Grey Dame too tough at Nowra
Story By by Gary Crispe
Monday, 14 August 2006: Prepared at Kembla Grange by Gwenda Markwell, the lightly-raced mare can upstage topweight and favourite Strategist in today’s Class 6 dash despite tackling tougher class.
The mare is in excellent form, running some good races at both her home track and at Warwick Farm when runner-up and fourth three and four starts ago.
She then returned to easier grade at Goulburn where over 1300m in a Class 3 she led throughout to score by almost two lengths over Oakdale Girl.
She then tackled a Class 4 at Nowra over 1400m and again proved too speedy for her rivals, leading throughout to win by a half-length over Wishmaster.
Today the mare drops back to 1100m and rises to a Class 6 – meeting a field rated a couple of lengths tougher.
But she is in excellent touch, will appreciate the lighter weight and will be strong at the finish over the shorter trip.
In-form rider Kathy O’Hara, aboard at her last two starts, retains the mount and from barrier four should be prominent again.
The mare looks a strong winner hope and perhaps a better value chance than the topweight.
Strategist, who heads the weights with 58.5kg, comes into the race with good form and is the hardest to beat.
Prepared by Warwick Farm by Mario Caltabiano, the gelding has had a top campaign spanning seven runs which have included four wins and two minors.
After finishing in third place at his third run from a spell, the Strategic gelding strung together three wins on end.
The first was here over a big field where he scored a soft win over 1200m in a Class 1, then he stepped up to a Class 2 over 1100m at Bathurst and won well again.
He brought up the hat-trick over 1100m at Warwick Farm where he led and held off Young Beau to score by a long neck in heavy ground.
Last start he stepped back up to 1200m in the Nowra Cup and ran a good race, finishing runner-up, 2.8 lengths behind Don Luigi.
This time he races at the same track over 100m and meets a field rated several lengths easier.
He must shoulder a big weight though – 5.5kg more than last time - but in the easier grade and small field he should prove hard to catch.
With a good record at the track and being unbeaten from two goes at the distance, his last start rating entitles him to be favourite for today’s easier assignment.
That pair clearly look the two to beat but those looking for a couple to include in the multiples should consider Flouro Fever and Antcliff.
Flouro Fever, in the Mark Macdonald yard at Moruya, is fitter for three runs from a spell including a last start sixth behind Wishmaster on the Acton track at Canberra.
The winner has since franked the form with a strong win in Melbourne over the last week.
Flouro Fever has a light weight after the claim and with a consistent record prior to this campaign should be ready to return to her best form.
Antcliff returns from an eight week let-up and although better suited over further can sprint well fresh.
The gelding will be sitting off the paced as he is likely to be beaten for early speed but should be doing his best work late, especially if they go silly up front.
|
