Australian Racing: Tuesday 29 June 2021 – Gosford

Race 4

A 4yr old and a 3yr old filly could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but EYE SEE THINGS is given the nod to end up in the winner’s box. She has finished second three times in her last four runs, the penultimate one at this track. She was bumped at the start and her jockey put up 0.5kgs overweight when ending up just under a length behind the winner last time out over today’s distance. She has a wideish gate seven, but on the plus side, she will have 2kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice and will be hoping to go one better today.

PAXOS MISS followed up her penultimate run victory over six furlongs with a fifth-place finish next time out over the same c&d, two lengths back from the winner. She is drawn one outside the top choice and has her peak run since returning from a lengthy 44-week absence.

NELSPRUIT showed solid improvement in his last two outings, the latest when third over six furlongs, 1.2L adrift of the winner when returning from a 24-week break. He raced up with the pace that day and was only run out of it very late. The gelding has a handy gate two and should be right up there when they hit the line.

Race 5

With the late scratching of one of his main rivals, the door may have opened for today’s value bet APACHE BELLE to chalk up her seventh career victory. She is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys, but she has solid staying form to her name and goes for her hat-trick here after wins over ten furlongs and the latest over 2300M by 5.3L. She struck the front at the 150M mark that day and from then on the race was over as a contest. The form of that race has been franked and from gate six, she is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card.

DEVIL DAN won his penultimate start over ten furlongs and then although ninth over nine furlongs next time out, he was only 2.7L back from the winner. He stayed on well that day and is drawn one inside the top choice. In addition, he gets a set of blinkers fitted for today’s run and if these have the desired effect, he should keep the top pick honest.

TELFER also won his penultimate outing, but in his case, over nine furlongs and then finished third next time out over ten furlongs, two lengths back from the winner. He tried to go from jump to wire that day and from the widest draw of them all, he is likely to adopt similar tactics here.

Race 6

As with the previous race, the late scratchings, in this case, four of them at the time of writing, will greatly assist the day’s best bet, JIMMY’S DREAM, not only in the number of potential challengers but also in his draw, which now come into gate seven. His record of one win, five seconds and two third-place finishes from eight runs speaks for itself. He won his penultimate start over 1500M and then finished third last time out over a mile, 1.3L behind the winner. That kind of form may prove to be too strong for the line-up he faces here.

A 3yr old and a 4yr old filly could chase him home, with the slight preference going to MON AMORE. She has finished second in her last two outings, the latest over 1700M, one and a half lengths adrift of the winner. She had to be steadied at the seven-furlong pole that day and then came five wide into the home straight. Jumping from gate five, she could emerge as the immediate danger to the top choice.

JUSTITIA missed out on her hat-trick when finishing seventh last time out over this trip, three lengths back from the winner when returning from a 13-week rest. She was well back entering the straight and did not get the clearest of passages home and as such should have finished closer to the winner as a result. She is sure to put her pole position to good use and should be involved in the finish.

Race 7

This looks to be a tricky race to end off the Jackpot and some caution is suggested. Three 3yr old fillies could dominate the finish to the contest and secure the trifecta, with PRINCESS OF MEYDAN perhaps being the best of the trio. She had her consistency rewarded with a gun to tape victory last time out to record her maiden victory by some 6.3L. She is a speedy sort who burst clear of the opposition to be geared down approaching the finishing post. She jumps from gate seven and could prove difficult to reel in over the closing stages of the contest.

KITTYHAWK FLYER has finished closer to the winner in each of her last three runs, culminating with her maiden victory last time out over five furlongs by 0.8L. She came three-wide into the home stretch that day, but then finished off her race well. She jumps from gate five and should be right up there in the mix.

DUCHESS is seldom far off the action and came the widest of them all into the straight before ending up in third spot, just a length behind the winner and the form of that race has been franked. She gets a set of blinkers fitted for the first time and whilst facing a wide draw thirteen, she will get the services of ex-SA jockey Keagan Latham, so will get all the necessary assistance from the saddle.