International Racing: Thursday 3 September 2020 – Australia

THE PREMIER returns from a 16-week rest but has put in two encouraging barrier trials to demonstrate his fitness. He didn’t appear to see out the ten furlongs of his last outing and drops back to what appears to be a more suitable trip, a distance over which he won his penultimate start. He will have to overcome gate eleven, but he nevertheless looks to be the value bet on today’s card. MORE SPICE is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys, but she has cracked pole position. She finished second in her last outing over 1300M, 1.4L behind the winner when returning from an 18-week break. She could be the biggest danger to the top choice. SPIRIT OF ELIJAH has his first run since a 13-week break and has not had the benefit of a barrier trial. He jumps from a handy gate two and did win over seven furlongs three runs back. In addition, he will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice to aid his cause. 

POTTS POINT is a 5yr old mare taking on males, but she had her consistency rewarded with her maiden victory last time out over 1100M, despite hanging over the closing stages. She takes on stronger today, but she has pulled pole position and may well be up to the task on hand. DYNAMITED faded when eighth last time out over seven furlongs and drop back in trip and should do better as a result. His draw three will do him no harm. LEGENDOFOZ stayed on well when ending up in seventh place last time out over 1250M. He has a wide draw of seventeen to negotiate, but he is likely to be dropped out of the race early on and should be doing his best work late. EUROAIRE is another one who has a wide draw, this time in gate fourteen. He was making good late progress when finishing second in his last outing over six furlongs and a repeat of that effort would see him involved in the finish here. 

Two 5yr old mares and a 4yr old filly look like they could dominate the finish to this race and complete the trifecta. However, the firm top pick goes to MODERNITY who has posted two solid recent efforts and finished strongly to win her last start over 1280M. The form of that race has been franked and from draw three, she is taken to be the best bet on the day’s program. PREDICTABLE MISS has her first run since a 19-week break but has had two barrier trials. She had finished second in her two runs prior to the rest, the latest over a mile when one and a half-length behind the winner. She is drawn wideout at gate thirteen, but she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy. SHE’S NEVER LATE disappointed last time out over seven furlongs and was immediately rested for 16 weeks. She has his first run for his new trainer and if fully settled into her new surroundings, she should give a good account of herself in this line-up.  

CELESTIAL DOLL is a 3yr old filly taking on boys, but she has only had the two runs to date and won her maiden race over five furlongs by some two and a half lengths at the second time of asking. She was returning from a 19-week break that day after taking a bump and then being hampered on debut. Her jockey then pulled her out of the race, but clearly, she has some ability and appears to be the one to side with here. ELEAZAR had finished a close up second in his two runs prior to ending up in fourth place last time out over five furlongs. He was hampered at the 600M mark that day and did well to get as close to the winner as he did. He jumps from gate six and should keep the first choice honest. FOX SPIRIT is a 4yr old filly who returns from a 22-week rest. She won her only barrier trial and will be hoping to bounce back to her previous form after being somewhat disappointing in her run prior to the break. 

THE MOVE returns from a 17-week rest during which time he was gelded. He had finished second in his two runs prior to being a tad disappointing in his last start over six furlongs before the break. He did however win his barrier trial well to prove his fitness and looks very difficult to topple here and as such, he is taken to be the best bet on the program. EXPLORATION stayed on well to finish sixth last time out over five furlongs and should enjoy going the extra ground on offer today. He will get 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and could complete the exacta. BURNING SUCCESS made good late progress before finishing fifth in his last outing over 1100M. He was however 3.4L off the winner and a minor place seems the best that be can look forward to here. 

A 4yr old filly and a 5yr old mare could dominate the finish to this contest and secure the exacta. PALICKI had shown gradual improvement in her last three runs before being rested for 19 weeks. She returns here after winning both of her barrier trials and although having to negotiate a wide draw of fourteen, she could be the one to side within this line-up. CENTENARY STAR returns from a 23-week absence but did put in an encouraging barrier trial. She has only had the two runs to date and took a bump at the 100M mark before finishing seventh last time out over six furlongs, 3.3L behind the victor. She is another with a wide draw, in her case out at gate eleven, but she should nevertheless be considered a threat to the top choice. THREEPOINT MISSILE made good improvement in his last outing over six furlongs, despite being hampered at the 700M mark. He has his peak run here and jumps from gate eight.  

VINASTA is a 5yr old mare taking on boys, but she attempts her hat-trick here and the manner in which she drew clear to win her last start over seven furlongs suggests that this is very much on the cards. She does have draw nine to overcome, but she remains the firm top pick. SUPER BAZOOKA showed good improvement in his last two outings, winning the latest over seven furlongs by a head. He was friendless in the betting markets that day and from gate five, he could challenge the former. COCO FASHION is another 5yr old mare in the race and is drawn one inside the latter. She is seldom far off the action and looked dangerous before ending up in fifth place in her last outing over seven furlongs. She should not be lightly dismissed here.  

TONY’S DECREE has shown steady recent improvement by finishing second in his last two runs, the latest when a head back over seven furlongs. He battled all the way down to the wire that day and should have no issue with the slight drop back in distance. He has drawn gate six and should give another honest performance here. SUPERVISOR finished well to win his last start over 1500M by over two and a half lengths. He has a wide ten draw, but is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages of the race and then will be hoping to be picking off the frontrunner over the closing stages of the contest. CELTIC TIGER was hampered at the 500M mark before making good late progress to finish second in his last outing over this c&d. From draw five, he should be considered a threat to the top two selections.  

ROCK TOUR has recorded two solid last performances, finishing second in her latest start over 1300M, two lengths off the victor. She has a handy draw four and will have 3kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice. HEART OF AUSTRALIA hit the front early and then stayed on strongly to put nearly four lengths between herself and the balance of the field to win last time out over six furlongs. She has the widest draw of them all at gate fourteen, but given her style of running, this may not be such an issue as she is almost certain to be doing her best work late. GOT NO DOUBT was a little disappointing when finishing fourth last time out over seven furlongs, but a repeat of her penultimate effort when ending up in third place over 1300M would see her right up there in the firing line.

HELJAMI is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she has consistent formlines to her credit and did win her last start over 1500M by a head. She hit the front at the 250M that day and then showed plenty of determination to keep all challengers at bay. She has the widest draw of them all at gate nine, but she could be good enough to record a quick double here. HONORABLE MENTION is seldom far off the action and stayed on well when second last time out over seven furlongs, one and a half lengths behind the winner. He has a kinder draw of five and could prove the biggest danger to the top choice. DESIGN ROUGE tried to go from jump to wire before finishing fourth in his last outing over this c&d. From gate three, he is likely to attempt the same tactics today. 

RAFFINE is a 6yr mare taking on mares. She just failed by a head to hold on for victory last time out over 1500M on this surface. She gets to jump from gate seven and will surely give the boys a good run for their money. TELEMARKETER battled all the way down to the line before ending up in fourth place last time out over the c&d, two lengths off the winner. He has drawn the widest of the field at gate eleven, but he should still be involved in the finish today. DANCE DATE on the other hand has cracked pole position. She is a 4yr old filly who showed marked improvement to win her maiden race by one length last time out over six furlongs when dropping down to sprinting from the mile of her previous run. 

BALLE D’OR is a 6yr old mare taking on boys, but she is a speedy sort who put seven lengths between herself and the opposition when winning last time out over 1100M at this track. She is sure to enjoy the shorter trip and from pole position, she is made the best bet on today’s card. YANKEE LOU stayed on well to finish second in his last outing over six furlongs, 0.8L behind the victor. He jumps from a handy three draw and could complete the exacta here. ROYAL PEGASUS returns from a lengthy 76-week absence from the race track and has not had the benefit of a barrier trial, so his fitness will have to be taken on trust. The fact that his connections have brought him back to racing after such a long break suggests that they still believe that he has something to offer them. 

ICON finished third last time out over 1100M on this surface when returning from an 18-week rest. He has a wideish draw of eight, but if not in need of one more run, he should be right up there in the dash down to the wire. REDEEL is a 3yr old filly taking on males and returns from a 17-week rest without having had a barrier trial. She jumped awkwardly but recovered well to go on to win by just under a length over five furlongs on debut. She faces a wide draw of eleven, but she clearly has some ability and could be the biggest threat to the top pick. ONCE UPON A DREAM is a 6yr old mare who showed marked improvement to win her last start over this c&d by 0.8L. She was friendless in the betting markets that day, but of she is able to confirm that effort here, she should be included in all bets.