Ken Callander: Silent Achiever ready to regain spark in Hollindale Stakes

STAR Kiwi mare Silent Achiever is great value to win the biggest race on Saturday, the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 05: Nash Rawiller celebrates riding Silent Achiever to win race six, the BMW during Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens on April 5, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

THE biggest race on Saturday is the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast where star Kiwi mare Silent Achiever is great value at $5 against easier opposition than she faced at the Sydney carnival.

Silent Achiever finished close up behind the placegetters in races such as the Ranvet and The BMW and the winner of $3.1 million won’t be chasing Contributer, Tosen Stardom, Hartnell or To The World this weekend.

In Sydney, it is post-carnival fare, but a good program, and highly promising sprinter Religify, the winner of four from five, could be the star attraction in the Australian Flying Corps Handicap (1000m).

RACE 1: ANZAC DAY HANDICAP (1100m)

Betting: $3.20 Painted Firetail, $4.80 Meteora Miss, $6 Encosta Line, Stravigo, Concubine

Comment: Hard to line-up. The unraced Concubine (Gai Waterhouse) and Painted Firetail (John O’Shea) have won trials, and Encosta Line, Dane Slugger, Stravigo, Stimac and Meteora Miss have gone well in races without winning. I’m leaning to Encosta Line ahead of Dane Slugger.

Bet: 1 Encosta Line

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Encosta Line, 3 Dane Slugger, 8 Concubine, 10 Painted Firetail

RACE 2: FIRST AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE (1200m)

Betting: $2.30 Liberty Island, $4.20 Tree Of Jesse, $4.20 Berry Delicious

Comment: The three favourites are all first-up. Liberty Island, four placings in seven runs, is a good tip from the Rosehill track, while Berry Delicious and Tree Of Jesse both showed good form over summer.

Bet: 6 Liberty Island

Exotics: Box trifecta 6 Liberty Island, 8 Tree Of Jesse, 3 Berry Delicious

Premier trainer Chris Waller could start the day with a double with Encosta Line and Liberty Island. Picture: Mark Evans

RACE 3: HMAS SYDNEY HANDICAP (2400m)

Betting: $3.80 Salford Art, $4 .20 White Dove, $4.40 Doukhan, $8 Four Carat, $8.50 Felix Bay

Comment: Salford Art is charging up in the weights, but she is a good stayer in form, with two wins and a second in her last three runs. Doukhan, an improver who finished fourth to her last run and has 2.5kg the better of the weights this time. White Dove is starting to hit her straps and will run the distance and handle the wet. Four Carat, Space and Felix Bay can stay and should be considered.

Bet: 1 Salford Art

Exotics: Quinella 1 Salford Art as standout with 4 Four Carat, 9 Felix Bay

RACE 4: GALLIPOLI HANDICAP (1600m)

Betting: $2.50 Sadler’s Lake, $4.20 Swift Lady, $4.80 Man Of Distinction, $5.50 Puzzling Wonder

Comment: Puzzling Wonder and Man Of Distinction should sort out the lead and have strong chances. Sadler’s Lake should sit behind them but be strong at the finish. Swift Lady, to carry only 52kg, found the line well last week after losing her momentum in the straight.

Bet: 7 Swift Lady

Exotics: Quinella 2 Sadler’s Lake, 7 Swift Lady

RACE 5: AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS (1000m)

Betting: $3 Religify, $4 Miniature, $6 Marwood, $6.50 Handsome Tycoon, $9 Wonderbolt

Comment: They will fly here with Texan Lad, Craiglea Cruz, Quartzite and Handsome Tycoon having brilliant early pace. This should suit the favourites, Religify and Miniature, both promising sprinters. Religify, four from five, could be a star on the rise. Marwood won first-up and has won four from 10 in Victoria.

Bet: 5 Religify

Exotics: Exacta 5 Religify from 3 Miniature

Religify could be a star on the rise. Picture: Simon Bullard

RACE 6: BATTLE OF THE DARDANELLES (1400m)

Betting: $3.60 Frespanol, $6 Abbasso, Hollywood Bound, $8.50 Dowdstown Charlie

Comment: Frespanol has been toughened up by a trial since his first-up third to Medcaut when he finished just behind Laohu, the likely leader and also hard to beat. Abbasso will get a good run from the inside alley and his stablemate Hollywood Bound should be ready to go after a sound first-up run. Perfect Weapon, Drago and Dowdstown Charlie should round out the chances.

Bet: 3 Frespanol

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Laohu, 3 Frespanol, 5 Abbasso, 13 Dowdstown Charlie

RACE 7: THE LAST POST HANDICAP (1600m)

Betting: $4.60 Intimate Moment, Telepathic, $5.50 Tarangower, $6.50 Sense Of Occasion

Comment: Good speed with Black Jag, Paederos and Any Day Will Do likely to go forward. Intimate Moment ran a super race in G1 class but has 59kg to hump. Her stablemates, Black Jag and Telepathic, also have chances. Tarangower ran well in the Country Championship. Don’t forget Sense Of Occasion.

Bet: 1 Intimate Moment

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Intimate Moment, 3 Black Jag, 4 Sense Of Occasion, 11 Tarangower

RACE 8: THE BLUEBIRD NURSES (1400m)

Betting: $4.40 Song And Laughter, $5 Electric Power, Copy, $9 Lucy’s Look

Comment: Song And Laughter loves the wet and has won her past two. Electric Power and Copy are useful mares and Vergara (last-start winner), Proper Madam (at her best in wet) and Lucy’s Look (an improver) are in the mix.

Bet: 8 Song And Laughter

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Vergara, 4 Copy, 7 Proper Madam, 8 Song And Laughter

Song and Laughter loves the wet and will be hard to beat. Picture: Mark Evans

BEST BET: Religify

VALUE: Encosta Line

WHO’S HOT

Peter Moody followers won plenty at Randwick last week and the stable has the hot favourite Inauguration in the first at the Gold Coast.

WHO’S NOT

Regatta Rebel ran a super race when making her debut at the Sydney carnival, but she is short at $2.20 in a hot field in the Ken Russell at the Gold Coast.

DROP A HINT

The late Guy Walter had Sense Of Occasion marked as a stayer of the future. He’s now with Joe Pride and should be watched in race 7 at Randwick.

EYE CATCHER

Christian Reith’s mount Proper Madam’s most eye-catching form has been in the wet and she looks value in the last at Randwick.

Originally published as Ken Callander: Silent Achiever ready to regain spark in Hollindale Stakes