3 minute read

The NSW Breeders Challenge series heats up at Menangle on Saturday night with semi-finals for the three-year-olds and the four-year-old entires and geldings.

War Dan Buddy – a member of the powerhouse Emma Stewart team and winner of the rich APG Gold Bullion Final at Menangle last season – will have to overcome the widest barrier in the first of the three-year-old colts and geldings semi-finals.

He has been in good form this campaign, winning a heat of the recent Vicbred Super Series and producing a big effort for fourth in the Group 1 final when he went back from a tough draw but worked home well.

He led and dominated in winning his Breeders Challenge heat at Wagga since then so has the gate speed to overcome the wide draw.

Progressive Queensland visitor Air Express is a big player from a much lower draw having completed a winning hat-trick when toughing out his heat at Menangle last start.

Ravishing Sloy gets the benefit of the inside draw and will enjoy a class drop on his last attempt in the Victoria Derby while Dangerous Threats is very consistent and capable of featuring in the finish again.

The inside draw should see the second 3CG semi pan out well for smart gelding Royal Cruiser.

He was drawn deep when beaten 4m against older rivals last start but had gone on a winning streak before that and he likes to lead so can take full advantage of the barrier.

Force Full, Rocku and Iron Clad have had differing fortunes at the barrier draw but each comes into the race in good form as a last-start winner.

Stewart sends the talented Renewal back to Sydney for the first of the three-year-old fillies semis where she clashes with progressive local Golly Gee Fellas who is unbeaten this time in.

Renewal races well at Menangle having won the Pink Diamond Stakes the last time she visited in August. Since then she tackled the Vicbred Super Series where she won a semi and was fifth in the Group 1 final before she led from this draw for a strong win in her Breeders Challenge heat at Wagga.

Golly Gee Fellas draws on her inside and has been impressive this time in, making it three from three since a spell when dominating in front at Penrith last start and had toughed out a win from this draw in her heat at Menangle two back.

Talented Victorian Elusive looks nicely placed in the second of the 3F semis having won her heat from a wider barrier last start, taking her record at the circuit and distance to two wins and a placing from four attempts.

Queensland filly Soap Opera looks a big improver from the inside draw. She was only fifth in her heat last start after coming from the extreme outside barrier and breaking but had won three in a row before that including a thundering last-to-first victory in the Group 2 Breeders Challenge Blue final at Menangle two back.

Last-start Menangle winner Captains Knock should dominate the first of the four-year-old entires and geldings semis.

Captains Knock has won the two and three-year-old Breeders Challenge finals over the last two seasons and the ace draw sees him as the one to beat on Saturday as he prepares to attempt a series clean sweep in next week's final.

Victorian Captain Hammerhead also gets the right draw in the other 4EG semi.

He will find this much easier than his last attempt in the Smoken Up Sprint behind Leap To Fame and he won at Menangle last season to qualify for The Eureka so is a talent.

His main danger looks to be Oliver Dan who has been kept fresh since winning the Stockade, a Eureka consolation, at Menangle in September.