This afternoon I’m riding at Sandown. The rail is out 7 metres on the Hillside circuit with the track rated in the good range.
Race 2 is the BM64 Ladbrokes Cash In Handicap over 1300 metres for three-year-old’s. My ride here is SWEET KAROLINA who is trained by Leon & Troy Corstens. This filly by Starspangledbanner has had seven starts for a record of one win and three placings in previous preparations. She is resuming today and is unplaced from her two attempts when racing fresh. She won her maiden at her last start at Geelong over 1700 metres and was then sent for a spell. She has had two jumpouts in preparation for her return and looks to have gone nicely in both. She was ridden back in the field in her first jumpout and at her next outing settled outside the speed. She has the early speed to take advantage of her inside barrier draw today and I expect she can make her presence felt with an economical run in transit.
Race 4 is the BM70 Clanbrooke Racing Handicap over 1600 metres for fillies and mares. My ride here is MOSTLY SUNNY who is trained by Patrick Caboche. This daughter of Akeed Mofeed is lightly raced for her age with a good overall win and place ratio having had 15 starts for a record of two wins, four second and three third placings. I rode her first-up this preparation at Sandown on the Lakeside track over 1400 metres where she finished third and less than a length from the winner. She steps up to the 1600 metres today for her second-up run and this is the distance that she has won her two races over. From her two runs second-up she hasn’t been out of the top two placings. I expect she will have taken natural fitness improvement leading into this and all her form statistics suggest that she can win this.
Race 5 is the BM64 The Big Screen Company Handicap over 1400 metres. My ride here is Zoumanor who is trained by Mick Kent. This five-year-old gelding by Zoustar is lightly raced having had 22 starts for a record of three wins and seven minor placings. He won his third race at his most recent start in a BM58 over this distance on soft ground at Ballarat. He comes into this with confidence from that win and for a horse that hadn’t won for sometime, that will be much needed confidence. If we have luck in running from the wide barrier draw he should be able to make his presence felt.
Race 6 is a BM70 over 2400 metres. My ride here is PERFECT ILLUSION who is trained by Mitch Beer. This imported six-year-old gelding by Nathaniel has had 29 starts for a record of three wins and eight minor placings. He has been a very consistent galloper with the exception of his last start which was in Listed grade. He is dropping back to a benchmark race today and he is drawn to have an economical run in transit from the low barrier draw. He looks well placed to be one of the main chances in this.
Race 8 is the BM78 Ladbrokes Blended Multi Handicap over 1800 metres. My ride here is PALE KING (FR) who is trained by Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes. This imported four-year-old gelding by Dabirsim has had three lifetime starts, winning them all. He made his debut on the synthetic surface in England over 2400 metres and was subsequently imported to Australia. His first run in Australia was seven months after his debut win where he won a BM64 over 1600 metres at Kembla Grange on a good surface. He was then sent for a break from training and resumed this preparation three weeks ago at Sandown where he won in BM70 grade over the mile. He is a very promising horse that has raced in two different countries, two different states in Australia and is three for three. I rode him at this most recent start and like the style of horse that he is. Even though his winning margin wasn’t great last start, he felt superior in his performance. I rode him in a jumpout last week and liked the way he has trained-on and he has taken confidence from his last start win. He is stepping up in distance to the 1800 metres and if he runs up to his recent form he can make it four from four today.
Race 9 is the BM70 Ladbrokes Odds Boost Exotics Handicap over 1000 metres. My ride here is QUEEN ANNABEL who is trained by Rebecca Kelly. This seven-year-old mare by Bel Esprit has been well placed and managed throughout her career with a record of six wins and ten placings from 56 starts and over $350,000 in prizemoney. I’ve ridden her on multiple occasions, she is a horse that usually runs best when given a resting run through the early stages before being asked for an effort, so always needs luck in running. This race looks like there will be good speed on paper which will suit her racing pattern. We will have a good understanding of how the track is playing by this stage of the day and if the track is racing evenly it will give her every chance. She is dropping back in grade from BM78 at her past two runs to BM70 today, and with luck in running she will be one of the main chances in this competitive field.