts. She raced in very good company over back in December. The Surfer has been racing in a good vein of form but does get a sticky draw to use. Big threat with an ounce of luck. Always B Elite has been mixing his form. Solid second two starts ago. Cover in combo bets.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $10 Win / $40 Place: 2 Hooray Henry. $10 Quinella: 11 : 2 – 3 – 4 – 8 – 10
Race 2 – 5:41pm. $25,000 LONE STAR ALEXANDRA PARK MOBILE TROT 2200m
11 Magic Dash, 7 Walkinonsunshine, 8 Hillbilly Blues, 5 Castana
Magic Dash should’ve taken great improvement from his April 11 resumption. Record from behind the mobile is strong and is a big show despite drawing the second row. Walkinonsunshine gets onto equal marks courtesy of the mobile start. Sure to meet with solid support on latest form. Hillbilly Blues is a real up and comer from the Wallis/Hackett barn. Draw is a little troublesome but certainly has the class to overcome it. Castana does have the game to make his presence felt from a handy enough draw from a mobile beginning. Faith In Manchester beaten under half a length in her last two appearances. Needed for Quinella investments.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $30 Win / $70 Place: 11 Magic Dash.
Race 3 – 6:09pm. $25,000 GALLAGHER INSURANCE YOUNG GUNS 2YO FILLIES SERIES HEAT 2 MOBILE PACE 1700m
1 The Queens Gambit, 3 Ripples, 9 River, 6 Alecto
The Queens Gambit was a little wayward when scoring on this track a fortnight ago. She will be a lot better for that outing and gets the coveted ace draw for this short course race. Ripples crosses the Tasman from the powerful Victorian stable of Emma Stewart and secured the Group 1 Gold Tiara at Bathurst March 29. Rates highly but first look at “The Park” is a concern. River recovered well to run second after doing things wrong in the score-up on debut. Drawn to receive an economical passage tonight. Alecto produced a slick Addington victory 6 April. “The Puppet” Chris Alford jumps into the sulky as well. Angelic Copy is yet to taste defeat in three starts. She’ll need a few things to go her way to continue the picket fence form line.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $25 Win: 1. The Queens Gambit. $25 Exacta: 3 : 1 – 6 – 9.
Race 4 – 6:40pm. $25,000 BRECKON FARMS YOUNG GUNS 2YO COLTS & GELDINGS SERIES HEAT 2 MOBILE PACE 1700m
4 Fugitive, 6 Andretti, 2 Allamericanplayer, 3 Fitzroy
Fugitive won his debut on this track in fine fashion. Gallant run in defeat at Cambridge on the Night of Champions. Andretti took full advantage of a better draw to score well at Cambridge after a game effort in defeat on debut. Allamericanplayer has shown plenty of ability in his career to date. Knockout chance from low gate. Fitzroy debuted nicely at Addington despite having a gear issue. Threat on natural improvement. Rattle My Cage is awkwardly drawn for his debut assignment. Trial form is sound so keep on side for combination tickets.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $50 Boxed Exacta: 4 & 6.
Race 5 – 7:21pm. (Group 1) $100,000 PASCOES JEWELLERS NORTHERN OAKS MOBILE PACE 2700m
1 Arafura, 4 Beside Me, 5 Stella Rouge, 8 Youretheonethatiwant, 9 Without You
Arafura has always looked like an Oaks filly. Racing well and holds a couple of aces from barrier one. “The Iceman” gets the reins too. Beside Me is a long-striding filly that should lap-up all of the 2700m. She’ll start the favourite but there are some here that can test any vulnerability. Stella Rouge has shown she has the all-round game. Don’t underestimate. Youretheonethatiwant boasts a very good Oaks winning lineage. Draw hurts but still worth a few dollars on for a place. Without You brings strong form to her Oaks bid. Owner Jean Feiss has tasted success in this race three times.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $50 Win: 1. Arafura. $50 Exacta: 4 : 1:
Race 6 – 7:56pm. (Group 1) $100,000 BRECKON FARMS NORTHERN TROTTING DERBY, MOBILE TROT 2700m
14 Meant To Be, 4 Higher Power, 7 Hillbilly, 8 Frazzled
Meant To Be returned to racing a fortnight ago with a sensational win. Goes onto the Unruly Draw tonight but has 2700m to negate that. All class. Higher Power did beat his stablemate in last year’s Young Guns Final. Drawn to be in this for a long way. Hillbilly continues to race with merit and back to a mobile start will also assist. Frazzled produced a bold effort when runner-up in first look at “The Park” last week. Worth a nibble at the big odds. Final Approach has done little wrong since his return to racing. Comes into combos calculations.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $100 Win: 14. Meant To Be.
Race 7 – 8:23pm. (Group 1) $200,000 WOODLANDS STUD NORTHERN PACING DERBY, MOBILE PACE 2700m
1 Marketplace, 9 Captain Sampson, 3 Got The Chocolates, 8 Bettors Anvil
Marketplace has a real appetite for big race success and drawn to deliver another. Deserves to be a short-priced favourite. Captain Sampson is drawn ideally behind the favourite. History says being on the markers in the Derby is a good place to be. Got The Chocolates lowered the colours of Marketplace last week. Tougher assignment tonight but keep on side for Quinella bets. Bettors Anvil has any amount of ability but gets a sticky draw. Midnight Miki will require some luck from the 2nd row but could slide into a Top 4 placing.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $100 Same Race Multi: 1 Win : 8 and 9 Top 4
Race 8 – 8:48pm. (Group 1) $100,000 H R FISKEN & SONS ANZAC CUP HANDICAP TROT 2200m
12 Oscar Bonavena, 13 Muscle Mountain, 9 Queen Elida, 1 Matty A
Oscar Bonavena has placed in the Top 4 three times in this race without winning it. His class will take him close again. Muscle Mountain won this race in splendid fashion last year off a 15m handicap. No reason why the “Big M” can’t claim another Group 1 success. Queen Elida is Australasia’s highest earning female square-gaiter of all-time. She’ll attract her fair share of support. Matty A is back taking on the big guns tonight. Could bolster First4 dividends.
Whitey’s $100 Play was $100 Win: 8. Bet N Win but he’s been scratched.
Race 9 – 9:21pm. (Group 1) $100,000 DAWSON HARFORD NZ MESSENGER MOBILE PACE 2700m
1 Republican Party, 9 Mo’unga, 6 Chase A Dream, 10 Don’t Stop Dreaming
Republican Party, the Auckland Cup winner, is ideally drawn to grab another Group 1 victory in the City of Sails. Excels over the longer trips so looks extremely hard to beat. Mo’unga hasn’t had much go his way since crossing the Cook Strait. Gets his chance tonight to capitalise on an economical run. Chase A Dream backed up his stunning Waikato Flying Mile win with a bold second to Leap To Fame in The Race by betcha. Right back at the top of his game. 10. Don’t Stop Dreaming forget his last start failure. Huge performance to secure the City of Auckland FFA the start prior. We Walk By Faith produced an amazing 1-51.6 Taylor Mile victory a fortnight ago. Tough draw but can’t discount.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $100 % Boxed Trifecta: 1 x 6 x 8 x 9 x 10
Race 10 – 9:51pm $20,000 AUCKLAND CO-OP TAXIS 300-3000 MOBILE PACE 2200m
1 Princess Gracy, 7 Crumsy, 3 Tytate, 9 Tight Lines
Princess Gracy finally receives a decent draw to use. She’ll be awfully hard to beat. Crumsy is resuming after a recent workout victory. Showed potential through first campaign. Tytate was caught late by a nice type a fortnight ago. Can be right in the thick of things again. Tight Lines is a half-brother to the wonderful pacer The Orange Agent. Debuts from a tricky draw, good place bet. Mick Konstantin boasts some handy trial and workout form. Threat despite drawing the second row for his debut.
Whitey’s $100 Play: $100 % Trifecta: 1 – 7 : 1 – 2 – 3 – 7 – 9 – 10 : 1 – 2 – 3 – 7 – 9 – 10