The Queensland Racing Carnival is in full swing after two meetings at Doomben in as many weeks. Meanwhile, Sandown and Randwick held strong offseason programs last Saturday, featuring several progressive horses returning for winter campaigns. In this week’s edition of The Follow Files, we look at three runners that punters should consider adding to their blackbooks.
Doomben
Rail position: +2m entire circuit
Race 3: Darby McCarthy (1100m) | Time: 1:04.89
- Horse to follow: Skirt The Law (4th)
After finishing a disappointing ninth of 12 in the Listed Mick Dittman Plate first-up, Skirt The Law returned to the races on Saturday and produced a strong finish to record a fourth-place finish. The Tony Gollan-trained filly settled midfield over 1100m, and when asked for the ultimate effort by Damian Lane, she let down with a strong turn of foot. The further this daughter of Better Than Ready went, the closer she got to the leaders, and it appears as though she is looking for 1200m now.
When to bet: The Listed Queensland Day Stakes on June 8 at Eagle Farm looks to be the ideal race for Skirt The Law, as she will compete against her own age group while rising to 1200m third-up.
Randwick
Rail position: +8m 900m–WP, +5m remainder
Race 7: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m) | Time: 0:58.71
- Horse to follow: The Black Cloud (1st)
The Black Cloud returned from a three-month spell and claimed her third win from four career starts in a Benchmark 78 Handicap at Randwick. The Joseph Pride-trained filly gave the leaders a good start at the top of the home straight and rounded them up quickly before running away with a strong one-length victory. With slightly weaker competition expected during the winter months, The Black Cloud could build a formidable record before looking towards some feature races next autumn.
When to bet: Pride and his team will be looking to take The Black Cloud through her grades and get her rating up. If her next start is over 1100m in the same grade, we will be following.
Sandown
Rail position: True entire circuit
Race 1: 2YO Fillies Handicap (1000m) | Time: 0:57.17
- Horse to follow: Flattered (2nd)
Although Flattered has finished second in four of her six career starts, the Patrick Payne-trained galloper looks ready to win. This two-year-old filly had been racing in Listed and Group company before her most recent run at Sandown, earning herself over $120,000 in prize money even though she has yet to win a race. Last Saturday, this daughter of Yes Yes Yes recorded the fastest last 600m section (32.27s) and 400m section (21.64s) of the entire meeting.
When to bet: If Payne can find a similar race for two-year-old fillies over 1200m at a big track, Flattered will get every chance to break her maiden at the seventh time of asking.
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