Latest News

By Neil Evans

Track Soft 5 and Rail True

Hard fit 3. Release The Spirit is banging on the door deep into his prep. Has been narrowly beaten in two of his last three in slightly deeper company, and draws ideally here for one who likes to roll forward & camp right on the speed.

Dangers: Big respect for 5. Clever Cookie who is tracking to peak third-up over more ground. 1. Conversations can improve sharply, getting on to drier ground second-up; while 4. Bling Empire heads the rest third-up, and is suited over a furlong further.

How to play it: Release The Spirit to win

Progressive & lightly raced 6. Lunaire is the one to beat, drawn to land right behind the speed. Kept finding the line when resuming in heavy ground to only miss by a long neck in a tougher race after being backed from $5.00 into $3.60. Only needs clear air from the 350m to break her maiden.

Dangers: 3. Flight Or Fight has beaten all but the winner in her last two, and has a 50 percent place rate from 10 starts; while 5. Loch Anton Lady is still hunting a breakthrough win ahead of her 25th start, but hasn't missed a place in her last three. Gap to the rest.

How to play it: Lunaire to win

Former Victorian 2. Check Your Six can break through coming back 100m in trip; especially with the early hot favorite preferred at Sunday's Wyong meeting. Came off a break to hit the line well in his first outing for the new Central West stable; and even better suited on drying ground; he gets a stronger and more experienced jockey taking over for what is a modest lineup.

Dangers: 6. My Turn Astern is on an 11-day back-up coming through a handy maiden; while lightly raced 4. Lanwar with a 3kg claim heads the rest.

How to play it: Check Your Six to win

Improving mare 3. Aspen Boulevard can strike fourth-up from a low draw, with key gear changes. Has stuck on well after leading in her last two, ony beaten by small margins after working from wider draws. Gets a timely weight drop after the jockeys claim; and the drop back 100m in distance is a further plus.

Dangers: Watch for any money around 9. The Git Up who resumes off a seven month spell without the blinkers, or publicly trialling. Has plenty of ability, and only missed a place once in five runs last campaign. Keep safe lightly raced 1. Pattera who can run into minor money. Gap to the rest.

How to play it: Aspen Boulevard to win

Tough five-year-old 3. Magnace made up plenty of ground third-up in the deeper Cup Prelude at Dubbo. Gets an extra furlong here, and task made a bit easier with the early favourite coming out.

Dangers: 4. Ocean Honour has ability, and comes back in trip after missing narrowly in the BM 75 Louth Cup. Another one emerging through a handy Dubbo formline is 6. Outback Crumpet who gets a timely 2kg weight drop staying at the distance; while 8. Way To Divine behind a smart last-start maiden win is the next best ahead of 9. Rolled Gold.

How to play it: Magnace to win

Progressive 5. Green Pineapple is lightly raced, and resumed with a tidy maiden win in heavy going. Drawn to get the right run, and advantaged with the early favorite coming out in what is now a weakened race.

Dangers: 7. Magic Madonna also won her maiden first--up when launching from the back; while including both 1. Legolas and 9. Tincity, in exotic plays.

How to play it: Green Pineapple to win

Progressive mare 5. Ms Reeves peaks third-up in a wide open race over 100m further. Resumed for just his second full prep off a forward trial when failing to finish off in a handy BM 58 at Dubbo; but a much better run at the same track on a Soft 7 last time when working home okay into a place through inferior ground. The extra distance here is a bonus, and so too is a drying track, with both wins from nine career starts coming on a Good-rated surface.

Dangers: Plenty starting with 10. Obey who peaks fourth-up from a good cover draw. 11. Hampton Cove is hard fit and reloads off a fighting win in weaker grade four weeks ago. Both 2. That's Better improving third-up; and 8. Cheap Shot are worthy inclusions in exotic plays.

How to play it: Ms Reeves each way

Underrated 3. Shaquila finds a race with slightly less quality deep into his prep. Swept home to easily win a CL1 in heavy going before again hitting the line hard from well back in this grade at Warren. Ridden closer in his next two & wasn't beaten far. With good speed on; can be ridden a little quieter and get to the outside past the 350m. Like most of the stock handles all ground.

Dangers: Resuming from a soft draw behind an impressive trial win, 4. Taborca is the immediate threat. Big watch too on 10. Kora Magic drawn inside third-up, with a key jockey change. 11. Simply Better is also right in the mix from a better draw.

How to play it: Shaquila to win

Improving 1. Naval Destroyer can bounce back second-up with blinkers replacing winkers after failing to handle wet & inferior ground when resuming in a deeper CL2. Was always hard in the market when claiming his maiden third-up last prep; and while he climbs in weight; less depth here and he's clearly at his best on firmer ground. Drawn towards the middle this time where he can track up from midfield before producing a superior final burst.

Dangers: 3. Bliss has gone under narrowly in her last two. 11. Cafe Award comes off a smart second-up maiden win; while 13. Sheza Rainbird is the best of the rest second-up.

How to play it: Naval Destroyer to win

BEST BETS:
R1 3. RELEASE THE SPIRIT
R4 3. ASPEN BOULEVARD

BEST VALUE:
R8 3. SHAQUILA

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Wellington meeting