3 minute read
There are a number of meetings set to take place on Wednesday including at Canterbury, where a heavy 9 track is expected for their seven-race card.
Race 6 Canterbury
Diamond Model @ 7.50
Race 5 Sandown
Mathew @ 5.00
Race 6 Belmont Park
Antique Queen @ 3.00
Diamond for second up success
The penultimate race at Canterbury is a competitive 1250m Benchmark 72 handicap event.
Molly Nails is expected to have her supporters here, having ended her last prep with a victory in a similar race to this in early January.
The mare won by just over half-a-length that day and resumed with a creditable fifth in a 12-runner Benchmark 78 handicap at Warwick Farm earlier this month.
The six-year-old is expected to have improved for that effort, which came on a soft 5 surface and she has an inside alley once more.
While Matthew Dale's inmate was the winner of her only previous start on a heavy track, DIAMOND MODEL is preferred on this occasion.
Mark Minervini's filly is without a win since saluting on a heavy track in a Benchmark 64 handicap at Sale in June last year.
The selection raced over 1429m on that occasion and has since proven that she can challenge over shorter distances.
Those efforts include a good third-place finish when racing over this distance on the Kensington track at Randwick in October.
The daughter of Akeed Mofeed has made just three subsequent starts, including when resuming with a third in a similar race to this over 1100m on 1st June.
The step up in distance is in the pick's favour and, with underfoot conditions to suit, she is selected to register the fourth win of her career.
Mathew for Sandown glory
They are also in action on the Hillside course at Sandown with the fifth race of the day a 2400m Benchmark 74 handicap.
Goldenstatewarrior registered some good efforts in Europe prior to joining the Ciaron Maher team, including when fourth in a 2212m contest at Goodwood in May last year.
The four-year-old has demonstrated improvement with racing since joining the Maher team, recording his first win on the Lakeside track here earlier this month.
The gelding won by a narrow margin in a Benchmark 70 handicap that day and while improvement is expected stepping up in distance he looks opposable.
MATHEW is set to carry top weight for the Patrick Payne stable and he registered a victory in a 2219m benchmark 64 handicap at Sale in July last year.
The son of Tavistock missed the rest of 2023 and resumed with a seventh in a 1700m Benchmark 70 handicap on a good 4 track at Caulfield early last month.
The selection kept on nicely in behind that day and impressed when winning by over two-and-a-half-lengths at Cranbourne subsequently.
That Cranbourne success came in the 2080m Stayers Series Final, which was held on a soft 5 track just under three weeks later.
A wide barrier shouldn't pose too many issues in this contest and he looks capable of completing a double stepping up in distance.
Queen to rule at Belmont
Belmont Park's sixth race is a 2100m Class 3 handicap with ANTIQUE QUEEN selected to register the second win of her career.
The three-year-old broke her maiden when saluting by three lengths in a maiden at York last month.
Antique Queen was racing beyond 1600m for the first time, when victorious over 1920m on that occasion and performed well at Bunbury next time.
The filly lost out by five lengths when runner-up on a soft 7 track, when contesting a Benchmark 50+ handicap over 2200m that day.
A drop back in distance shouldn't pose any issues with William Pike, on board for both of those efforts, again set to ride.
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