Queensland’s richest race, the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, headlined the massive day of feature racing at Eagle Farm last Saturday, while Sandown and Rosehill held strong support cards during the winter months. In this week’s edition of The Follow Files, you will find three runners that are worth following after producing new career peaks in their respective races. You can add these horses to your blackbook with your chosen bookmakers so that you don’t miss out when they race again.
Eagle Farm
Rail position: +4.5m entire circuit
Race 9: Group 2 Q22 (2200m) | Time: 2:14.41
- Horse to follow: Fawkner Park (1st)
Following his third-place finish in the Group 1 Doomben Cup two starts back, Annabel Neasham entered Fawkner Park in the Group 2 Q22 last Saturday, and the son of Zoffany recorded a dominant 3.87-length victory. The lightly raced five-year-old gelding was met with a lot of support once fields were released, and he fully saluted for his followers in the final race of the Eagle Farm meeting. Tyler Schiller rode this talented stayer perfectly to make sure he was in clear air before straightening for home, and once he let down, Fawkner Park blew his rivals away with a devastating turn of foot.
When to bet: Post-race Neasham confirmed that the Group 1 Caulfield Cup looks to be an ideal race for Fawkner Park, and he would go out for a spell before being set for a massive spring campaign. Online bookmakers shortened the Q22 winner into a $17 equal favourite for the Caulfield Cup, and he looks to be a good bet for futures players.
Sandown
Rail position: +5m entire circuit
Race 1: 2YO Handicap (1000m) | Time: 0:58.01
- Horse to follow: Clean Reef (2nd)
Ben, Will & JD Hayes sent Clean Reef to Sandown last Saturday for his raceday debut and the two-year-old filly would have impressed her connections as she ran home nicely from the back of the field to finish in third place over 1000m. The daughter of Lope De Vega jumped awkwardly from the barriers and was still second last with 400m to go, but when Jye McNeil asked for the ultimate effort, she let down with a strong finish, recording the equal-fastest last 800m (44.40s) and 600m (33.92s) sections of the entire meeting.
When to bet: With a solid debut run under her belt, it is expected that the Hayes team will step Clean Reef out over 1100m or 1200m second-up, and if she finds a similar race on a big track, she will get every chance to break her maiden early on in her career.
Rosehill
Rail position: +6m entire circuit
Race 3: Class 3 Handicap (1400m) | Time: 1:27.39
- Horse to follow: Know Thyself (1st)
Know Thyself tasted defeat for the first time two starts back, and he entered last Saturday’s race at Rosehill as an odds-on favourite for the Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich stable, and he never looked to be in any trouble over the 1400m in heavy conditions. The son of The Autumn Sun settled in the box seat before running up the inside rail to run straight past the leaders and run away from them to record a massive 5.32-length victory.
When to bet: It is expected that Messara & Gavranich will take this talented galloper through his grades during the winter months. Know Thyself has shown he can handle all conditions, so wherever he goes next, we will be backing him.
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