3 minute read

Racing shifts to the stand alone Scone meeting this Saturday with the running of several Stakes races including the Luskin Star Stakes over 1300m that has attracted a capacity field.

The lightly raced Country Championships Final winner Artlee faces his biggest test to date but he looks very well placed on Timeform weight adjusted ratings if he can reproduce his Randwick winning performance.

A winner of five of his eight race starts, Artlee bolted away with the final over 1400m showing a rare brand of acceleration after topping the famous Randwick rise to leave his rivals struggling three lengths astern.

Trainer Todd Willan then decided to give Artlee a freshen up, the gelding coming off a 40 day break for this afternoon’s feature.

That should not present an issue as Willan has produced him off a 53 day break earlier in this campaign which just happened to be at today’s course and distance.

Artlee has drawn perfectly in the ace and only has to hold his last start rating to be the testing material.

The main dangers on weight adjusted Timeform ratings look to be Skip Town and Oxford Poet.

Now back with Tim Martin, Skip Town is second up today after a handy effort in the Wagga Town Plate (1200m) following a 175 break from racing.

On that occasion Skip Town drew wide and travelled deep mid field but found the line strongly to finish just over a length from the smart sprinter Got The Goss.

Skip Town’s second up form is very good, two wins and two placings from five attempts in that state, last campaign winning in BM85 company at Rosehill.

Drawn perfectly in three Skip Town will have the services of leading rider Hugh Bowman for just the second time in his career, the last time in 2012. It will also be Bowman’s first ride for Martin since his return to training.

The Kim Waugh-trained Oxford Poet is racing in career best form, winning last time out at the ill-fated Hawkesbury Guineas meeting on a bog track – the only race conducted prior to the meeting being called off.

Also a winner fresh up this campaign, Oxford Poet was placed in the Provincial Championship Final over 1400m behind Sure And Fast.

A consistent galloper, Oxford Poet looks the likely leader in the race and with winning rider Brenton Avdulla in the saddle he is sure to take running down.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Ryker who has raced four times since a spell has disappointed at his last two performances following two very good runs at the front end of the preparation.

While both those efforts were on rain affected going, that can hardly be used as an excuse considering he has been successful in the past on such ground.

In an interesting riding move, Waterhouse has elected to use her “go to man” Jimmy Cassidy who takes the reins for the first time - Waterhouse and Cassidy striking at a healthy 25%.

Ryker will likely be at long odds again, something that is unusual for a Waterhouse galloper however he is worth including in the multiples.

Despite not winning for 364 days, Mighty Lucky is another galloper to be considered in the multiples.

The Fred Cowell-trained galloper who resumes off a break of 59 days last raced when third behind Laser Hawk at Newcastle in the G3 Newmarket Handicap over 1400m.

However despite not winning, his form when last in work was excellent and also included a close second in the National Sprint (1400m) in Canberra as well as being runner up to Burbero over 1500m at Rosehill.

While 1300m may normally be a shade short for Mighty Lucky, his recent barrier trial win at Gosford suggests he is ready to race well.

Enjoy the Luskin Star Stakes.