Sandown R3 #1 Rockribbed $5.00 at PlayUp – Very promising Maher/Eustace gelding looking to make it two wins from two career starts here in this class one event. He comes off a debut win at Donald, which doesn’t sound too exciting until you look deeper into how he did it. He landed outside the lead after the jump, and was untouched throughout the whole race. From the 400m he was slipped some reign and quickly put a space on his opponents. He was never fully tested through the line and recorded a very easy 1L win. He also managed to record the fastest 400-200m split of the entire meeting, impressive seeing he was never asked to fully extend. 1400m now second up looks ideal, and he has drawn perfectly in barrier three under J Kah.
Sandown R6 #9 Pearlman $4.20 at PlayUp – Third up here and is absolutely bursting to win a race, coming off two extremely good efforts so far this preparation. First up from a very long spell he was seriously unlucky over the concluding stages, and last start at Ballarat he race wide throughout, got a severe check 200m out, had to steady off that and pick up again, and only just missed on the line. Unfortunately he again has drawn an inside barrier, which is a slight negative, but with even luck in running and the wide open space of this track in the straight to suit, he can win.
Sandown R7 #6 Mckeever $8.00 at PlayUp – Convinced this horse is very smart, and looks well placed in a competitive bm64 here for the 3yo’s. His debut win was very good, sitting three wide without cover on speed and putting that field away with the fastest last 600 and 400m sectionals of the meeting, with the second horse since winning a maiden by 6L. Mckeever then went to Warrnambool and was severely inconvenienced by an on-pace bias, finishing 2nd to a locally trained horse as well. They put an absolute space on the field there, and it too looks a smart form line. Third up now, back in grade, very well drawn and looks great odds for an each way bet.
Canterbury R2 #2 Cape Breton $3.70 at PlayUp – Keen on the Waller/McDonald combination for this first starter, a colt by Vancouver. He has had five trials in his lifetime so far, and four of them have come this year. He is likely to be rock hard fit and very forward for this assignment, compared especially to a number of other chances in the market. His trial performances have been very strong, disregarding the one last start on a heavy 8. The trial two back over 900m at Rosehill was very strong, showing good barrier speed before settling behind midfield. The turn of foot through the line was most impressive, and he looks very suited to the 1250m trip here on debut.
Doomben R8 #10 Hard Labour $3.60 at PlayUp – Saving the best until last in Brisbane today, with this horse looking a good option for the get out stakes. Resumed last start off the back of two strong trials, but struck an unsuitable wet track and was no match behind Fender and Garibaldi in what was a clearly nice race. Fitter for that effort, she comes here second up with an unbeaten second up record, and returning to a drying track will be a massive positive. She won her maiden second up, and last prep second up was a 3L+ winner over 1200m at Ipswich. She has form behind Splendoronthegrass, who is a Saturday class of horse, and looks very well placed here to rejoin the winners stall.
