Ray Hickson
Race 1 – 12:45PM HMAS SYDNEY HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
1. Extremely Tempted looked your typical Waterhouse/Bott youngster in his very soft debut win at Hawkesbury. There are a few question marks with some well-bred first starters but we know what weā€™ll get from him and thatā€™s going to take him a long way. 15. Jaipur Maison is a big market watch first-up. She attacked the line nicely on debut at Newcastle on Hunter Day and started $3.90 in a race won by Fireball after that. Plenty to like about her lead-in trial and she bears close watching. 12. I Am Dirty was a $600,000 purchase and sheā€™s come along well in her recent trials. Hit the line powerfully from the back in the latest of them at Canterbury. 8. Shalash couldnā€™t have done any more in an easy debut win at Gosford. It was a Midway restricted race but she relished the good speed and ran right up to her favouritism. 7. Lady Catalina looked good on debut and 6. Whitehall was a $1.8m buy out of a half-sister to Winx and heā€™s trialling OK.
How to play it: Extremely Tempted WIN.
Race 2 – 1:20PM THE LAST POST HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
3. Enamorada has a handy record and while beaten favourite at Caulfield a month ago she ran on well but couldnā€™t afford the head start she gave away. Freshened up and looked excellent in her recent trial behind Lady Of Camelot. 5. Deep Pleasure did a more than handy job chasing the winner all the way when resuming earlier this month. 12. Siragusa went into the South Pacific Classic unbeaten in two starts in the country and weā€™ll never know how he would have performed as he got rid of Craig Williams shortly after the gates opened. 7. Night Agent may need a bit of luck depending on how the track is playing from his wide gate but heā€™s taken the steps up in his stride, winning a BM58 by a big space then a midweek city BM72 at Hawkesbury both at short odds.
How to play it: Enamorada WIN.
Race 3 – 1:55PM THE THIRD AUSTRALIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL HANDICAP (1200 METRES)
6. Cantiamo wasnā€™t far away in group 3 company second-up from a spell and arguably in the inferior ground at that stage too. Romped home in an easier race at the provincials when resuming and sheā€™s yet to be beaten away from Listed or Group company. Nice set up for her with a kind barrier behind what should be a genuine enough speed and should get her chance. 9. Everyoneā€™s A Star is a little underrated here. Sheā€™s flying without any luck at all from the barriers of late and did run a close second in this grade three runs back. Good each-way chance. 1. Surfinā€™ Bird is a big market watch first-up since going under at $1.80 in a group 3 race at Flemington in November. Best form last prep was at 1400m or so, she may be a little vulnerable from the wide gate first-up but wouldnā€™t be leaving her out. 2. Jellicious looked to have her chance in front when a warm favourite at Rosehill first-up on Easter Monday and was somehow run down. Sheā€™ll be fitter for that and has form around Weeping Woman in this grade so canā€™t undersell her.
How to play it: Cantiamo WIN.
Race 4 – 2:30PM AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS HANDICAP (1200 METRES)
9. Call Me Gorgeous has been dominant and quite impressive in his two wins since returning from Hong Kong where he ran well without winning but obviously didnā€™t settle in there. Would appreciate a bit of a gallop up front to allow him to slide to the outside and run on and if that happens he may well run them over again. 4. Sergeant Major was a Listed winner this time last year and been sparingly raced since then with four runs in the spring. Looked to trial quite well, gets a smart claim with a soft draw and has the right set up to be in the finish. 2. Midnight Dynamite arguably goes a little better with the sting out of the track as his last two wins would suggest but heā€™s trialling well for a return. Resuming without blinkers so keep an eye on betting, but he generally doesnā€™t run too many bad races. 10. Comedy showed a lot of promise as a youngster winning on debut and racing OK around horses like Skyhook. One run for the Pride stable in the spring and was gelded. Resumes in blinkers, a betting push would be handy to get a guide on how heā€™s going.
How to play it: Call Me Gorgeous WIN.
Race 5 – 3:05PM GALLIPOLI HANDICAP (1000 METRES)
2. Lulumon might be good value on the fresh side and back to a trip that she relishes. She was excellent first-up back in February at this track and trip finishing close up in a BM94 in third. Looked to have her chance last time at Kembla but suspect sheā€™s better off at the shorter trips where she can launch late. Should get that chance and no surprise to see her in the finish. 15. Hay Street has struck form with successive wins and jumped from a maiden to beat Grand Prairie on the Kensington track a month ago. Stays down in the weights with the claim and will be prominent throughout. 12. Compensation will appreciate a good track and the form from his maiden win at Rosehill got an upgrade this week with the runner-up winning at Canterbury. Drawn to be right on the speed and while this is harder he has the upside. 13. Confidentiality is a half-sister to Private Eye and full to Kingā€™s Secret and she produced an amazing burst to get up in the last stride when resuming over 900m at Newcastle. Big step up but shows promise and worth considering.
How To Play It: Lulumon EACH-WAY.
Race 6 – 3:40PM ANZAC DAY CUP (1800 METRES)
7. Polymnia has a moment of truth dropping out of group company where sheā€™s been running well without winning. All three runs have pointed to her being not far off a win and at one win from 17 starts sheā€™s definitely due. Wonā€™t do any work from a soft gate, probably a couple of pairs back, and sheā€™s entitled to run on and play a part at the business end. The big query is 11. Thrice who has been solid in early betting for his local debut. Won at The Curragh over 2011m almost a year ago and a little wary of what weā€™ve seen at the trials. If the support continues he might be the one. 2. Zaphod was a second-up winner last time and he did nothing wrong when resuming in the Muswellbrook Cup, running on from well back to be beaten under a length. This is more his comfort zone so expect he can improve off that run and that gives him a solid hope. 6. Kind Words was flying in the summer, her three runs since a couple of months off have been OK in stronger company. Thought she had her chance in the Epona but if she strikes her best sheā€™s competitive.
How To Play It: Polymnia WIN.
Race 7 – 4:15PM FIRST AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE HANDICAP (1500 METRES)
1. Cristal Clear was a game winner of the Ajax Stakes when resuming then went into the Doncaster as an outsider and was never ever in the race so weā€™ll overlook that one. He ran well in the Golden Eagle and the Big Dance last spring, obviously right back in class and should get a nice run up near the speed. 6. Encap finished just ahead of him in the Doncaster but heā€™s not a wet tracker so also happy to overlook it. Something of a D-Day for him coming back in grade and into a field that is largely looking to recapture some form. Blinkers go on, only beaten 1.4 by Joliestar first-up so heā€™s good enough if the race pans out for him. 10. Hellsing has been going OK without winning in this company and if you remove his Canberra and Doncaster runs heā€™s been consistent. Just denied in the Muswellbrook Cup and placed here back in February a couple of times. 9. Shadizi is an interesting one resuming at a trip that should allow him to show something. Started off at 1200m last time in and ran well and only beaten a couple of lengths by Transatlantic in October. Each-way. If 15. Formal Display happens to run here and not the Tamworth Cup then heā€™s going to be a major player.
How To Play It: Cristal Clear WIN.
Race 8 – 4:50PM BATTLE OF THE DARDANELLES HANDICAP (1600 METRES)
16. Poisen Point is coming out of the Country Championships Final where she ran an enormous race from a wide gate, getting back to last and weaving through to miss third by a bob of the head. Placed in a Highway over this track and trip last spring, looking for the 1600m and can measure right up in a wide open race. 19. Nobler was an eye-catcher first-up at Sandown and likely didnā€™t appreciate the choppy conditions at Caulfield a couple of weeks back when a battling sixth. Eligible for easier but gets in with a light weight and inside gate and bears close watching. 5. Fiddlers Green is racing in great form at the moment with his past two wins coming at the mile and while he had an ideal gate last time at Warwick Farm he put a good margin on them. 9. King Pedro showed some promise in his spring campaign and while the mile is short of his best heā€™s one to keep an eye on when he gets out in distance. Can see him running a cheeky race fresh with an easy set up. 13. Crossbow was an upset winner at $41 last time in a return to form so we have to trust him to back that up, but comes down 3kg so worth including.
How To Play It: Poisen Point EACH-WAY.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays at racingnsw.com.au
