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Grand Gallop shapes as the main beneficiary of numerous key scratchings in the Wellington R.C Handicap at Caulfield on Monday.
The Mark Riley-trained mare has taken a while to make her first race preparation however has rewarded the patience of connections with a pair of encouraging wins.
Grand Gallop will now look to maintain her unbeaten record in the Wellington R.C Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on Monday.
It shapes as a race where the daughter of Danerich can continue her rise through the grades, particularly after a number of anticipated favourites have been scratched.
The likes of Akavoroun, Gallant Harmony and Excellent Flight all looked well suited in Monday’s contest but without them on the scene, signs point to Grand Gallop capitalising.
Grand Gallop rates highly amongst this field on weight adjusted 50 day Timeform ratings with her latest winning display at Mornington yielding a figure of 75.
The four-year-old showed good gate speed from a wide barrier on that occasion to be prominent before dashing away in the straight.
From barrier 1 after scratchings, Grand Gallop should enjoy a cosy run in transit and with all the favours should take catching over the concluding stages.
Monday’s Wellington R.C Handicap (1200m) had the potential to be a very competitive affair but scratchings has the event slightly short on depth.
Markets have The Thief as second favourite.
While he has built a strong record racing in Darwin and trialled impressively at Cranbourne earlier in the month, The Thief is untried on turf under raceday conditions and rates well below Grand Gallop on disclosed form after weight adjustments.
As of Monday morning, the remainder of the field are quoted at double figure odds.
While unfashionable, Onya Keithy is an honest sort who can perhaps keep things sporting over the concluding stages while a horse like Wakeel should be open to further improvement second up after almost winning fresh at Bairnsdale.
Overall though it is Grand Gallop who looks poised to maintain her unbeaten record at Caulfield on Monday.
