International Racing: 22 September 2020 – Australia

INDIANA STAR is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys, but she showed good improvement to finish second last time out over seven furlongs, despite taking a bump at the 100M mark. She has drawn wide at gate seventeen, but she is likely to be dropped out of the race early and should be picking off the frontrunners over the closing stages of the contest. SIRIUS DEAL got going late to end up third in his last start over 1700M, just under a length behind the winner. He is drawn eleven, but will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice. MARK THE HORSE returns from a 11 rest and has not had the benefit of a barrier trial. He faces a wide draw of sixteen, but has good gate speed which should allow him to move across without using up too much energy. 

GOROKAN EXPRESS completed his hat-trick when winning his penultimate start and then finished fourth in his last outing over five furlongs, 1.7L off the winner. He was hampered in the closing stages of the race and should have finished closer to the victor as a result. He jumps from gate eight and is taken to be the value bet on the card. VALENTINA STAR is a 4yr old filly taking on males. She followed up her penultimate run victory over this trip with a second place finish over the same six furlongs journey next time out, just a half length behind the winner. She has draw seventeen to negotiate, but with a bit of luck in running, she could pose a threat to the top choice. HOT SEAT is a speedy sort who put two and a half lengths between himself and the opposition when winning last time out over this distance. He has a kinder draw of nine and will have 3kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice to aid his cause.

KARAKORAM was impressive when winning going away from the field in his last start over six furlongs. He has a handy draw five and will have the services of a 3kgs claiming apprentice. He could prove difficult to topple here and is made the best bet on the day’s program. FLINTOFFKING is a 4yr old filly taking on boys, but she won her penultimate outing over 2300M by some four and a half lengths and then stayed on well when fourth over ten furlongs next time out. She has an awkward draw of fifteen, but could complete the exacta here. WOLFE TONE is used to these marathon distances and missed out on his hat-trick last time out over twenty furlongs. That was perhaps a tad too far for him and he takes a drop in distance here. Although jumping from a wide seventeen draw, he should be involved in the finish. 

A 7yr old and a 6yr old mare could fight out the finish to this race, with the slight preference going to MILLIE THE MISSILE who is seldom far off the action. She finished third last time out over seven furlongs, just a half length off the winner. From draw eight, she is likely to turn in another honest performance today. MONUMENTAL LADY has shown steady improvement in her last three runs, winning the latest over a mile by a short-head. The blinkers are re-fitted for today’s outing and she could be good enough to complete her double here. VOLATORE won over six furlongs on debut, despite being friendless in the betting market, suggesting that he is better at the races than he is back home. He would have learnt from that run and with the natural improvement that can be expected, he should be right up there when they hit the line. 

BOOMI’S BUDDY showed good improvement to finish sixth last time out over seven furlongs, two and a half lengths behind the winner, despite racing wide in the early stages of the race. He faces draw nine, but should be right up there when they hit the line. MOMEMORY is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she seldom finishes too far off the action and ended up in fourth place in her last outing over seven furlongs. She will have to negotiate a wide draw thirteen, but she likes to race up with the pace in her races, so this may not be such an issue. ARISE MY SON is drawn one inside the latter. He is another who likes to race up with the speed and drops down from the mile of this latest outing to what appears to be a more suitable seven furlongs. He should be involved in the finish today.

YABA DABL DOYA finished a solid second over this distance last time out, two lengths off the winner. The form of that race has been franked and although drawn the widest of them all at gate nine, he could be the one to side with here. ESKDALE GIRL is a 5yr old mare taking on males. She was only run out of it very late before finishing second in her last outing over six furlongs. From her handy gate two, she should keep the top choice honest. HALLSIDE FANDANGO is also a 5yr old mare. She finished fifth last time out over six furlongs when returning from a 21-week absence. She jumps from gate four and seems likely too enjoy going over the extra distance.  

Although LA DALLIANCE finished fifth in her last outing over 1100M, she was just under a length behind the victor. She tried to go from gun to wire that day and was only run out of it late. She faces the widest draw of eleven, but given her style of running, she is likely to use that early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy. ROCK TOUR’S last two runs have been over 1300M, finishing 4.3L back in the latest outing. She messed up the start and was then hampered at the 700M mark, so did well be get as close to the winner as she did. She has a handy draw three and could emerge as the biggest danger to the top pick. HEART OF AUSTRALIA followed up her penultimate run victory over six furlongs with a seventh place finish over 1300M next time out. She faces a wide gate nine, but should be included in all bets. 

OUR ROCKY is seldom far off the action and ended up in third place in his last outing over 1100M, a length and a half behind the winner. He gets gate four and is likely to turn in another honest performance today. EMOTIVE MOUNTAIN made good late progress when finishing seventh in his last start over six furlongs. He is drawn one outside the former and will have 1.5kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice. He looks to be the immediate threat to the top selection. HALLSIDE HOT STUFF has cracked pole position. He didn’t go on with his effort in the straight when disappointing in his last start over 1300M, but if he is able to bounce back to the form that saw him finish second over this trip three runs back, be should be right up there in the mix. 

A 3yr old and a 4yr old filly could dominate the finish to this race and complete the exacta. JEANNE D’ARC has only had the two starts to date, finishing second on debut over six furlongs and then going on to win by a head next time out over seven furlongs. She battled all the way down to the wire that day and although facing a wideish gate eight, she could be the one to side with here. LET ME THINK has consistent formlines to her name and finished third in her last outing over 1500M, just a length behind the winner. She has a kinder draw two and should put in another honest performance today. DELILEO has pulled pole position and showed good improvement to win his maiden race last time out over seven furlongs. He did not get the clearest of passages that day, which makes the victory that much more encouraging. He may prove god enough to record a double here. 

Not too dissimilar to the previous race, a 4yr old filly and a 5yr old mare could fight out the finish to this contest and secure the exacta, but the value bet for the day, CROSSCHECK is taken to be the top choice. She followed up her penultimate run victory over 1300M with a fourth place finish over the same c&d next time out, two lengths off the winner. She was only outrun late that day and may prove difficult to overhaul in the dash down to the winning post. EXOTIC RUBY has shown steady improvement in her last three outings, the latest when second over 1300M, only one length back despite losing a shoe during the race. She has her peak run here after returning from a lengthy 48 week break and from gate two, she could be the immediate danger to the top choice. SAMMY has only had the three outings to date and has won, run second and third in all three. He was victorious by one length last time out over six furlongs despite overracing in the early stages. From his pole position, he should be included in all bets. 

BIGGER THAN THORN goes for his hat-trick after winning his last two runs over five furlongs, the latest when going from jump to wire. He was returning from a 13 week rest that day and although having to negotiate gate nine, the trio of victories is very much on the cards. THE DRAKE is seldom far off the action and finished strongly to secure third place last time out over this c&d, only a neck behind the winner. He is drawn wider out at gate eleven, but will most likely be dropped out of the race in the early stages and should be doing his best work late. EMPRESS BEA is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys. She jumped awkwardly in her last start over six furlongs, but recovered well to end up fourth last time out over six furlongs, just a length off the winner. She has a kinder draw seven and should keep the males honest. 

BELLUCI BABE is a 4yr old filly taking on males and returns from a 36 week rest, but she has had the two barrier trials, winning the first and finishing second in the latest. She won over five furlongs on debut when hitting the front at the 300M mark and then stayed on well to be unsighted by the chasing pack thereafter. She is drawn in gate four and may prove to be better that this field. ROCKETING BY won his maiden race last time out over five furlongs by one length. He has only had the three outings to date and has yet to finish out of the top three spots, so he clearly has some ability. He has to overcome draw nine, but could pose a threat to the top pick. MIDSUMMER RAIN is a 4yr old filly who returns from a 22 week break, but she did win her only barrier trial to prove her fitness. She won over five furlongs on debut and then followed that up with a third place finish over six furlongs next time out. She jumps from gate five and should be involved in the finish today.