The Deep Field filly won a 1000m heat at Hawkesbury recently and jockey Rachel King let her sprint for the 150m and she really put lengths on her rivals. “I said to Rachel ‘she’s never been off the bit so let her stride to the line a bit’,” Vella said.“You can get to the races after they’ve won their trials when travelling then they’ve got nothing off the bit so I wanted to make sure she sat and sprinted for a little bit.”
The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!
On Sunday, Roam Free will be ridden by Christian Reith out of barrier seven and that gate will allow her to do what she did in the trial and sit off the speed. “I’d like her to be sitting one out, one back. I won’t be worried if she’s three-wide with a bit of cover. Hopefully she can sit off the speed then go bang,” Vella said. “She’s a very straightforward filly. She’s had a lot of educational work. She came back in for her second preparation and showed plenty of ability so I’ve got a good option of her.” So what’s Vella’s thoughts on her winning on debut?She has trialled twice for this race but had five weeks off in between to treat a foot abscess which required just one week off the training track. She’s 100 per cent fit heading into her first start and Vella has had a good look at the way the race sets up for her.“She goes well,” he said. “When my horses have their first start I always sit on the fence however I think she’s going along very well and there’s only one to beat in the race. “That’s the Freedman horse (Ice Cubed), who I know goes well because I did the underwork for them with that horse so I know how well it goes but I’m happy with my filly. “I’m giving her a run now because she’s sound and going well but you won’t see the best of this filly for another six months.”Never Second will start either in the third race, where she’ll likely be odds-on, or on her home track at Hawkesbury on Tuesday. Vella thinks she’s a winning hope fresh no matter where she goes.“She’d be very hard to beat if she runs at Goulburn and also a good chance at Hawkesbury,” he said. “Barrier one is an issue for me at Goulburn because she is a bit of a tart in the gates so I don’t know if I want her in there for long.” She beat Jaytees at her only run last spring and had a winning trial ahead of her first-up run.“She’s got a lot of ability but can be hard work,” he said. “She was very impressive last start against a horse that’s placed in town. She’s double the sized now and is furnished so she’ll get her chance to go through the grades this preparation.”
Meantime, local trainers Emma and Lucy Longmire bring two progressive horses to Goulburn who showed last start they were in for good preparations. Salute To The Sun kicks the day off for the team in the opener after running third first-up at Canberra over 1200m. She got too far back from barrier 10 that day but that won’t be the case this time from a better draw and with Amy Lucas riding.“It was great to see her come back like that,” Emma Longmire said. “She had been in a couple of good form races during her first preparation and it was even good to see Marsannay run well (behind Shaik) at Rosehill last weekend. “She had a lot to do first-up and this draw definitely puts her closer in the run and she doesn’t have as much ground to make up.” Longmire said the three-year-old filly has taken plenty of natural of improvement out of that fresh run considering she came into it off no barrier trial. “She’s trimmed up and looking ready to go now,” Longmire said. “We’ll run her at 1200m this time then there’s a nice 1400m race for her next start.”Star Dynasty races in the third event with Blaike McDougall on board and she won first-up at Albury, also off no official barrier trial. “It was a tough win last start but that girl can be her own worst enemy at times,” Longmire said. “She has been a real work in progress. She’s a lightly-raced four-year-old which says a lot. She just missed the kick last time but then did well to recover and win like she did. I was told it was the closest photo finish in five years at Albury.” Longmire said both horses will be better on Sunday. “They’re both equal after going into their first-up runs off just one jump out.,” she said. “Star Dynasty was more tractable in the run and will handle a wet track if the rain does come.”
MATT JONES’S TOP PICKS
BEST BET
Race 4, No.3: Mirror Model
This Sepoy filly won well to end her last prep and trials suggests she’s spelled great and is ready to go through the grades.
NEXT BEST
Race 7, No.15: Princess Amira
She ran a close third on debut at the provincials and the stable has applied the blinkers for her second run so expect plenty of improvement.
VALUE BET
Race 2, No.7: Roam Free
This filly showed a glimpse of her talent in her latest trial when allowed to show off a sharp sprint and she might be able to knock off the favourite here.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 3, 6, 8Race 5: 5, 6, 7, 9 Race 6: 3, 4, 5, 9Race 7: 1, 4, 15
TRAINER TO WATCH
RICHARD and MICHAEL FREEDMAN have three very good winning hopes with Ice Cubed, Cinderella and Mirror Model.
JOCKEY TO WATCH
KEAGAN LATHAM rides Ice Cubed and Mirror Model for the Freedman men but also has winning hopes with Solva.
INSIDE MAIL — GOULBURN
RACE 1
Sweet Rosetta would’ve taken plenty out of her debut run at Kembla Grange when fourth to Paper Daisy, who ran in a $2 million race on Saturday. She only had one trial before that so the best is yet to come this time in. Dragons Breath will probably push forward from the outside gate and he’s got the fitness edge on most of these. Bytact finds an easier race here which he needs and Salute To The Sun kept coming at them from back in the field first-up and gets a slightly better gate now. It wouldn’t surprise to see Press Estate go close at juicy odds.
BET: SWEET ROSETTA to win.
RACE 2
Ice Cubed debuts after trialling against some handy types and he’s here to win on debut and the market should say that. He’s got an in-form team behind him too. Shamus Dream returns from a spell after a couple of good performances at the provincials at her first preparation. She’s got to be a hope in this grade. They’ve taken their time with Roam Free and it may have been worth it. She showed an explosive turn of foot to win a lead-up trial and the stable is producing some promising types. These three look the standouts.
BET: ROAM FREE to win.
RACE 3
Star Dynasty can do things wrong but when she gets her mind on the job she’s talented enough to do well here. She won first-up off no trial so she’s a big improver. Giftgiver likes to be on the speed which puts him right in this and going back to 1000m won’t hurt. Cinderella can run a bit of a race here off a close second placing at the provincials and the bigger track suits.
BET: STAR DYNASTY to win.
RACE 4
All That Sass drops back to a much easier race after everything went against her on Magic Millions day on the Gold Coast. She can lead from the inside draw and prove hard to get past. Mirror Model ended her first preparation with a dominant win at Nowra and she trialled up in good fashion against some genuine Saturday grade city horses to suggest she’s going to go to another level this time in. Reelclass is the other main hope off a good win here last time and she will want All That Sass to set a nice tempo.
BET: MIRROR MODEL to win.
RACE 5
Van Gogh peaks now third-up off an 1100m win and third placing over 1400m at Kembla Grange. He just needs some luck from a wide gate and he can go close because there’s plenty of upside with him. Dream Maiden really hit the line over 1600m last start at Wyong and she will enjoy getting back to this circuit and stablemate Waihora Jewel looks overs. Duchess Marizza has gone close in all three runs this time in and a win here wouldn’t be a surprise at all.
BET: Quinella 6, 7.
RACE 6
This is a pretty open race without a standout. The win of Super Solar at start two was pretty good even if he didn’t beat much and he’ll appreciate the extra 100m third-up. Solva drops back in grade to a more suitable race after winning two in a row to kick off his preparation. Linden Tree also comes back to an easier race after failing in town last start and dropping back to 1400m should be fine and don’t forget he won by 4½ lengths two runs back. Bolson won’t mind some rain falling and he’s won second-up in the past so look for a bold run despite the wide gate.
BET: SUPER SOLAR each way.
RACE 7
Princess Amira gets a run here as an emergency and she’s going to be well favoured off a good effort on debut at the provincials and the Waterhouse/Bott stable has put the blinkers on for this second career start and she should be a force. King Of Hearts went down in a photo at this track last start but has a wider draw to contend with now and the top weight.
BET: PRINCESS AMIRA to win.
Source link
