This evening I’m riding at Cranbourne for the night meeting. The rail is out nine metres and the track is rated in the good range.
Race 1 is the Browns Sawdust & Shavings Three-Years-Old Maiden Plate over 1500 metres, my ride here is MIDNIGHT RAMBLER who is trained by Danny O’Brien. This gelding by Love Conquers All is raced by the Gorell family. He has been a model of consistency without winning in his career to date with four minor placings from six starts. He is a horse that seems to make his own luck by racing on or close to the speed with his last two starts being over 1600 metres. He drops back to 1500 metres here and he raced over this distance three starts ago at Mornington where he started from a wide barrier and wasn’t beaten far into second placing. He is a horse that races well on all surfaces and he will start from a more favourable barrier this evening, which will give him every opportunity to run his best race and hopefully win his maiden.
Race 2 is the Dirt Rock Civil Maiden Plate over 1300 metres, my ride here is MIGHTY FEAT (NZ) who is trained by Peter Moody. This four-year-old gelding by Per Incanto runs in the colours of Ian MacDonald. He is lightly raced having had just seven starts and has a race record of a second and three third placings. He’s had two runs over 1200 metres this preparation before stepping up to 1400 metres last start at Pakenham. He had the blinkers added to his head gear for the first-time last start, and after making all the running was gallant in defeat to finish second. I like the fact that he is a very fit horse that’s had a run with the blinkers on and is dropping back slightly in distance. He has drawn a low barrier draw and will take a lot of beating in this.
Race 3 is the Designer Coolrooms Maiden Plate over 1000 metres, my ride here is WINSUM who is trained by Ken & Kasey Keys. This three-year-old colt by Wandjina had one start as a two-year-old where I rode him in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield. I rode him in jumpouts and track work in preparation for his debut and felt that he had enough ability to run in the Blue Diamond. Unfortunately his racing manners let him down on raceday at that level and he wasn’t quite ready to continue on in that preparation and he was subsequently sent for a break from training. He is a horse with above average ability and if he brings his recent trackwork to the races he will be winning this.
Race 5 is the TAB Long May We Play Class 1 Handicap over 1400 metres, my ride here is NARVAEZ who is trained by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott. This three-year-old colt by Vancouver has had seven starts for a record of one win and two third placings. I rode him last preparation at the end of his two-year-old year and won his maiden on him at Bendigo over 1600 metres. He then had two unplaced runs at Listed and 2YO Handicap grade at Flemington and Caulfield before being sent for a spell. I’m looking forward to seeing how he presents pre-race for his first-up run and how he has matured. If he runs up to his best form he will be very competitive in this.
Race 7 is the De Bortoli Wines BM64 Handicap over 1200 metres, my ride here is FIXATED who is trained by Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes. This three-year-old gelding by Hinchinbrook is raced by Mirunners Racing. He has been a very consistent galloper with a record of one win and five placings from his nine starts. He races here fifth-up this preparation and comes into this with confidence as he is a last start winner. He is a very fit horse who is dropping back slightly in distance from last start and is a horse that races close to the speed. He has drawn a wide barrier and will need luck in running, if he has luck and doesn’t have to work too hard in the early stages he will be one of the main chances.