Race 1 (1000m) Bm 60
REDHAIR'N'FRECKLES $4.80 just took in out form the hot favourite DIAMOND CITY $1.95 building on the decent Maiden win here at the previous meeting. EMMAS GIFT $3.80 was beaten 2.25L in third. Both placegetters raced wide throughout. There was a bunch on-speed until the turn. Penza sat back on the rail and held the inside while others fanned wider. The mare was in front passing the 200m and held out a determined challenge from the favourite. A good effort her after being wide on-speed. Emma's Gift tried hard and there was also merit in the effort given the way the race panned out. A canny Penza ride on the winner and the runner-up can win soon on a dryer surface.
Race 2 (1000m) Mdn
Penza made it a riding double booting CLYMENE $4.40 home by a nostril from the $2.60F I'M NOT LEAVING. There was a 2.8 gap to the third public elect LA MIA VIA $5.50 in third. Five gallopers were keen to make the lead and they were spread across the track has they turned. Clymene had held the rail and was 1L in front at the 200m with I'm Not Leaving coming with giant strides. He was home in another stride. It was a top effort after being wide in the run and meeting some trouble. Having said that Clymene was brave after being pressured on-speed. La Mia Via raced outside the leader and never stopped trying.
Race 3 (1400m) Bm 60
Punters found it hard sorting this race out with the pre-post fancies drifting in betting. LADY Of FORTUNE $20 took the race out by a lip from SQUIGGLES $6.60 with THINK GLORY $4.80 and BIG STEVE $4.60 close at hand in the minor placings. We'd alerted in the preview that the winner could bounce back to form. She led comfortably with the favourite ELISEO $4.20 on her flank. Squiggles railed right behind them with Think Glory on her outside. Lady Of Fortune was still in front at the 200 and going well but Squiggles kept grinding away and got to wining a lip on the line. Think Glory also gave her all beaten less than 1L. Big Steve had settled back and came up the inside doing his best work late. ALPINE KING $17 caught the eye late and noting that. Eliseo didn't show much when the pressure went on.
Race 4 (2000m) Bm 65
This looked wide open, and the betting reflected that. THE PRES started a $3.70F beaten 1L in third. SUCCESSFUL STAR $5 was well beaten and pulled up with a laceration. Her rider said the mare did not appreciate the heavy conditions. STREET CRED $6.50 failed to respond to riding from the 600m and dropped right out. No abnormalities could be found on the day.
WICHITA WARRIOR drifted from $7-$12 but managed to get up in a close go. He'd been beaten 3.5L at Kembla Grange prior and enjoyed the grade and longer trip. 1000m out The Pres continued to hold a comfortable lead. The winner and second-placed THE BOOMERANG $12 settled well back in the field and presented in the middle of the track. The Pres held a big lead at the 200m, but the other pair were putting in the long strides and nabbed him in the shadows. Good efforts all three. BRAINZES $8 was doing his best work late coming way from the rest.
Race 5 (1300m) Mdn SW
The race was ripped apart by scratchings. The two best-backed had to be content with placings behind the local longshot LOUIE'S LEGACY $26. The winner had been an emergency and had been well beaten at Queanbeyan on debut. The $2F IN MY FEELINGS led and then backed it off and looked well set on turning. The $2.15 second favourite AUTISSIER was slow to begin in the small field but was under pressure as they headed for home. The mare was having her first start for the stable and both rider and trainer concluded she did not handle the heavy conditions (beaten 6L in third). In My Feelings was still in front at the 200m under sufferance but the winner proved too strong late saluting by just under 1L. The winner stuck to the inside and won fair and square.
Race 6 (1600) CL1 SW
Another pair gutted by scratchings including the fancied Neasham-trained pair as had been likely. This left HALLOWED SON a firm $1.80 favourite, but he was just nudged out by ZO PURRFECT $11 in a tight go with FLYING MIA $9. BURGUNDY GIRL $2.60 ran fourth 5L from the winner. They were just hacking along passing the 800m with Flying Mia holding the rail and the winner sitting comfortably behind. Hallowed Son settled last and was the widest on turning. Zo Purrfect cut the corner and fought like a tiger to hold out the other pair in a tight go. The rider of Hallowed Son believed the galloper would benefit from the addition of blinkers. In the conditions Burgundy Girl didn't see out the mile.
Race 7 (1200m) Bm 70 – TAB Federal
Team Joseph Jones made it a double on its annual race-day with the firming SUPER HELPFUL $5.50 delivering comfortably from the $1.90 favourite ALLGEMEINE. FREE STATE $41 made third clear of the rest. Other than the favourite the notable disappointment was EXOTIC DEEL $4.60 who did not respond to riding in the straight. No abnormalities were found. It was busy early with the winner working hard to cross and lead clearly from the 800m. She kicked away approaching the 200m while the favourite was strung-up with nowhere to go. The mare got out late but had lost momentum and couldn't make up the ground. A comprehensive first-up win by Super Helpful while Allgemeine will keep for another day. Free State made up good ground.
Race 8 (1200) CL1
The Keith Dryden barn delivered another winner at double figure odds with SWEET HONESTY $13 delivering by a half-length from the favourite LADY TABLOID $2.80 with MIXED UP GREY $20 close-up next. All three were resuming and they were tough efforts on a deep track. BELLEISTIC KID $8 held the lead from the rail but was pressured all the way and was unable to respond from the 150m. Lady Tabloid (who'd been forward but wide) and Mixed Up Grey (wide throughout and held up at the home turn) were the first to challenge but out sider Sweet Honesty kept coming and proved too strong on the line. MISS BARTY PARTY was tailed off and pulled up displaying cardiac arrhythmia.
