Form analyst Jason Teaz casts his eye on tonight’s (Thursday) fields at Auckland. First race 5.44pm.
Race 1
3 Alta Wiseguy
2 Last Tango In Heaven
7 Cya Art
6 Oroua
ALTA WISEGUY was phenomenal winning here two weeks ago, ran home in 54.8 over top of Last Tango In Heaven who shouldn’t have got beaten. Hard to beat again.
LAST TANGO IN HEAVEN tried the walk tactics and got rolled. Should’ve gone quicker. Expect a better tempo tonight as he looks the likely leader again.
CYA ART remains consistent. Was an average run for third in a weaker field last Friday, that followed stopping from the parked spot the week before, so maybe not going 100%, still a live place hope.
OROUA picked up two good wins at Cambridge after just battling here in his first three starts. This is tougher but needs respect.
Race 2
7 Art Nouveau
2 Laurie’s Delight
9 Ideal Zen
5 Hector
ART NOUVEAU has always shown ability but the last three starts have been the best of his career. Drawn out for this but top pick on form.
LAURIE’S DELIGHT was second April 30. A big step up in form from the prior three starts. Drawn well in gate two to remain prominent throughout.
IDEAL ZEN wears familiar colors to Alexandra park tonight. Beaten a nose at Tauherenikau and spelled immediately. Was very green and should have learned plenty from that. Was a May 1 workout winner in slow time but will be ready.
HECTOR has only had four trials and hasn’t yet won one. Showed a good sprint May 8 in a workout second. They only sprinted a quarter, but finds the right race on debut.
JOHN WAYNE recorded a fourth first up last week. Beaten thirteen lengths so needs to lift. Times up front were faster than required here, so include.
Race 3
7 I See Fire
9 Kelvinz Luck
8 Emma Frost
10 The Big Bird
I SEE FIRE drops back from the Derby tonight. Put two wins together in this grade in April, but badly lost the plot in the big money races. Top pick on ability.
KELVINZ LUCK stepped out in the main trot last Friday run in sensational time. A big drop back tonight. If at best can win this.
EMMA FROST was unlucky April 16. Never gave up April 30 and will relish racing in this grade over the 2700m.
THE BIG BIRD has come solid lately. With good manners can win.
HIGH IN THE SKY was just denied last Friday as a hot favorite. Sat parked for the last mile. This a harder field but still not to be left out.
SPECIAL WAY blew to bits left handed last time. Cops a rough 25m handicap tonight so place chances look best.
GAZ MAN has been a little disappointing lately. Another dropping back from the derby. Distance is of concern.
Race 4
4 Time Up The Hill
5 Mexicana
2 Jasinova
3 Molly Belle
TIME UP THE HILL is the biggest certainty seen in a long time. Beaten a nose in Five Wise Men’s Derby. She’s one tough cookie and should dominate this race from the get go. Anything more then $1.20 is gift week.
MEXICANA has let errors creep into her game lately. Because she galloped out of both three year old features early, she wouldn’t have been hurt by those. Third in NZ Oaks and a Group one winner last season in Australia. A clear second pick.
JASINOVA, MOLLY BELLE and LOVE AND FAITH are all one win fillies who will be battling each other for the third prize.
Race 5
8 True Fantasy
1 Dance Till Dawn
6 Montana Glory
7 Miki Montana
TRUE FANTASY is the number one filly right now. An amazing performance in winning the Sires Stakes championship. Barrier eight means she will have to work for it again but hard to tip against her.
DANCE TILL DAWN gets the plum draw of barrier one. A big turnaround from the horrors of barrier eight last time. Should be in the firing line.
MONTANA GLORY has been eye-catching lately in both group placings behind True Fantasy. Even had time to sneak in a workout at Pukekohe. Sure to be a major player.
MIKI MONTANA has average manners but is large on ability. Seriously unlucky April 23 but the bad gate hurts again.
Race 6
3 Santa Maria
6 Little Miss Perfect
8 Mimi E Coco
7 Shes No Lady
SANTA MARIA was a tragedy bashed last Friday when a rival punctured her tyre a lap out. Prior win was gritty in a strong grade. Should lead again tonight.
LITTLE MISS PERFECT improved her form markedly with the better barrier draw April 30. Drawn out in no mans land so tactics are a query tonight. Still good enough.
MIMI E COCO drops back from taking on the in form Warloch, Dance Time and company. The barrier draw is ugly but she is normally competitive against her own sex.
SHES NO LADY bounced back to winning form last week, certainly helped by Santa Maria’s puncture but the pleasing thing was how she found the line.
How good is COMMANDER CATHY going. She’s gone from a horse struggling in maidens to two wins and a second in her last three. Needs the right trip, but a filly in form…
Race 7
2 BD Joe
4 Need You Now
6 Tommy Lincoln
5 Warloch
Runner up in the NZ Derby BD JOE resumes tonight. Has had two workouts the last two weeks and he was immense last week winning in a 1:58 mile rate. Drawn beautifully, should win.
NEED YOU NOW was unlucky in the Taylor mile, but had no chance in the Messenger on the farcical 54 half. Still one of the best mares in NZ. Gets an alley to lead tonight too.
TOMMY LINCOLN is first up since December. He was a Group three Summer cup winner then beating Copy That. Three workouts back should have him ready and was second in the BD Joe sprint up last Saturday.
WARLOCH is the ultimate opportunist. He has been well driven by Peter Ferguson the last two weeks. If he can tag something that can bring him into the race and they’ve gone hard enough, which they should tonight with Dance Time drawn wide, he can win again. The blowout.
DANCE TIME won’t have it easy tonight from barrier seven. If he doesn’t lead he won’t place so expect them to try.
Race 8
7 Kay Cee
3 American Pride
1 Rain Mist And Muscle
6 Woodstone
KAY CEE was terrific last Friday. Won off the 25m handicap in a 2:01 mile rate over the 2200m. This is no harder. Looked like he could’ve gone round again after the line last time so why tip against him.
AMERICAN PRIDE is getting better the right handed way. Had shoeing trouble the week before so that was a forgive. A danger off the front.
RAIN MIST AND MUSCLE is out of her class but can still run a cheeky race from the front tape.
WOODSTONE drops out of the Rowe cup and Anzac cup races. Beaten four lengths by Kay Cee in the Rowe cup and starts off the same mark tonight. Consider for first fours.
KING’S LANDING got back to winning form April 30. It was a weaker race than this but now he is getting the right handed way a bit better he also is an include.
Race 9
8 Classy Operator
1 Lord Verde
6 Chablis
2 Chris Kyle
Top two year old CLASSY OPERATOR reverts back to grade racing tonight. Does cop the outside draw but he is a gate flyer, so expect him to go forward. Things weren’t right in the Sires Stakes’ heat at Cambridge. Second at the Pukekohe workouts on Saturday. If he leads he’s a top chance.
LORD VERDE is much improved. Gets barrier one tonight. Home in 54.6 and 27 last week. Tough to bowl from the trail.
CHABLIS was sneaking up the inside at the workouts on Saturday for a close up fourth on a 27.8 quarter. Did train off as an early three year old but took on nice horses like Kango in those.
CHRIS KYLE got a beautiful trail two weeks ago and was only a length from the winner. That was a large step up from the Manawatu Futurity. Chances rest with crossing Lord Verde.
EZANA was a close up third behind Classy Operator and beat Chablis in that workout last Saturday. Draw is the only negative tonight.
Race 10
7 Aldebaran Flame
1 Soledad
9 Phoebe Majestic
2 True Believer
ALDEBARAN FLAME has beaten herself consistently. Purely and simply just has to trot to win this. Time to win one.
SOLEDAD galloped at the 200m mark when challenging last Friday. Looked a certainty to run in the money. Has good stand manners so barrier one shouldn’t stop her.
PHOEBE MAJESTIC has a large reputation. Nominated for the Oaks but has headed this way. Ran a 28.9 back straight quarter two weeks ago when playing catch up. The big improver tonight.
TRUE BELIEVER is also improving. An include for trifectas as she trots all of the way as a rule.
DEBBIE LEE GALLEON stunned many with a much improved third last week. If in a similar mood chuck in the multiples in an even go outside of the favorite.
Best Bet: Race 4 (4) Time Up The Hill
Each Way Value: Race 9 (1) Lord Verde
