Races

Chris Nelson’s Saturday Eagle Farm Preview

Race 1

Eagle Farm racing on Saturday. Winter has well & truly left the building up here with tops in the low 30’s all weekend, needless to say the track will be good. The meeting gets underway with a Class 3 Plate where I’m having a ‘throw at the stumps’ with the resuming (7) CABALETTO who looks over the odds imo. First up record is good, track & trip stats good, likes the ground & was dominant winning a recent Doomben trial with plenty in the tank. Emily Lang rides, expect her to send this mare forward from the outset. (8) ESHA took plenty of benefit from the first up fourth winning next time out, fitter again however gate not ideal. (3) DR FARTHING is unbeaten fresh, (5) ANGEL LADDER another to resume generally takes a run?

Numbers: 7 – 8 – 3 – 5

Suggested Bet: CABALETTO EACH-WAY (small bet).


Race 2

Small field & decent gate should work in (2) ZOUBABY’s favour who does generally tends to drift back in her races. I can see her a lot closer in the run & should that be the case she’s going to prove very hard to hold out late. Stablemate (1) FLEETWOOD should benefit from the first up fourth, he’s a 3 time second up winner aided by the claim for Jade Hampson who will be having her second ride for the leading Gollan stable. (5) BIANCELLI was quite sound here last start & the form line is a solid one with Gram winning again last Saturday.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 5 – 4

Suggested Bet: ZOUBABY TO WIN.


Race 3

Going with some value in this week’s distance affair with the lightly raced (12) BON RIVIERE who keeps on making good ground in his races, the latest of those over 2200m suggesting the additional 200m this afternoon is ideal. (2) CHILLAXING has the 2400m box ticked winning here last start when strong to the line. Kept fresh which suits however asked to carry 60kg. (4) CAPTAIN MAVERICK & (5) TRAPALANDA hold disappointing winning strike rates however are always in the place mix.

Numbers: 12 – 2 – 4 – 5

Suggested Bet: BON RIVIERE EACH-WAY (small bet).


Race 4

Very open race this one where I’ll pretty much be on my own tipping (11) EXUBERANCE from the Tony Gollan yard who has finished out of the placings both starts since coming up from Victoria. Thought she should have finished closer first up before a disappointing effort last start. No obvious excuses on that occasion however she’s been given 5 weeks off which suggests there may have been? Southern form was consistent; market moves all important. (15) AUTUMNGIRL sat wide at the Gold Coast yet still looked a big winning chance until the tough run told, much better gate here & well weighted with the claim. (7) THAT’S ARCHIES GIRL looks close, back in trip though?

Numbers: 11 – 15 – 7 – 6

Suggested Bet: EXUBERANCE EACH-WAY (small bet).


Race 5

Improved run from (1) CAPITAL ASSET last start & I’d suggest with a similar performance can measure up here on an each-way basis. The rise in trip is a positive, as is the claim & good gate which will see him either lead or land the box seat run. (7) HOT MAJESTY made ground as expected first up, quickly from 1350m to 1800m however that may be a good thing as he is a one paced type. (2) ROCK HARD LOVE has hit form now, ran a good race over this 1800m range last prep & looks set to figure in the finish.

Numbers: 1 – 7 – 2 – 3

Suggested Bet: CAPITAL ASSET EACH-WAY (small bet).


Race 6

Looks a very suitable race for the in-form (7) PRECISE STAR who is deserving of a crack at something harder, to be honest though I’m not convinced this race is. Just lasted to win first up however he’s dominated both runs since scoring by a cumulative 7.96L bolting clear of his rivals from the front leading throughout on each occasion. With Bella Youngberry’s claim & gate one he’s going to get every possible favour even if he doesn’t find the front. (10) RIEZ SOUVENT a chance from the good draw. Gets pretty open from there on.

Numbers: 7 – 10 – 13 – 9

Suggested Bet: PRECISE STAR TO WIN.


Race 7

Just the 7 runners as I type with only 2 place dividends. I’m far from excited about the 60.5kg (1) FUKUBANA has been asked to carry however this field is falling away & so are the winning chances. His effort fresh was a good one warming up at the end of 1110m at Doomben, rise in trip should be ok. Down in the weights (9) SHELSTEIN comes off a last start win & will have his admirers, will he see out a strong 1400m though? That’s my concern, he’s going to carry 8kg less than FUKUBANA which will help! No weight for (10) TORNADO EXPRESS either. So, in a nutshell… (1) FUKUBANA the best horse in the race however will the weights bring him undone?

Numbers: 1 – 9 – 10 – 6

Suggested Bet: Box up top 4 selections in exotics.


Race 8

Another small field, just the 7 as I type. Happy to take (6) BRINDIVAN on when we had more runners however that’s not the case now. My knock was he may now be looking for further however even if that is the case here he should still have these covered. Interestingly there’s no obvious leader on paper, I’m sure Daniel Moor will be all over that & have him in a position to strike once they hit the straight. (12) SER JOH is racing well, yet to tick the 1400m box, maybe he’s the one to be ridden forward? Perhaps (7) KINTYRE next best.

Numbers: 6 – 12 – 7 – 4

Suggested Bet: BRINDIVAN TO WIN.


Race 9

He looks very well placed to win again (1) MANPOWER, landing the inside gate & not much in the way of early challengers on paper. His effort here two back when run down late over this 1200m trip was very good & he confirmed that winning at Doomben back to the 1110m last start. Yes, he’s up in the weights however that’s not as concerning to me in these shorter races & Bella Youngberry isn’t riding like a 3kg claimer at present, far from it. (11) PERLE DE CHOCOLAT is big odds here, put in a very good run in the same race MANPOWER ran second in, sat wide all the way & didn’t shirk her task one bit, one for the exotics players. (2) STORMLAND looks close, with the claim & good gate today might be the day.

Numbers: 1 – 11 – 2 – 15

Suggested Bet: MANPOWER TO WIN.


Race 10

Keen to back two runners in this closing race being (3) HELL & (16) AMUSEANTES. Forced to split the two I’ll lean to the former who finds a race low on speed apart from him & we know he’s got plenty of it. What do they say, let fast horses run fast, well today could well be the day that happens & on a firm deck he might take some running down. (16) AMUSEANTES draws the pole & will give HELL a start, with the light weight she’ll be the one trying to gun him down. (8) SHE’S EXOTIC seems to run into a lot of trouble in her races, her luck will change eventually, today? (2) KING KAPA hasn’t been far away last couple & gets the claim once again here.

Numbers: 3 – 16 – 8 – 2

Suggested Bet: Backing top 2 selections to win.

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