Track heavy 9 and rail out 3m from 1000m to 350m into a cut/away and true the remainder.
Race 1 MAIDEN PLATE (1205m)
Home-tracker 3. La Cache A Vin is hard fit, and can get punters off to a flyer at good odds, despite still searching for a breakthrough win after 15 starts. Ridden too close in heavy going two starts back before going back to the normal backmarker pattern at Grafton, and charging home to be beaten under two lengths in a race with a little more depth. Unproven in heavy, but drawn to get cover and is over the odds.
Dangers: Tough 1. Bobby Is King will be hard to hold out, despite first time on heavy ground. Was given a six-week let-up after mixed outings in deeper races before hitting the line late as a short-priced favourite at Casino in soft 7 ground. Suited under the set-weight conditions, and should find a handy trail around midfield. Queensland visitor 7. Westoak drops in class fifth-up, and gets blinkers back on, but still looks under the odds here; while 6. Key Legend is the best of the rest, dropping back from provincial company fifth-up with an overdue gear change.
How to play it: La Cache A Vin to win and quinella 1 and 3
Racing heads to Coffs Harbour on Tuesday.Credit: Fairfax
Race 2 MAIDEN HCP (1405m)
Trained on the track, very keen on improving four-year-old 9. The Riddler who shapes nicely fifth-up and significantly drops 4kg to the limit weight. Worked home OK from well back in a deeper race just nine days ago, and handles rain-affected ground.
Dangers: Deep into the prep, 1. Carbrook is honest and is also primed, stepping up sharply in distance. Was in the placings across four straight runs from on-speed before being ridden quieter two weeks back and finding the line late. The extra journey comes at the right time, and this is a thinner maiden. Big watch on locally trained 7. Shez Lethal who is fifth-up, and gets an economical run just off the speed from the inside gate. Watch the betting on lightly raced 2. Vermeer, resuming off a steady trial for an underrated country stable.
How to play it: The Riddler to win
Race 3 CLASS 2 HCP (1405m)
Staying at the distance here for the better class gallopers, and it augurs well for progressive and provincial-based mare 5. Israelite Bay second-up over a furlong further. Won a CL1 at Doomben late last winter through a handy and deeper prep before running on OK in a BM 68 at Newcastle, her first outing for eight months in the new Nathan Doyle stable. Stronger jockey goes on here, and bred to thrive in heavy going.
Dangers: From an ideal draw and stepping up in class, 6. Extreme Merger is a threat third-up after being edged out in consecutive class 1s, and also revels in wet ground. Gap to the rest headed by Gold Coast-based 7. Sarsen who is over the odds in these conditions fourth-up; while stablemate 3. Badgers Nuts resuming off a quiet trial; and 1. Noble Missile who relishes the going; can both add value into exotic returns.
How to play it: Israelite Bay to win
Race 4 MAIDEN PLATE (1005m)
From the same stable as the previous race, lightly raced filly 7. Ivy’s Way can break through at her fourth start. Wasn’t far away in two provincial runs to start her career before being eased right out at Hawkesbury, but had genuine excuses losing her action during the run and later found to be lame. Given five weeks since, and is well in at the weights after the rider’s claim. Unproven in heavy ground, but bred to thrive being by Deep Field out of a Magic Albert mare.
Dangers: Respect for improving home-tracker 2. Durusehvar second-up off a lengthy break if he backs up three days after racing at Taree. Big watch on emerging filly 9. Mediterranean Miss, who dropped out after leading on debut at Grafton, but had previously bolted in a trial at this track in heavy ground. At much bigger odds, include local debutant 3. Sneaky Rich by Rich Enuff in exotic bets.
How to play it: Ivy’s Way to win
