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Quaddie preview: Australia Day at Moonee Valley and Warwick Farm

(AAP Image/Hamish Blair)
Roar Guru
25th January, 2018
2

The weather is fine and the tracks are good for a bumper day of racing for Australia Day.

Moonee Valley

Night racing returns to Moonee Valley for Australia Day, where the feature race is the Group ll Australia Stakes 1200 metres. The forecast is for warm weather with rain likely to stay away until the evening, the track is rated a four and the rail is in the true position for the entire circuit. The quaddie legs are races five to eight.

Race 5: Simpson Construction VOBIS Gold Star 1500 metres – numbers 1 and 6
Widgee Turf is also accepted for Caulfield, but I’ll be banking on him running here. He has been excellent this prep for Patrick Payne, and he can handle this with no problems.

The obvious threat is Burning Front, who returned to winning form with an all-the-way win at Flemington, though he was helped by bias. They are the two to beat, and I can’t see anything outside the pair winning.

Race 6: Pedders Suspension Handicap (70) 1200 metres – numbers 1, 2, 5, 7 and 12
This is a very tricky three-year-old contest. Weld’s debut win at Echuca was impressive, really hitting the line with purpose despite being off the bit a fair way out. He is a must include.

Andaz has Group l form next to his name and has been trialling up nicely. He just has to overcome the nasty draw. Super Snob is another that resumes with a solid trial under the belt. Prevailing Winds and Illumicon is the other pair to include in what looks a very tough leg.

Race 7: The Valley Summer Stayers Series Heat 1 (78) 2500 metres – numbers 3, 7, 9 and 13
Dartboard job this. King Kamada has placed in a Group l over two miles in New Zealand at the Auckland Cup, so he is a crazy price despite the fact he is being trained as a jumper.

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Rokda Kasba got a well-deserved win last time out and finds Jamie Kah from a sweet draw. Diamond Grace is the x-factor. First up at 2500 metres for Mick Kent, but she has trialled well. Aurora Rose is a tough bugger who will be on speed and giving her all, and she does get weight relief.

Race 8: After the Last at Legends Summer Spring Series Heat 2 (70) 1200 metres – numbers 6, 8, 9 and 13
Knight Commander looks the most promising of the lot here, and his win last time out was a much-needed confidence boost. He can go right on with it now. Haski is another that got a well-deserved win last time out, spanking his rivals late. He’ll go close with luck in running.

Believing has been running on well of late and 1200 metres is right up his alley. Trojan Storm is one with upside and a peach from Williams got him home last time out at Ballarat.

If successful, $50 will get you 62.50 per cent return.

(AAP Image/Hamish Blair)

Warwick Farm

Australia Day in Sydney sees racing at Warwick Farm for an eight-race card headlined by the Australia Day Cup run over 2400 metres.

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The weather forecast is similar to Melbourne Moonee Valley, with warm weather and a chance of rain; the track is rated a four; and the rail is out five metres from the 1000-metre winning post and is out three metres for the remainder. The quaddie legs are races five to eight.

Race 5: TAB Rewards Handicap (71) 1200 metres – numbers 6, 7, 8 and 12
Draws wide, but only the one turn for Tswalu. I think she’s the one to beat on what I’ve seen so far this prep. All In The Reflexes trialled up a storm prior to a luckless resumption at Canterbury. Home track advantage and senior jock on.

Bold Chance is trained by Kris Lees and could be heading down the Provincial Championships path. He’s the x-factor. Mahalangur is a promising youngster for Team Hawkes who won like a star on debut before not quite going on with it in the spring. He’s the watch horse looking forward.

Race 6: Vili’s Pies Australia Day Cup 2400 metres – number 7
Can only see one horse with upside here, and that’s the Team Hawkes-trained Cordero, who has won his past three in very impressive style. A patient ride from Jay Ford got him the win last start in a brutally run 2400 metres.

On the limit and Avdulla takes over, so he ticks the boxes for me. The rest have found their mark while this bloke has upside. Vassal and Dee I Cee could be included if you wanted to save, but I’ll be standing Cordero out.

Race 7: 2018 ATC Membership Handicap (75) 2200 metres – numbers 1, 3, 4 and 6
This could take all day to be run. Think Peribsen is the one to beat. He looked gone at Kembla but just kept finding and clung on under Angland, who remains on.

Irish Optimism has to carry the big weight, but I thought there was a bit of merit to his win last time out at Canterbury. He’ll have no troubles with 2200 metres.

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The Gavel is going okay for Ron Quinton. It’s been a while since he has won a race, but he draws a good gate and shouldn’t be far off. Beijing Board was dominant at Canterbury, and now that he’s won he can go on with it.

Race 8: ATC Handicap (75) 1400 metres – numbers 1, 8, 12, 14 and 15
He rises in grade but there’s good promise about the way You Make Me Smile has gone about his business since joining Jason Coyle. Both runs/wins this time in have come at Nowra and they have been dominant. He can measure up.

Aquatic is a non-winner, but his recent efforts from the back have been great and he finds a very winnable race. Vaniloquio always runs well on his home track and he draws to get three wide cover and launch. Kris Lees pair of Wahng Wah and Kool Vinnie are next best off last start eye catchers.

If successful, $50 will get you 62.50 per cent return.

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