Sydney: Comprehensive preview of every race at Warwick Farm

A COMPREHENSIVE preview of every race for Wednesday’s meet at Warwick Farm with Shayne O’Cass

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees. Picture by Peter Lorimer

NOTE: RACES are assessed for a Soft 6. All horses are considered starters unless notified by Monday 1 PM. (N/R) denotes no rating.

RACE 1

3. HESSDALEN (N/R) steps to the mile here and I’ll you why that is a good thing. First of all, he is by Alamosa who won a Toorak and was deadly at the 1600m on both sides of the Tasman. His own father, O’Reilly, won a G1 mile at 3 and was 2nd in the Australian Guineas. Hessdalen’s dam is by French 2000 Guineas winner Daylami and is a three-quarter to Grey Swallow - remember him? In racing terms, Hessdalen is just cherry ripe for this trip, third-up off a 1100m heavy 10 here and a fighting close 3rd to Grincheux and big Sunday Goulburn winner King Darci over 1300m with a month between runs. Now he’s 13 days between runs. A lot of what I just said about Hessdalen wanting the trip I could ditto for the filly 8. CROSS STITCH (N/R). She’s a scopey Pins miss from the Waller camp that is on the back-up after that fast finishing 2nd to Zenalicious in a 1400m maiden at start two of the career. 4. NEMRUD (N/R) ran on late alongside his very, very classy stablemate Bryneich when 1-lens 2nd at Kembla over 1300m first-up. At home, extra metres suit.

RACE 2

4. COCOEXCEL (66) is a dual acceptor on the day so who knows what will happen - she is a pivotal runner in both races were she is entered, and that pretty much make our preview (s) irrelevant now - the make-up and the likely speed maps for both races go out the window based on who goes where. I like Cocoexcel here but not in the other race - she can’t beat Dixie Chick in the later race. If she’s here, she’s on top on the score of a great trial and the fact that she’s back from the 1400m to the 1200m. 8. SUSPENDERS (65) is a flashy chestnut filly by Snitzel out of a mare named Fairchild who won the Towooomba Magic Millions ar 2. No surprises there; both her mum (Dancer’s Joy) and dad (General Nediym) won the actual Magic Millions. Gerald Ryan loves his Snitzel’s and they love him. 5. FIFTY WAYS (66) is another flashy chestnut in the race, and a cleverly named one too being out of Anthony Cummings’ own handy Lovemelikearock - the connections being, Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover, a song by Simon and Garfunkel. Anyway, that aside, the filly can run - we saw as much with that debut win at Gosford where she ran down Geneteau over 1000m which ain’t an easy task.

RACE 3

ANOTHER devilishly difficult staying race at the midweeks, you’d be thinking all eight have some sort of chance of winning. Me? I am going with a horse I tipped last start - 7. RED LAGO (62) who was over the odds at $7 when he won that Bm65 at Hawkesbury with Peter Wells up (retains the ride). Red Lago is trained on the track by the master Clarry Conners and has won up to 2400m. He is fifth run in to the campaign so he’s fit and obviously in good nick. Why not again? 5. ALLISION (68) has been really consistent in her 3 runs this time in work, winning 2 of them before that 0.5-lens 2nd to My Guiliano whom she beat the start before at Canterbury. She is by New Approach and fit so I assume the 2200m presents no negative issues for her. 8. MARILISA (59) ran on big time to finish 2nd at Beaumont in the last race on Cup Day which was only last Friday in fact. Methinks she’ll be much, much, much closer in the run this time. You can say the same thing about all 3 of mine ‘fit, in form and at home’.

RACE 4

HERE comes another exponent of my favourite racing theories - to bet on a horse first-up out of an Oaks/Derby or 3200m Cup. You’ll be richer if you do trust me. The most recent example of which was Queensland Derby runner/Theo Marks winner Mackintosh who went up $15 thank you very much TAB. Enter the very well named 10. MEGAWATT (68), a 4YO mare by Shocking, who starts first time for Craig Ritchie having been previously trained by his brother Shaun. Both are son of Frank, he of Bonecrusher immortality! Megawatt ran in the NZ Oaks last start and was big odds, she ran 12th of 16 beaten 12-lens. Before you get too put off by that stat, remember Mackintosh ran last in the Queensland Derby. I can guarantee that Megawatt is switched on (sorry, too easy) having been seriously impressed with that second trial on Sep. 9 - it was massive. She’s G2 placed to Sofia Rosa in NZ and like I say, she’s flying. She’s the bet here along with another of the first-upper from a new stable - 8. HIGH OPINION (65) who is with Kris Lees now. A good fella and astute trainer, Chris Heywood, had him down at Wagga and got him to win over $111,000, collecting most of it on the country cups circuit down the Riverina way. Trialled quite well for this and while he wants more ground, he is 3s 1-1-1 fresh and this is 1400m not 1100m. Of the others - 11 GALAXY WARRIOR (63) and 12 HERMOSA BEACH (65) but they are both dual acceptors and I am very weary of 4. TATOOSH (68) a big trial winner recently with Blake Shinn to ride.

RACE 5

THIS race could change complexion in a huge way because of the dual acceptors; there are just so many that it’s almost useless to go into it in any depth so I won’t try and crystal all who runs where and what stays out, all I will say is that 5. DIXIE CHICK (67) is the best bet of the day. Barrier 15 won’t matter - it’s a straight run to the bend and like I say, there’ll be heaps of withdrawals. A lot of horses get an ‘X Factor’ attributed to them, this is one of them. She can do some pretty amazing things - her shtick is to get back, look impossible in the run and then whooskha. Her trial win on Sep. 9 was exactly that - except for the fact that she was going to win from the second they jumped such is her class and talent. The danger is 3. SERVE AND VOLLEY (70) with Deanne Panya riding as per usual. This daughter of Swiss Ace is a WF and Canterbury winner either side of a very unlucky 6th at Rosehill to a good filly in Interstellar. Underrated type who ought to be prominent for a long way. 9. FAITH’S ENCORE (67) was a dual acceptor, she runs here and I have her ahead of 10. CREVETTINE (62), a beautiful Lonhro filly from the Godolphin stable that has always been held in high esteem.

RACE 6

5. UPSCALE (66) is a Cressfield mare trained at Newcastle by Kris Lees. A daughter of Exceed And Excel, Upscale is 3s 1-0-1. The debut was a 4-lens demolition job at home over 900m, she came to town and was 3rd next time to the handy Lucky Can Be then had a bit of a break and was tipped out after a 5th at Canterbury to another handy one in Lady Jivago. That’s deep form. Trialled twice, liked them both - best thing about her tomorrow is a dead-heat; gate 2 and Shinn! 1. PRINCE MAYTED (66) is a pretty underrated sort of galloper from Wauchope stables of Colt Prosser. Tough, sound and consistent, this gelding has been placed very well throughout by Prosser reflected in his career record of 30s 6-7-5. One has to respect and admire a horse that wins or placings at better than 50 per cent over such a reasonably long period as 30 starts. Opens up after those two - 2. SKRIPCHENKO (68) just needs some luck - fast tempo and clear running for starters. 9, MAJASKA (61) is could sneak a place at odds and if there was a total, absolute blowout it might be 8. TYPEFACE (6) but at the end of the day, it’s Upscale for me unless the market hints otherwise.

RACE 7

SPEAKING of the market, we’ll know where 5. ZOURKHAN (71) sits in terms of winning prospects by what sort of flucs we see about the Chris Waller trained import. I suspect he’d open up shorter than he’ll start purely on the basis that he is a Waller horse and has J-Mac to ride. This Aga Khan bred son of the mighty Shamardal is a 5YO now but is 7s 2-1-3 so he hasn't been overtaxed. He is 3s 0-1-2 fresh and one of those first-up runs was for Waller; this horse came from last to be beaten 1.4-lens 3rd behind good type New Tipperary at Canterbury over 1580m with 59.5kgs on his back. He has 60,5kgs but they are all up there in the weights department. gate 16 at the mile starts is a worry - his trials? Liked the first one, the second was so-so. Assuming Zourkhan doesn't start which is a real possibility - we go to 7. TAKEWING (69) from the local stables of Jason Coyle. The horse’s form this time in is 10/12, 4/6 and 5/6 which is not what we normally expect from him but I think he’s going better than that and just wants some firmer ground. If the rain comes he might not run either. I saw Richard Haynes interview Phillip Courtney after 8. MARYORE (72) won at $21 on Canterbury on Sep. 7 and hats off to the chap (Courtney not Haynsie), he was brimming with confidence about her chances. He put his money where his mouth was brought her up from Canberra and won the prize. Why not again? Mares in form!