3 minute read
The slow track at Gosford today has thinned out the meeting a little but in the Like Us On Facebook Handicap (race 4) I think you can narrow it down further to three main hopes.
The Adam Duggan trained Frozen Rope, Kris Lees' Our Sphinx and Wade Slinkard's Ausbred Gold are all capable soft trackers and after filling the placings here last start over the same distance of a mile can fight it out again.
Our Sphinx, a lightly raced four year old by Snitzel, has been very honest in 11 runs to date despite recording just the one win.
He broke through over a mile at Newcastle five back when racing on the speed then was runner up over 1500m there before a spell.
Resuming over 1200m at Hawkesbury he found the trip too sharp and settled midfield from a wide gate before boxing on steadily to finish sixth.
Up to a more suitable 1400m at Newcastle he ran a much improved race when on the speed and fighting on strongly to finish third behind Laguna Grande.
Last start, over a mile at Gosford, he crossed from a wide gate and took up the running, kicking strongly in the straight before being overhauled right on the line by Ausbred Gold.
He was beaten only a head and had three quarters of a length on Frozen Rope who was third.
Although meeting the placegetter 1kg worse at the weights this time Our Sphinx has drawn better and has the services of Hugh Bowman.
He has been runner up at both starts at the track and his only run on a slow track was his maiden win.
Frozen Rope, prepared on the course, has a big weight and wide gate today but Duggan has interestingly taken the option to run in this race instead of the previous event over 2100m.
The gelding has won three and placed three of his last six starts, resuming this time in over 1312m at Taree with an effortless 5.5 length win.
He then went straight to town over 1550m at Canterbury and race don the speed before finishing a half length second, then tackled the mile here last time as favourite where he was third throughout before looming up and boxing on well, finishing a length third.
Today he drops a half kilo and meets Our Sphinx 1kg better at the weights.
The draw makes it tough but he has never missed a placed on dead to heavy ground in six starts including three wins.
He has never been out of the placings in three runs on his home track and looks hard to beat again here.
The winner from last start, Ausbred Gold, meets both worse at the weights but it's hard to rule her out as she can only be fitter.
The mare was well held over 1400m fresh but improved sharply last time, sitting off the pace before knuckling down strongly over the final stages to overhaul the other pair.
She rises 1.5kg for this but can only be fitter again.
She is more than capable on soft ground, has won her only try at the course and distance and from a good gate should feature in the finish again.
Ze Choice is a progressive Redoute's Choice mare who has placed at both her runs this time in.
She streps straight up to a mile here but has a nice weight drop and placed at her only run on soft ground, which was in heavy conditions at Hawkesbury.