Vivy Air was as unlucky as they come first up at Flemington, only getting out very late in the piece and flashing home to miss by a long neck to Legacies. In what has since proven to be a red-hot form race - with four subsequent winners, the Archie Alexander-trained filly returned with a career peak rating of 101 on the Racing and Sports scale.
Getting too far back last start in the Group 3 Alexandra Stakes at Moonee Valley, the Hellbent three-year-old still managed to make solid inroads late to the line, and in the progress had the measure of Mollynickers (1.2L). Drawn much kinder (4) than the favourite (Mollynickers - 11), I'm confident Vivy Air can bounce back to/or better her peak rating third up, and if that's the case, she'll have them covered.
As for the best value play of the day, we head back to the well, where I'm prepared to wear egg on my face and side with G Richards & D Moyle runner My Khalifa.
The five-year-old put the writing on the wall last start when closing off strongly into the frame at Oakbank. Despite already beating some of main rivals home, he meets a majority of them better at the weights. Hopefully with a clean jump, Dom Tourneur can settle My Khalifa more prominently, and if close enough when turning for home, he will be too strong for them at the business end.
Say From SA
Best: Race 7 Auraria Stakes #5 Vivy Air @ $4
Value: Race 5 City Of Adelaide Handicap #7 My Khalifa @ $10/3.30