Last Saturday we saw Stradbroke Handicap Day at Eagle Farm take centre stage. Meanwhile, Sandown, Randwick, Morphettville and Belmont all hosted nice meetings as the winter racing season heats up across Australia. Below we have found three runners from each of Eagle Farm, Randwick and Sandown that are worth following at their next start.
Eagle Farm – Stradbroke Handicap Day
Track rating: Good 4
Rail position: +4m entire circuit
Race 9: Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) | Time: 1:17.73
- Horse to follow: Comrade Rosa (1st)
Since joining the Tony Gollan stable, Comrade Rosa has turned her career around by finishing in the placings at all six of her starts including four wins. This daughter of Capitalist’s last two wins in the Listed Coughlan Stakes and Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes have been the best wins of her career and she now appears to be ready for a crack at the top level. In the Dane Ripper last start, Ryan Maloney settled the four-year-old mare mid-field and then burst through an opening in the final 200m to defeat a game Opal Ridge by a long neck on the line.
When to bet: Post-race last Saturday, Gollan confirmed that Comrade Rosa would be going to the Group 1 Tattersalls Tiara in two weeks’ time to have her first go at Group 1 grade. The one thing this girl has over her rivals is that she is in winning form and can win from the front, middle or back of the field.
Randwick – Bob Charley AO Stakes Day
Track rating: Soft 5
Rail position: +3m entire circuit
Race 4: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) | Time: 1:09.69
- Horse to follow: Kibou (2nd)
Having had his 2022 cut short at the peak of his powers when bone chips were found his near fore knee, Kibou returned to the racetrack last Saturday after just under 10 months off. This son of Maurice returned with the benefit of two nice trials under his belt and went into his return race as the favourite just ahead of Iowna Merc, who had fitness and 4kg at the weights on his side. Unfortunately for punters that backed the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained gelding, those factors proved decisive as Iowna Merc outran Kibou in the final strides down the Randwick straight.
When to bet: Kibou defeated Golden Mile in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes before getting injured, so it’s clear that he has ability, and a strong performance first-up off a long spell backs that up. We expect the Waterhouse & Bott team to give him a nice break between runs, but if he strikes a race over 1200m in Benchmark 80 grade, he should be very hard to beat.
Sandown – Sandown Race Day
Track rating: Soft 7
Rail position: +5m entire circuit
Race 1: 2YO Handicap (1000m) | Time: 0:58.07
- Horse to follow: Links (1st)
The first race of the day at Sandown saw 1.1 lengths cover the first four runners over the line, with Links defeating Mantua, Mafia and Vandemoer in a driving finish. The winner was the strongest finisher out of that race and should be able to step up to 1200m next start. The daughter of Spieth sat three wide for the entire trip and then ran over the top of the leaders late to win by half a length on the line.
When to bet: David Eustace didn’t commit to any race for Links’ next start, but after her performance second-up last Saturday in a heat of the Next Generation Sprinters Series, we expect the Maher & Eustace team to take her that way and compete in the final at Flemington on July 1.
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