This is the feature race of the day and it looks a very open affair. With storms forecast for Friday and rain on Saturday, the track currently rated heavy is like to be downgraded even further.
With this in mind, it makes doing the form for this race very tough as all runners have only had between one and five starts. Only one of the 21 entries has had a start on a heavy track.
Here are the ones to watch.
Wicked Intent has had a promising start to his career with three wins from four starts. His only defeat came last start when he stepped out to 1200m for the first time and was run down after being first to the turn.
Before this, his three wins had come easy by a combined eleven lengths and running some impressive sectionals.
The heavy track will be a worry but he has drawn well in barrier five and looks to have a heap of ability.
Frequendly is another who has three wins from her first four starts, her only defeat came about when she stepped out to 1100m and ran a distant third behind Pepperano. She hit back to form last start, winning impressively over 1050m and looks a major player here. How she will go in the heavy conditions is unknown like most of the runners, but she does have siblings who have excelled in the wet and has drawn well in barrier four.
Claudia Jean looked a world beater in her first and only start at Flemington down the straight over 1000m. She ran a 32.59 in the last 600m, which shows she has an awesome turn of foot and she is another that has siblings who have won in the wet.
Drawing barrier one may not be the most ideal barrier on the heavy track but she may be able to duck in and find some cover. There are a lot of questions still to be answered by this filly but she showed plenty on her first outing and looks a major player.
Perignon is one of the few runners who has won at the 1200m which was last start at Canterbury after getting a long way back and making up a lot of ground for a good win. In her only other start she ran fourth behind Zoutenant in the Wyong Magic Millions where she got too far back after being hampered at the start.
She has drawn a little wide in barrier eleven but this may not be the worst place to be with the expected conditions. If she can stay close enough to the leaders then she looks a big chance.
Single Gaze is another of the leading hopes according to the market, she has been well backed and has looked good in her two starts to date. She ran third behind Zoutenant last start in the Wyong Magic Millions and before that had a good win at Rosehill where she made up a lot of ground late and won by a length. She has the expeirenced Damien Oliver on-board and has drawn well in barrier six. Stepping out to the 1200m looks ideal for her also.
Zoutenant looks the best value runner in the field. He won the Wyong Magic Millions last start (the race that produced last year’s winner), beating a few of the fancied runners in this race. He has drawn well in barrier seven and still looks to have a lot of improvement to offer.
Le Chef is another ‘value runner’. He has won his last two starts, the last of which was a gutsy win over 1200m where he lead all the way and won by a length. In form hoop, Luke Tarrant maintains the ride after sterring him home in the last two starts, drawn well in barrier three and he has siblings with handy wet track records.
Best of the rougher hopes look to be Racy and Pepperano. Racy has looked good in her first two starts, the first of which she won at Warwick Farm on a heavy track in which she still ran a handy time.
Last start she ran third behind Perignon by a small margin after looking like the winner at the 100m mark. Pepperano had a big win in her first start before being beaten by a big margin by Frequendly last start. Has drawn wide in barrier 17 but the talented Damien Brown will likely shoot her to the front and give her every chance.
Looks a very open race, let’s hope the forecast rain is not too heavy and the track gets the chance to improve.
My top four in order is Claudia Jean followed by Zoutenant, Perignon and Single Gaze.
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