Australian Harness Racing Preview – 5th August 2023

Leading training duo Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin take a strong team to Melton on Saturday night and it is some of the female members of their stable that take centre stage.

Better Eclipse.
Better Eclipse. Picture: Harness Racing New South Wales

They have a particularly strong hand in the Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship Final where Star Celebrity will be gunning for a seventh consecutive win.

The four-year-old cruised home by 13 metres at this same circuit last start, taking her record at this distance to four from five.

She cops a second row draw but is going well enough to overcome it.

Her unbeaten stablemate Whatadelight made it three from three when she scored by 3 metres at the latest appearance at Bendigo.

She'll be nearing peak fitness third-up off a long stint on the sidelines and is well drawn so is a big chance to deliver again.

High Profile progressed off a fresh placing for an easy Ararat win last start, both from back row barriers.

She is building in fitness and is aided by a better draw so could mix it with her more fancied stablemates.

The stable has Hurricane Harley resuming in the night's free for all and he tackles a good line up.

He has raced just once last campaign and it was a winning performance, leading to score by 1.4m at this circuit in June.

That was his only outing since an assault on the Sydney summer carnival where he was second in a G2 and fourth in the Miracle Mile. He is a strong fresh performer so expect he will be wound up.

Better Eclipse returns from a stint in New Zealand where he was fourth in The Race before back-to-back Group 1 placings. He was a Group 3 winner the last time he raced here and has never missed a place when fresh.

Like A Wildfire is another from the Stewart-Tonkin camp and has been racing consistently with three placings since a let up. He draws the back row but was beaten less than 2m from there last start.

Yambukian found winning form last start and is drawn well enough to feature again while Bulletproof Boy has a strong second-up strike rate so can progress off the fresh placing.

The Stewart-Tonkin stablemates Joyful and Perfect In Pink clash in the 3YO fillies race for the first time since they ran one-two in the Vicbred Super Series Final in December while the team also has Talk Time well drawn to make a winning return in the prior event.

 

BEST BETS:

Melton Saturday Race 2 #1 Talk Time @$2.50 – smart mare from a leading yard and is drawn to make a winning return.

Menangle Saturday Race 1 #1 Polly Put Kettleon @ $3.80 – takes on the boys this time but the ace draw gives her every chance.


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