Latest News

By Ray Hickson

An in-depth look at the chances of every runner in the Group 3 $200,000 Emirates Park Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone on Saturday.

1. Expat (Joe Pride): Once known as a wet tracker, this front-running mare has been more than competitive on top of the ground this preparation. She split Electric Girl and Roots fresh at Group 2 level and three weeks ago she gave her usual sight in front when run down by Princess Grace in the Hawkesbury Crown. She’ll roll forward from the middle gate and you’d expect her to find the lead if Riduna doesn’t want it. Her last win was in February 2022 but her two runs for Pride say she’s in good order and can run a race.

2. Never Talk (Kris Lees): She’s another with a wet tracker's reputation but she’s also capable on top of the ground, however she has the extra complication of being a backmarker. Since her last win in March last year she’s collected a few Group placings including this race last year where she ran third. Didn’t come into the race at all in the Hawkesbury Crown but she did beat Princess Grace home in the Sapphire prior to that, albeit on a wet track. She’ll get back and be running on and can only have each-way confidence.

Never Talk (Pic: Bradley Photos)

3. Bring The Ransom (Bjoen Baker): Won this race last year as a $51 chance off a two month break. She’s been around in most of the good mares races this time in and run well without being a player in the finish. She wound up in a clump of horses behind the placings at Hawkesbury and closest to the fence in an even run. Another inside gate will help her cause and the addition of blinkers might help her find an extra length or two. If it does, she’s in the mix.

4. Written Beauty (SCRATCHED).

5. Finepoint (Chris Waller): Have to forgive the failure in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf where she raced wide and was gone on the home turn. Sat handy and held on well in third behind Roots and Atishu in the Emancipation so on that form she deserves some respect. Draws to settle somewhere in the first half and there’s a case to day she can put herself in the finish.

6. Barossa Rosa (Tracey Bartley): She doesn’t appear to have come back in the form we know she’s capable of looking at her three autumn attempts. Drew wide and came across to sit outside Expat at Hawkesbury but was shaken off shortly after turning and she beat a couple home. Faces a similar task from the outside gate and while she is a subsequent trial winner she needs to improve.

7. Meg (Matthew Dale): Has proven to be a giant killer in the past but she’s also searching for her best form. Enjoyed a nice run at Hawkesbury and had her chance, whacking away beaten three lengths in midfield. Blinkers go back on, her last win was in the Mona Lisa in the spring at $31 so she is capable but entitled to be good odds on her recent efforts.

8. Healing Oasis (Annabel Neasham): Caused something of a surprise when scoring at her Australian debut as a $19 chance at Rosehill two weeks ago holding off Demiana in a Benchmark 78. She faces a likely wide run here from the wide gate and naturally is right up in class but given she was first-up there she’s open to improvement. Given the set up she’s probably under the odds but that improvement is hard to quantify so keeping her on side.

9. More Prophets (John Thompson): Appeared in for a handy preparation with a couple of close up fourths in Group 2 and 3 races in the late summer then the barrier gods stepped in and she’s had to jump from the car park at her past three. She’s produced some slick sectionals in races like the Coolmore Classic and Emancipation Stakes and being a little forgiving of her Hawkesbury run where she wound up making her run close to the fence in the straight. Draws well this time and should settle closer, if the gaps open she has the turn of foot to surprise.

10. Seleque (Chris Waller): Worked through the grades okay last winter but only had the one run in the spring before being rested again. Her two trials have been typically quiet and any market support would be telling but she faces a hefty task, even with a nice gate, to put herself in the finish of this fresh.

11. French Bonnet (Kim Waugh): Nowra Cup winner in December and resumes since contesting the Group 3 Belle Of The Turf where she started $26. Comes into this with an easy trial win under her belt but faces a stronger line up than before that break. Probably looking at what she does in this run with a view to next time given her strong second-up record and just okay fresh record.

12. Sur La Mer (Chris Waller): Expected a bit more of her in the Hawkesbury Crown but she failed to beat a runner home there. She’s so far proven a length or two off the solid Group class mares and as mentioned this is a more than handy field. On her side is a soft draw and good second-up stats but that said she’d previously not finished worse than second when resuming. If she found herself finishing in the top four it wouldn’t be a total shock but couldn’t tip her to win.

13. Short Shorts (Brad Widdup): On the back up after going down narrowly to Flag Of Honour at Gosford last weekend when possibly unsuited coming back to 1200m. She was game in the Provincial Midway Final and looked very smart winning her way into that race via a Kembla qualifier prior. An on pacer who makes her own luck, she’ll have some company for the front here and is still unproven at this level. Pressing for favouritism and while that seems unders coming up in class she can give a sight down in the weights.

Short Shorts (Pic: Bradley Photos).

14. Riduna (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott): She’s just not a heavy tracker and it showed as she dropped out behind Healing Oasis last time at Rosehill so we’ll strike that run aside. Her best effort since a win at Rosehill in August was a gallant second to Hope In Your Heart in the Tibbie at Newcastle over this trip. So that says she’s good enough if she can get some control. Whether that will happen here is debatable.

15. Lekvarte (Joe Pride): Yet to prove herself at Group level but she’s shown flashes of brilliance at times and if she finds the right back to follow into the race she could make a play. Freshend up before giving away a huge start and running into fifth behind Healing Oasis on a heavy track, she’s zero placings from five on that sort of ground. Ran sixth as favourite in the Belle Of The Turf and she’s not out of this.

16. Our Modena (Scott Singleton): Worth having a shot at a stakes race on her home track but she does need to produce something special after her battling first-up run at Warwick Farm in a Benchmark 78. Safely held in the Belle Of The Turf back in December and a win would surprise here.

(1EM) 17. Duchy Of Savoy (Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes): Big ask given she started $101 in the Birthday Card at her last start and finished down the track. Freshened and trialled twice in the lead up to this race, she faces a tricky map and is yet to win beyond 1100m so happy to wait for something easier.

SELECTIONS:
9 MORE PROPHETS
1 Expat
13 Short Shorts
5 Finepoint

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Scone meeting