3 minute read

Monton has won twice first-up and could be ready to bounce back after winning his 874m trial at Randwick

NEW SOUTH WALES

SR 1: Will the wait for the debut of super impressive Warwick Farm trial winner (3) LYRIC be worth it? Carries a big boom after the hype that was placed him leading into last week's planned race before Peter Snowden decided to swerve the wet track. Now he finds himself up against (1) FUNDIDO, an equally impressive eight lengths trial winner over 900m at Rosehill on 22 November who obviously is also well above average. Worth noting that (7) RECESS flopped on debut after running faster time than Lyric in a WF trial win on 15 November where (5) BRAVE SOUL finished a promising second.

SR 3: Good trial wins by former Victorian (9) TRIUMPHANT CHOICE over 900m at Gosford and (15) SINGLE over 1200m at Randwick point to them being well prepared for first-up showings. (1) WINNING GLORY also had plenty to offer when second in a Rosehill heat over 1030m on 8 November.

SR 4: Muswellbrook-trained (1) JEST CREWSIN' looks in the right form as he comes straight to town first-up off a six lengths trial win on his home track on Monday. Nice effort by (9) RECORRIDO when third to the fast Keen Commander in an 800m heat at Warwick Farm on 15 November while (10) SOCIAL RANK was kept up to the mark with a second in a Newcastle 800m heat on Tuesday.

SR 5: Two easy trials by the talented (4) MISS MARX at Randwick are no guide to her first-up chances as she has had a good preparation. Expect (3) IRISH LOVE to be looking for further off her third in a Rosehill trial on 22 November.

SR 6: (2) MONTON has won twice first-up and could be ready to bounce back after winning his 874m trial at Randwick on 18 November. (1) KING LIONHEART was a sound second to Single in a 1200m heat on the same day.

SR 7-6 KING GLADIATOR (Chris Waller): Could turn around his form after going back to the trials for a sharp second to the classy Atomic Force in a 900m trial at Rosehill on 22 November.

VICTORIA

MR 1-6 BALUCH (Peter Moody): Not so much that she trialled quietly at Cranbourne but that she is bred to be pretty good being a half to Marble Halls and comes out of the Members Joy trial which proved OK last week.

MR 5-5 YOUR EXCELLENCY (Robert Smerdon): Nice 3yo who won well on debut at Geelong and in the typical Smerdon style, he has been given a nice little clean out since winning a trial on 28 November.

MR 8-6 HANKS (Peter Moody): Remember this is the horse when a 3yo that won the Vase on Cox Plate day, didn't go to the Derby then encountered issues for the rest of his classic season and hasn't recaptured since. He had a trial at Cranbourne recently and win it suggesting that he might be on the way back. May not win here but watch for a good prep.

QUEENSLAND

BR 6-1 ZERO ROCK (Kelso Wood): This mare ran outstanding races at the highest level in the Stradbroke and the Tiara last Winter. On dry tracks she runs so well fresh and will be hard to beat. She's had two trials she's ready to go early.

BR 6-2 DUAL CHAMBER (Rex Lipp): Nice black type mare who is generally around the mark. She comes back to the races off the back of two trials, the latter being a winning one at Doomben.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

AR 3-5 WOOKAH (David Hayes): Ran fourth in a recent Wangaratta trial. Won in Melbourne fresh up last campaign over 1400m so well placed here.

AR 8-4 STREETCAR REALITY (David Jolly): In his three runs, he's been very competitive winning on debut and placing twice since. After a break ran second in a Murray Bridge trial on 11 November. Bred to love some rain if it were to arrive.