3 minute read
Despite a good field of mares lining up Caulfield’s Group Three W.W Cockram Stakes looks at the mercy of smart sprinting mare Octavia.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The lightly raced Octavia has always shown herself to be talented, her maiden win came in smart figures, and she progressed through to win at listed level at the back of her debut campaign.
That win, at the same C&D as the Cockram, saw her come into this second campaign rated 97+, a figure she effectively ran up to in her first two starts before spring-boarding last time to run up to the form that several factors, not least the clock, had suggested she was capable of.
She is now rated 107+, a figure good enough, when adjusted for weight carried, to win a large majority of recent renewals of this race.
Those in the race with the form in the book to trouble Octavia, namely Oasis Bloom and You’re So Good, are first up and going to be better served getting out over more ground, leaving Octavia looking a terrific bet at $3 and better.
The same stable produces an import with some smart form in the book of his own.
German galloper Araldo comes to our shores rated 118 by Timeform.
The pick of his form sees him remarkably well treated in the mile handicap he is down to contest with lesser performed imports Bit Of Hell and Pakal asked to give him weight.
Of course the query is that he is unseen in this country and his form has not come at a mile but a sprinkling of early money is a positive lead to suggest he is coming to the races in good order and he won’t have to be at his absolute peak to come out on top.
At around the $6 mark he appeals as worthy play in a race where the leading market contenders have nowhere near the scope that he does.
The lay of the day comes in a very even renewal of the Quezette with the early favourite Spirit Of Heaven coming up the early favourite.
She won well in her lone racecourse appearance, with the form and the time solid and suggesting she was a filly heading in the right direction, but she is lesser performed than a handful of the fillies that she meets today and on evidence to this point shouldn’t be the market elect.
She is impeccably bred but bred to be best over further and her win did come on heavy ground. That’s enough queries to have her true odds longer than the $3.80 currently on offer.
THE MELBOURNE MAIL;
Banker: Race 8 #6 Octavia @ $3
Play Of The Day: Race 2 # 5 Araldo @ $5.50
Lay Of The Day: Race 5 #8 Spirit Of Heaven @ $3.80