3 minute read
Handy mare Survival can keep her unbeaten second-up record intact when she contests today's Vale Reg Hutchinson Handicap (race 5) at Randwick.
The Peter Snowden trained mare has won three races in her career and all three have been second-up from a spell.
She comes into today's race in that state and should go close over the 1550m in this Benchmark 70.
Her maiden win was over 1500m at her second career start at Newcastle before a spell, then second-up next time in she raced over a mile in heavy ground and led throughout to score.
She didn't race again that campaign before resuming with a typically solid sixth fresh before stepping to 1500m at Hawkesbury on slow ground.
There she settled back in the field before running on hard to score an impressive win.
Next start, back on top of the ground and over a mile at Warwick Farm, she drew wide and went back to last, again working home strongly to finish seventh.
Last run before another spell, over 1800m here, she had a big weight and spotted a start before hitting the line hard and finishing a three-quarter length fourth behind Fiscal.
Fresh-up this campaign, she kicked off over 1400m at Newcastle and got back to last in the small field.
In what turned out just a dash home, she made good late ground into third, beaten only a couple of lengths behind Flaming Circle.
Today she rises in weight as she drops back to fillies and mares grade but finds an ideal race over 1550. Her three wins have all comes at about this trip.
Survival has won a race apiece in dead, slow and heavy ground and second-up she really fires.
This race has much more speed than in her fresh-up and her only try at the course was a good fourth.
Aside from her record second-up and at the trip she has plenty going for her and should prove hard to hold out for Corey Brown.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Essence Of Success gets the chance to prove herself over a longer journey today.
The mare has had just seven career runs but not more than two in a campaign so to date hasn't been tested beyond 1350m.
She resumed over 1200m at Gosford in slow ground where she sat just off the speed and worked home well for a long neck second behind Jeffrey Joe.
The extra journey suits now and although drawn wide will slide forward and take a prominent position.
The Joe Pride trained Truth On Toe rates highly on her recent form but her latest was terrible.
The mare put the writing on the wall fresh-up with a hard fought third after covering ground, then duly saluted next start over 1250m at Warwick Farm, sitting just off the speed before running on to score.
Last start, over this journey at Canterbury, she took up the running but found little in the straight and faded to finish last.
This is an easier race, she has drawn well and is fitter again.
If she can take a sit like the previous effort she is definitely worth another chance.
Delzera is flying and although up in grade will take running down, while Lycra Lass just edged out Miss Shamardal and meets her better at the weights, so is worth including in the multiples.