Races

Scott Embry’s Sunday Geraldton Preview

RACE 1

TRULY GALLANT the full brother to Group One winner Truly Great is having his third start in Geraldton and so far has won his maiden in style at 1200m, ran an honest second to Snippety Legend at 1400m and now steps out to 1600m. Given his breeding he should only be improving with more ground and more experience. Happy to keep following him. AHREA has always been an honest type of mare and is heading to Geraldton off the back of a minor placing to handy 3 year olds Esta Mirando and Artistry In Motion. Logical danger. BEST RESULT was left last man standing to break his maiden. MOONIEMIA can roll to the top.

Numbers: 1 – 4 – 2 – 8

Suggested Bet – TRULY GALLANT WIN


RACE 2

KIDDING ME was sent out an odds on favourite at her first up run but was no match for Big Bopper who had a set of shades added and just didn’t stop. Was the only horse making any ground and should hold a nice spot from the inside draw. She’ll go around short again in a race with a similar amount of depth to it. IN SITU won a barrier trial in early October beating debut winner Truly Gallant by over 1L. Had to wait a few meetings for Bonnie Stokes to pull the trigger on starting but looks like she’ll break her maiden tag early in the season. WRITTEN SIN wasn’t afforded any favours at York last Sunday when wide throughout. DIXIE PRINCESS is a 27 start maiden but is running consistent minors.

Numbers: 9 – 11 – 7 – 5

Suggested Bet – KIDDING ME WIN


RACE 3

CANTILEVER ran second to Belvedere Rock, second to Westbound and then looked to have his chance on Melbourne Cup Day when backed from $2.80 into $1.80. Was allowed to stride into the race from the 600 and swept to the front on straightening before seemingly switching off and being run down by Best Result. All of a sudden you start to wonder just how genuine he is? LATORIO joins the much in form yard of Meryl Hayley on the 7 day back-up out of York. All of her form this preparation has been good enough to win a country maiden and she’s capable of sustaining a run. DELTA LASS has always flashed ability from time to time. SHORT TEMPERED couldn’t go with Hot & High on debut, but none of these could.

Numbers: 1 – 6 – 11 – 12

Suggested Bet – CANTILEVER WIN


RACE 4

STRAPPING PROPHET looks like a Saturday horse in the making and heading to a Geraldton C2 should see him afforded the opportunity to produce a confidence boosting win. Resumed at 1200m and attacked the line, second-up stepped to 1300m and was again doing his best work late and now looks to have struck the weakest race of his preparation at the most suitable distance. Like the horse. SCURGEOFTHEWEST was a ‘be on me next start’ type of run fresh. Looks like he’s in for a great prep and can work his way through the grades this season. BATTLE ON BATTLER is just a battler but is giving 110% at the minute. GAV HAS SPOKEN is yet to find the form of last campaign.

Numbers: 1 – 3 – 2 – 8

Suggested Bet – STRAPPING PROPHET WIN


RACE 5

BELVEDERE ROCK continues to make his way through the local grades. He’s got huge ability and X-Factor and is doing this all on natural talent, without much in terms of racing manners. He’s looking to go from a maiden to a C2 to a 58+ and now to another 58+ at 1900m. He’s exciting. MASTER ALEX had been racing really well in Geraldton before heading to Ascot on Melb Cup Day and landing in a 0MWLY which was far deeper than this. Few of the main fancies are on trial at 1900m which makes things interesting. DESERT EDGE is one who is a proven staying type and if left alone in front could give plenty of cheek. MYSTICAL MAN is nicely placed by a travelling Mollie Clark.

Numbers: 3 – 4 – 6 – 2

Suggested Bet – BELVEDERE ROCK WIN


RACE 6

LEONARDO DA GREY is just a different horse in Geraldton to what he was when they tried him in Perth. His last two have been career best and now he gets a weight swing, a barrier advantage and a key riding change vs Bolta from their narrow last start encounter. Can turn the tables. BOLTA finished last campaign in a blaze of glory and looks to have returned in similar form. His trial was soft behind Gold Keeper and he had to dig deep to win first-up. Should only be improved second-up, however, 59kg and a tough barrier could see him vulnerable? LUCKEE FLORAN is knocking on the door and bursting to win a race. Amazing what a set of shades have done to him. SAFE HUSTLE marches across.

Numbers: 10 – 4 – 5 – 9

Suggested Bet – LEONARDO DA GREY WIN


RACE 7

SILVER EYE is flying. He has been matching motors with the likes of Kay Tee Why and Too Dardy in recent outings and is coming out of a 78+ at Ascot where they broke 1:09. He followed the fence around but had to wait for a run to appear as Norich stopped in front of him and charged late. Hard to hold out with a late split. ON THE MARK is just a ripper. He’s right at the end of his Geraldton career from a ratings perspective, now copping 62.5kg in the 70+ grade so his future is clearly in these metro ratings races. His effort last start under 62 was enormous and with the weight relief he’s a big sniff of the local feature. THE CALABRESE does everything wrong but has so much raw talent. He descended upon them last start and they’ve scratched from Saturday to be here. JUST SAINT JAMES returned in excellent order and with the right run into the race has a big L600.

Numbers: 2 – 4 – 14 – 6

Suggested Bet – SILVER EYE WIN


RACE 8

MANGIFERA is a lightly raced mare with some upside. The day she broke her maiden she looked the kind of filly who would be working through C1/C3 quite quickly. Liked her trials and they’ll turn the speed on here to suit. Capable of sprinting over them late in the piece as long as conditions suit. DE GRANDHOMME won a C2 1100 here at Geraldton second-up under 60kg and has since run into some handy types at Ascot and Northam. Back to Geraldton, back to a C2 and after the Rocky Cheung claim is at a winnable weight. SWANSEE is going too fast and too hard for her own good. Back to 1200m might be the right move. BIG BOPPER appreciated the shades big time.

Numbers: 10 – 1 – 5 – 4

Suggested Bet – MANGIFERA WIN


Quaddie (Race 5 – 8)

3,4

4,9

2,4,6,14

1,5,10

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