Races

Michael Heaton’s Sunday Bunbury Preview

RACE 1

UNWANTED NEWS resumed in a stronger maiden field than this when running third to Bosun and last preparation she was a solid effort when getting a long way back and making good ground to finish less than 2.5L off Searchin’ Times on debut. She’s bred to handle the wet conditions and should get a nice run midfield-with-cover. MAUREEN’S ANGEL races second up off a 46-day spacing after finishing a close second on debut. She gets Pike aboard, looks the likely leader and will be the one they’ll have to run down. CAPE CHURCHILL is a nicely bred debutant who hit the line strongly in her recent trial. LEMMOR FILOU was deep the trip on debut but can roll forward to the breeze this time with the addition of blinkers and the step to 1200m.

Numbers: 6-4-9-7

Suggested Bet – UNWANTED NEWS WIN


RACE 2

EIGHTYSEVEN LAD resumes off the back of a solid trial win and he was around the mark in stronger maiden races than this in his debut race campaign last time in. He has the tactical speed to be able to roll forward from his awkward draw and this looks a winnable assignment first up. ALJICITO was a bit plain in her 2 starts last preparation but she’s trialled up really well on 2 occasions leading into this. Just needs some luck from a tough alley. LEG GODT drops back 100m in distance after overdoing it when setting a good tempo in front last start and she was solid at her previous outing. MAURICE’S PRINCESS was a brave run first up when deep throughout but maps similarly from the wide gate again.

Numbers: 1-9-8-6

Suggested Bet – EIGHTYSEVEN LAD WIN


RACE 3

WESTERN MISS is crying out to win a race. On debut she copped some significant bumps on straightening and picked back up to run third to subsequent winner Reminiscence then last start she got caught in an awkward position between runners, fired up, got held up and still flew late to miss by a head. She now steps up 100m, gets Pike and is bred to swim. ADROIT has been hitting the line strongly and the step to 1400m should be up his alley. ROCKSTORM SALLY was stiff last start but now gets a senior rider aboard, draws a gate and should land in a prominent position. CAMEROON will likely get a fair way back on debut but his first trial this preparation was nice and he looks a type who will continue to improve as the distances increase.

Numbers: 9-2-12-7

Suggested Bet – WESTERN MISS WIN


RACE 4

Very thin race. LUCIFER’S LADY is unplaced from 5 career starts but she hit the line strongly and make big late ground over 1650m last start to give the impression the step to 2000m is within reach. She can settle a bit closer in running here and looks the one to beat. MY MONSTER is another on trial at the trip but he hasn’t been too far away lately and likely takes up the running. STAR ASSAULT has been doing her best work late at her past couple and ran a solid fourth on a heavy-8 track last preparation. ROCKIN’ ROBIN is second up over 2000m but placed over 2200m for his previous stable and he should get the run of the race.

Numbers: 11-5-10-3

Suggested Bet – LUCIFER’S LADY


RACE 5

BELLA VIOLETTA has been going well over the past couple of months and gets a nice setup here. She’s had 2 starts on a heavy track for a second and a fourth, ran third in a stronger C1 field last start and she maps to land in a prominent position in running. BOB THE BAKER scored a dominant maiden win as a 2YO against the older horses at this track/distance last start which you rarely ever see. Off that effort he should prove hard to beat and he could end up a Derby type but he’s also drawn awkwardly here and looks a chance of getting posted wide. TAKE A LEAF was stiff when held up at a crucial stage and finishing second to Special Counsel at Northam 2 starts back and is capable. OCEAN RANGER trialled well then was a big run first up at 1600m.

Numbers: 8-3-6-9

Suggested Bet – BELLA VIOLETTA EACH-WAY


RACE 6

SWEET SURRENDER looks hard to beat again. She bolted in on a soft-6 track at her last start, stays in the same grade against similar opposition and she looks the most capable stayer in the race. SHAULA is a hard horse to catch but he’s going really well and gets a 2.5kg swing on Sweet Surrender for being beaten less than 1.5L last start. STYLAX hasn’t won in over 1,000 days but he continues to hit the line well late and is a multiple placegetter on heavy tracks previously. POINTLESS PRAISE hasn’t been far away of late and his last win was the only time he’s ever raced at Bunbury.

Numbers: 1-2-8-3

Suggested Bet – SWEET SURRENDER WIN


RACE 7

PINCER MOVEMENT won on debut on a heavy-10 before an even run second up over 1700m. He now steps to 2000m, strikes a likely heavy track with blinkers on for the first time and Pike sticks. ROYAL CREST was a strong winner over 1940m on a soft-7 3 starts back and was a good run when sticking on for fourth at Belmont last start. He now gets a senior rider aboard and can settle prominently in running. MAXWHOOSHTAPIN did too much work in a fast-run race last start. He’s probably been below his best for most of his preparation but if he can reproduce his effort in Saturday grade 2 starts ago, he’d have claims in this field. PECOS doesn’t win out of turn but he’s been quite good at his last couple of outings and placed on a heavy-10 track in one of them.

Numbers: 6-3-1-10

Suggested Bet – PINCER MOVEMENT WIN


RACE 8

HOBA WEST was a big run in the Hyperion Stakes when beaten a head by Western Empire and then last start was below his best in the Strickland Stakes but he also set an extremely fast tempo in front and perhaps over did it. He now drops 4kg under the SWP conditions to be the best weighted horse in this race, placed on a heavy-10 track on debut and he should get a much softer time of it in front. He can bounce back. GINGER BAKER was scratched on race morning a fortnight ago and is now 29 days between runs but his race efforts prior to that that were super and he won this race last year on a heavy-9 track. He’s drawn suitably, gets Brad Parnham on (who has been aboard him in his past 8 wins) and the wetter the better for him. OPPORTUNISTIC is horribly weighted under the conditions of this race but he’s been crying out for this trip, his last start effort was huge from a sectional perspective and Pike sticks with him over 3 of his stablemates. LET’S GALAHVANT will get back but he was the run of the race in the Strickland and has placed in this race previously.

Numbers: 7-4-5-2

Suggested Bet – HOBA WEST WIN


RACE 9

REPEATER trialled well leading into this preparation then was unsuited first up when drawing awkwardly in a 1000m race with plenty of speed. He was back and wide throughout and was never in the hunt but now steps to 1200m at a track/distance he’s 2 from 2 at, strikes a wet track (as a heavy-8 and multiple soft-7 winner) and he’s drawn ideally. He can improve sharply. JELLY CAN RUN is a deadest swimmer (multiple heavy and soft track winner and 0/24 on good tracks) and he’s a big class dropper. His 3 starts this preparation have all been in Saturday grade where he found the line better than anything in each of them and this is a highly winnable race for him. MY HIDDEN UNIVERSE is another class dropper who loves a wet track but he maps awkwardly. RODNEY OH RODNEY caused a big upset when winning at this track/grade/distance first up and he has the natural speed to get across from his outside draw.

Numbers: 3-5-1-9

Suggested Bet – REPEATER EACH-WAY


Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

1,2,8

1,3,6,10

2,3,4,5,7

1,2,3,5,6,9

360 combinations


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