3 minute read
A nine-race card at Eagle Farm this Saturday to launch Stradbroke season.
Unfortunately, there has been plenty of rain in south-east Queensland in the past week or so. A soft 7 has been posted, and that is unlikely to improve significantly with light showers forecast late on Thursday and Friday.
The best race on the card by a mile is the Group 2 Victory Stakes but it is a difficult one for punters with no less than four Group One winners first-up after extended breaks.
The best bet on the card won’t be any flash odds, but The Next Episode looks too good for his rivals in Race 6, the Listed Dalrello Stakes.
The wraps were big after a first-up win at Warwick Farm and consequently the Ciaron Maher-trained youngster was sent around at $2.60 in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes on Day One of the Championships.
Backers’ hopes looked to go up in smoke when the $2.8 million colt missed the kick by four lengths. Rider Jason Collett tacked on but faced a wall of horses on straightening. Soon after he weaved a passage then flew when clear in the soft conditions but missed a most unlikely win by just a head.
Maher trialled the two-year-old at Doomben on 21 April and he was on his best behaviour, winning with ease.
From a wide gate Collett will be looking for cover in the three-wide trail. It shouldn’t be a bad place to be by the midway point of the card on a rain-affected surface.
There are some smart locals lining up but that Sydney Carnival form will stand up.
The each-way play comes in the following race, the Group 2 Queensland Guineas.
Snitzel Dancer has made remarkable progress since the Ryan/Alexiou stable popped the blinkers on two starts back.
The filly went from an inglorious fifth in a Benchmark 72 on 18 February to winning the Group Three James Carr Stakes at her latest appearance. Sent around at $21.00 that day, she settled some seven or eight lengths off the lead until being set alight three-wide on the bend. The daughter of Snitzel then showed a wonderful turn of foot to put away the favourite and previously undefeated Plaintiff.
The filly also quickened nicely in soft going in her win at Hawkesbury the run prior. Being by Snitzel is usually a rubber-stamp for wet track ability, but she did prove it that day at the provincials.
On Saturday she needs to go a further 200m and takes on the males. Her finishing power suggests the mile will be no problem, and her figure achieved in the Carr puts her ahead of the $1.90 favourite Brave Monarch who is the obvious threat.
At around $6.00 each-way she looks a bet to nothing.
Best bet
Race 6 #3 THE NEXT EPISODE at $1.70.
Best each-way play
Race 7 #15 SNITZEL DANCER at $6.00/$2.00.
