Last Saturday, the final day of the Queensland Racing Carnival at the Sunshine Coast was postponed after four races, which left punters with Flemington and Randwick as the feature race meetings. In this week’s edition of The Follow Files, we have found three runners from those two meetings that are worth following in their upcoming starts and into the early weeks of spring. You can add these horses to your blackbook with your chosen bookmaker and receive notifications when they accept for their next start.
Randwick
Rail position: +3m entire circuit
Race 4: Class 3 Handicap (1200m) | Time: 1:12.18
- Horse to follow: Clear Thinking (1st)
Clear Thinking made her metropolitan debut at Randwick last weekend and the Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich-trained mare was able to keep her undefeated record intact. The daughter of Dubawi was well-backed with online horse racing betting sites and after a few nervy moments for her followers, the race favourite saluted under Zac Lloyd. Lloyd navigated a path of the fence and picked his way through the pack before asking for the ultimate effort from his mount, and she responded with a blistering turn of foot to claim victory by a long neck on the line.
When to bet: Post-race, Messara confirmed that Clear Thinking would go for a spell before returning in the spring to potentially target The Kosciuszko at the same track and trip as last weekend’s victory.
Race 5: Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m) | Time: 2:06.67
- Horse to follow: Age Of Sail (3rd)
Age Of Sail dropped back from Benchmark 90 grade to a Benchmark 78 last Saturday and the decision to drop in grade nearly paid off for Kris Lees and his team. The five-year-old gelding settled in the back half of the field over 2000m and in the home straight, Nash Rawiller chose to run down the outside fence in an attempt to find firmer ground. Even though this son of Frankel ran further to find the outside fence, he finished off strongly and recorded a strong third-place finish.
When to bet: After two solid runs this preparation, Age Of Sail will be peaking third-up, and if Lees can find a similar race to last weekend, he will prove very hard to beat.
Flemington
Rail position: True entire circuit
Race 5: Leilani Series Final (1400m) | Time: 1:23.34
- Horse to follow: Cindy Falls (1st)
Cindy Falls was sent over from New Zealand to join the Lee & Shannon Hope stable in May, and since joining the Seymour-based trainers, she has run well at both starts. The five-year-old mare let down with a blistering finish at Flemington to nab Brazen Lady in the shadows of the post in the Leilani Series Final over 1400m. Dean Yendall chose to settle at the back of the field from barrier 12, before letting his mount run down the outside of the field. Cindy Falls recorded the fastest last 800m (44.81s), 600m (33.36s), and 400m (22.38s) sections of the entire meeting.
When to bet: Shannon Hope confirmed post-race that Cindy Falls will stay in work and they will step her out to 1600m next start. The Rising Stars Final for fillies and mares over 1600m at Flemington on July 20 looks to be the ideal race.
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