Brisbane: Comprehensive preview of every race at Doomben

A COMPREHENSIVE preview of every race for Saturday’s meet at Doomben, with Greg Spletter.

A COMPREHENSIVE preview of every race for Saturday’s meet at Doomben, with Greg Spletter.

RACE 1

NO luck last week predicting a wet track and the clouds skirted around us, but this weekend with the track already at a heavy-10 and more rain almost certain for Saturday morning, there’s no doubt the surface will be very wet. They have no clue in the first with 10 of the starters currently at $11 or under, and at the odds I’m happy to give FISH ‘N’ SNITZ another chance. She was run off her legs early on over the 900m dash and looked to strike a bit of trouble on settling before finishing off nicely along the inside. The extra trip here should suit and from the gate she will be settling back off the fence, hopefully with a bit of cover. As good as any at the $8.50. Sticking with that formline for the minors here with BABY BOO and AETHERIUS, both of whom finished just in front of the top pick at the Gold Coast. The former wandered about a bit in the straight before knuckling down and hitting the line strongly, while the latter got well back with Fish ‘n’ Snitz but flew home down the outside to be in the finish. Not much between this trio, but my filly is certainly bred to relish the conditions.

RACE 2

MOST of the interest in this moderate 1MW for the girls is in the bottom half and if PLUCKY GIRL can reproduce her last run here she will win. Stuck on gamely in a Bm80 against the boys five weeks ago, finishing just over a length behind the very much in-form Manias over 1350m. She’s been freshened up for the shorter trip and looks well treated with only 56kg back against the girls. Add a good record in the wet, a cracking draw and J Lloyd and the $4.80 does look generous. LOOSE GOOSE was scratched a couple of times in the last week and might be looking for 1200m. Couldn’t go the early speed first-up despite braining them in a trial the week prior, finishing midfield in a strong R70. She’s drawn better here and over the longer trip with a run under her belt is more likely to keep up tomorrow. At the $17 I could entertain a small saver on her. COOROI CHASE didn’t do much behind Miss Exfactor last start but she did show up on rain affected ground when last in work. Scored a big win on debut in the conditions before a nice run behind Cabin Fever here on a soft-5 and is way over the odds at $31.

RACE 3

THIS lot are on a first-name basis with each other and it’s high time MY DIAMANTINE returned to winning form against these usual suspects. Beat a strong field of milers here fresh before finishing close-up behind Loving Home over the longer trip. Outclassed in the Metrop last time at $91 but still wasn’t beaten all that far. Goes far better on wet tracks and I can’t let her go through to the keeper at $4.20. MY GUILIANO hasn’t won for just on a year but went awfully close here two runs back when nosed out by an in-form stayer over this trip. Even run last time in weaker grade, but he drops 5kg here and has a very good wet track record. VASSAL continues to pay the feed bill but has cost punters a bundle, starting favourite at his last three and finding one better on each occasion. I wonder if favourite backers will be brave enough to roll the dice a fourth time with him. MCGILL has been known to put in a cheeky run in the conditions and at $51, coming off a good win in weaker grade last start, we can throw him into the multiples.

Miss Exfactor. Picture: Glenn Hampson

RACE 4

WHO knows where runners will want to be by this stage if the track is really cut up and the 11 gate for WUDANG BLADE could end up being a blessing in disguise. He sat up on the pace first-up over the 800m scamper and was too strong under the steadier of 59kg for the class one field. He was stakes-placed when last in work over 1200m here on a heavy-9 and with a good hitout under his belt is juicy value at $19. I’VE GOTTA NEL is more moderate value as the $4.80 favourite but still looks a touch over the mark. Good effort behind Valfierno last time in similar going, and ran a good race at the end of his first campaign behind Our Beebee with the sting out of the ground. Drawn well and Jeff Lloyd will have him in front for a long way. VALFIERNO has to be a hope after beating him home last time on the heavy-9 and is looking for his hat-trick tomorrow. Drawn out wide which as aforementioned could be a blessing, and the winter break certainly did him the world of good.

RACE 5

TIYATROLANI resumes here on Saturday in ideal conditions and at $4.20 she looks the bet of the day. She goes very well fresh, and accounted for a stakes field in the Mick Dittman first-up last campaign over this course and distance, beating the likes of River Racer and Ringo’s A Rockstar. Loves it wet, drawn to perfection to get out and make the running and meets the bulk of them at level weights. Lots to like. BULLPIT ran home well at the Gold Coast at his first run for Toby Edmonds but not quickly enough to catch Powerful Saga at the end of 1100m. Doesn’t win many but he handles some give in the ground and should get a nice trail behind a good tempo. HI I’M BACK appreciated the hectic speed up front when resuming, but didn’t hit the line as strongly last time when the tempo was more pedestrian. He has a good wet track record and should get pace to suit here.

RACE 6

MORE value here with NIGHT ATTIRE who has performed predictably on soft ground in the past and whose recent form is very strong. Scored back to back wins over this trip earlier this prep before running into No Annamossity when going for his hat-trick. No disgrace to be beaten by him in the context of an R70 assignment such as this, and from the decent gate he will go forward and take some running down. Bound to give us a bold showing at $13. DEER MOUNTAIN fell just short of keeping her perfect record for Toby Edmonds intact last time when a narrow second to All That Is at the Gold Coast. This is no harder, though it’s a toss of the coin whether gate 20 (now 16) will be a help or hindrance under these conditions. Currently favourite at $5.00 and that feels about right. BREAK TIME looks a little skinny at $5.50 given his most recent unflattering performances on wet ground down in Victoria, but he certainly knows where the winning post is located at Ipswich. Brought up his hat-trick there last start with a nice win in average class three company and will need to improve further to beat these.

RACE 7

SAINT PATRICKS DAY resumes and looks well in as a stakeswinner lining up in a 1MW down on the limit weight. Won his first two runs back last start including a big effort in the Listed Dalrello beating Capital Gain and Snitzkraft, before running fourth in the Sires Produce up here. Granted it’s juvenile form, but it was against very strong opposition and in an otherwise moderate line-up from a good draw he looks the pick on value at $6.00. REALING is a big query here having his first run back from a break after being tried over more ground last campaign and having a shocker. Showed up in good 3yo grade at his first prep and after the failed experiment he is likely to be kept back to the shorter trips this campaign. I’d be including him in your quaddie as he does handle the sting out of the ground. LIVE FAST is looking for the extra distance tomorrow after hitting the line nicely over 1050m last time. All of his form has been on rain affected ground, but he hasn’t been missed at the same $6.00 quote as the top pick.

RACE 8

I JUMPED off MISS EXFACTOR after a very disappointing first-up run when a long odds-on favourite and paid the price. She scored a great win next run at the Gold Coast beating a similar field to tomorrow’s line-up. A win and a second from two runs on wet ground, but the placing was behind Houtzen and she is bred to relish the mud. I thought she was entitled to be a bit shorter than $5.00 here and over the extra journey she will be very hard to run down. COLOSIMO did take ground off her at the Gold Coast but she will be giving her a big start Saturday and will be hard to catch her. You’ll be able to secure upwards of $51 about the bottom one WRAPPED but he has hit the line nicely at his two runs to date. Latest came from last and passed half the field behind Miss Exfactor, and his breeding suggests he could be a real swimmer. Include in your quaddie as the knockout blow.

RACE 9

MISS DUBOIS hasn’t done much wrong this prep, and while this is a pretty strong class six the $8.00 about her is more than enough for me to stick with her. Finished her career in the south with a nice effort in the Centaurea in Adelaide, then kicked off her Queensland stint with bang, flashing home to win a good class three in Saturday grade at the Sunshine Coast. Finished close-up in two Sydney runs in August before another let-up and comes into this on fresh legs. Drops down to just 51kg after the claim and hasn’t missed a trick with some give in the ground. Great hope. She’s not the only value in the race with NO ANNAMOSSITY coming up at a similar quote. Went back to back last start with a strong win at class three level, but he was competitive enough in good 3yo company last campaign to suggest he will handle the class rise. Form is very strong on soft going and will go well again. TORGERSEN covers half the book here at $2.25 and to be fair he will take beating if he can reproduce his barnstorming finish at the Gold Coast a fortnight ago, nudging out Dreams Aplenty on the line. Of most concern here, price aside, is his less than stellar record on wet tracks, and his poor winning strike rate overall. Looks the lay of the day for mine, but he does have a winning hope.

Originally published as Brisbane: Comprehensive preview of every race at Doomben