3 minute read

Chris Scholtz - Early Thoughts

R&S contributor Chris Scholtz takes a look at tomorrow's Sydney racing.

SELECTIONS

Kembla Grange Race 4 - 13 Onemore Sapphire 

Returns to this course after charging to the line late for a close third in this class over this distance on August 14. That was on a very firm track and his record shows he is at his best with the sting out of the ground, being in the money in 11 of his 12 starts in the soft and heavy.

Double figure odds are generous for a very fit performer who has been placed in five of his last six starts over distances from 1800m to 2200m.

Kembla Grange Race 6 - 4 Paulele 

Came off an excellent trial for a super first-up win in the Listed Rosebud over 1100m at Randwick on August 7 when he gave weight and a beating to his rivals, putting excellent figures on the clock over the last 600m to take his under-valued record to four wins from six starts.

He's got the fitness edge and I cannot see him going backwards with the benefit of a 2kg drop in weight off that impressive performance, backed up by his winning form on a Soft 7 last season when he smashed his rivals in the Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick.

Kembla Grange Race 9 - 6 Andermatt 

Lightly raced sprinter is set to run boldly first-up under favourable conditions. He's won both his first-up starts including his victory on a heavy track over 1100m at Rosehill in February but didn't get the best of luck in three subsequent starts in good black type company through the autumn. He's since been gelded and a recent soft trial win has him primed for this suitable sprint.

BLACKBOOK UPDATE from 21 August (Horses to follow at their next three starts)

• Daily Bugle - Should measure up in longer races.
• Forbidden Love - Always respect her chances.
• Foxborough - Building nicely into her prep.
• Geist - Sure to come on from her strong return.
• Jamaea - No luck. Can mix it with the best fillies.
• She's Ideel - Keeps exceeding expectations.

Recent Blackbook winners – Vinco, Super Effort, Bella Nipotina, Arctic Thunder, Hi Stranger, Chat, Kutayha, Furrion.

ELIGIBLE BLACKBOOK RUNNERS for 28-29 August

• Kembla Grange (Sat) - Signora Nera (R3), Foxborough (R3), Steel Diamond (R3), Pensato (R3), Great House (R4), Mankayan (R4), Coastwatch (R5), Remarque (R5), Criminal Code (R7), Madam Legend (R8), Animate (R8), Battleground (R9), Amoretti (R10).
• Caulfield (Sat) - Mr Mozart (R4), Masked Crusader (R5), Ziegfeld (R7), Fifty Stars (R8).
• Doomben (Sat) - Contemptuous (R1).
• Wyong (Sun) - Buba (R7).

TRIAL WATCH HORSES for 27-30 August

• Gosford (Fri) - Dark Herring (R3), Green Legend (R3), I Am Brazen (R3), Shadow Devil (R3), Centro Storico (R3), Beep Test (R5).
• Taree (Fri) - Omar (R7), Oslo (R7).
• Caulfield (Sat) - Bruckner (R4), Masked Crusader (R5).
• Kembla Grange (Sat) - Stay Inside (R6), Yulong Turbo (R6), Spirit Ridge (R7), Triple Ace (R8), Madam Legend (R8), Majestic Shot (R9), Andermatt (R9), Gleneagles (R9).
• Goulburn (Sat) - Moridan (R2), Ma And Pa (R3), Arthur Francis (R4), Ka Bling (R4), Beep Test (R5), Collier Bay (R5).
• Wyong (Sun) - Lambdoma Energy (R3), Arthur Francis (R4), Ka Bling (R4), Shadow Devil (R4), Dalchini (R4), Parachuter (R8), Vox Pop (R8).
• Mudgee (Sun) - Quick Tempo (R2), Green Legend (R2).
• Tamworth (Mon) - Fiendish (R4).

TRIAL POINTERS

• HAWKESBURY (23 August): James Cummings again used the Hawkesbury trials as a platform for a good group of runners including the well performed ANDERMATT. He had plenty in the tank winning his 800m heat in good time (47.57; 33.22).
• RANDWICK (20 August): The good stayer SPIRIT RIDGE continues to trial well, leading from the jump for a soft win in the fastest of two 1200m heats on the A Grass (72.90; 35.56).
• ROSEHILL (13 August): MASKED CRUSADER was the standout in the four black type heats run on the course proper. He had only four rivals in his 900m heat but was arrogant in the way he sat back and wide before surging past his rivals to win hard held by two lengths (56.13; 34.73). The Chris Waller-trained import DASHING WILLOUGHBY won the fastest of two 1000m black type trials on the course proper (63.38; 36.44). Several black type performers contested a strong 892m heat on the inside grass with GLENEAGLES recording a sharp win (54.90; 34.97) over the imposing individual YULONG TURBO, a recent pick up for Waller who is ready to go after three trials.
• RANDWICK (27 July): The first black type heat over 900m on the course proper saw Golden Slipper winner STAY INSIDE return with an impressive win (52.68; 35.44) over his older rivals. Oozed class as he settled kindly behind the leader before putting the heat to bed in a matter of strides with fluid acceleration over the last 200m, sprinting clear under no pressure from his rider Tommy Berry. Had a much easier trial when fifth in a black type heat over 850m at Randwick on August 21.

Recent Trial Watch winners – Tristate, Salute To The Sun, Way To The Stars, Fituese, Atishu, Swift Witness, Private Eye, Ballistic Lover, Berdibek.

Chris' final observations and full audio preview of all Sydney races will be available after 9.30am Saturday on the R&S website and tweeted by @ScholtzRacing.