Ken Callander: La Amistad is on course to win Saturday’s McKell Cup

LA AMISTAD is from the same dam as the mighty Makybe Diva and she has her chance to vault up racing’s tree of success by winning Saturday’s McKell Cup at Randwick.

Jockey James McDonald rides no.4 La Amistad (second from left) to victory during race 3 at Warwick Farm racecourse, Sydney. Pic Brett Costello

LA AMISTAD, a four-year-old mare who has the same mum as the mighty Makybe Diva, has her chance to vault up racing’s tree of success by winning Saturday’s McKell Cup at Randwick on Saturday.

In a 10 start career, La Amistad has won four times, at Ballarat, Bendigo, Echuca and in a midweek race at Warwick Farm and her trainers, the team Hawkes partnership, have thrown her in the deep end against some seasoned stayers.

But, I believe the opposition has pretty much gone as far as anyone of them is likely to go whereas La Amistad is on the up and the sky could be her limit.

Saturday’s Brisbane card centres on the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 where improving four-year-olds Knoydart, Rebel Dane and Driefontein are taking on topliners of the calibre of Buffering, Spirit Of Boom, Temple Of Boom and Famous Seamus.

RANDWICK

Race 1 (12.20)

Betting: $3.50 Almalad, $4.60 McHawi, $6 More Than Frank, Ravenwitch

Comment: Almalad, Sports Edition and Ravenwitch are all trained by Gai Waterhouse and all have scored easy wins in recent trials, but Almalad has the advantage of having raced and having won. Next Level, a Warwick Farm winner, has to be in the mix and McHawi and More Than Frank have gone OK in trial hit-outs.

Bet: 2 Alma Lad

Exotics: No value.

Race 2 (12.55)

Betting: $4.80 Elusive Runner, $7.50 Off The Rails, $8 Takewing, $9 Elroi, $9.50 Rockabill

Comment: Rockabill, who ran well first-up at Newcastle, is the likely leader with Marvelous Ceramibo while Elusive Runner needs a bit of luck from his alley, but goes good and has improved with each of his four runs. Takewing put on a bucking display last run and it can be ignored while Elroi comes from New Zealand with fair form. Off The Rails and Casino Dancer are racing well.

Bet: 6 Elusive Runner

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Casino Dancer, 5 Takewing, 6 Elusive Runner, 13 Marvelous Ceramibo

Race 3 (1.30)

Betting: $2.60 Katie’s Cove, $5.50 Suit, $7.50 Longma, $8 Oxford Poet, Black Revolver

Comment: Oxford Poet will bowl along in front and Katie’s Cove, second in the Hawkesbury Guineas, could be a lot closer, and perhaps midfield, if she jumps away. She is a filly on the rise. Suit was disappointing at Hawkesbury while Longma and Black Revolver turned in sound last start efforts. Equator, Abbasso and Lofty Ambition all look over the odds.

Bet: 5 Katie’s Cove

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Equator, 5 Katie’s Cove, 10 Black Revolver, 12 Lofty Ambition

Race 4 (2.05)

Betting: $4.60 Inside Job, $5.50 You’ll Never, $7 Specific Choice, $7.50 Swooning, $9 Tralfaz

Comment: Not a lot of speed with Tralfaz and Rastro the likely frontrunners. Inside Job, improved by a first up Hawkesbury run, will race close and should be hard to toss while You’ll Never has looked a touch unlucky at both his runs this preparation. Specific Choice disappoints more than most, but is suited and Zin Zan Eddie and Corryvreckan are queries. Swooning is an import.

Bet: 6 You’ll Never

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Inside Job, 6 You’ll Never, 10 Specific Choice, 13 Corryvreckan

Race 5 (2.40)

Betting: $3.20 Avoid Lightning, $5 Recoinage, $6 See The World, $7 Mount Nebo, $8 Arinosa

Comment: Last start winner Hurrara will lead and is a great hope again while Avoid Lightning is in dashing form and has won a trial since she last raced. See The World and Arinosa are capable of swamping them if they go fast enough, but not if the tempo is only even. Also consider Recoinage and Mout Nebo. Furious Jet is a good roughie.

Bet: 3 Avoid Lightning

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 See The World, 3 Avoid Lightning, 4 Hurrara, 7 Mount Nebo

Race 6 (3.15)

Betting: $2.80 La Amistad, $6.50 Destiny’s Kiss, Secessio, Order Of The Sun, $9.50 Permit

Comment: La Amistad has not beaten much in her short career, but is stacked full of promise while the rest of the field are pluggers. Seven of the field come from the Lord Mayor’s Cup at Rosehill where Secessio (third) and Permit (fifth) have the best chances. Order Of The Sun, a three-year-old, won the St Leger at Flemington and Destiny’s Kiss is a definite chance.

Bet: 13 La Amistad

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Permit, 2 Destiny’s Kiss, 5 Secessio, 13 La Amistad

Amazon is racing in career best form.

Race 7 (3.50)

Betting: $4.60 Mamwaazel, $4.80 Amazon, $5 Sense And Reason, $12 I’m In The Money, Oriental Lady, Sail

Comment: Amazon is chasing her fourth win on the trot and the only thing I can see against her is a switch back in distance. The Waller pair, Mamwaazel and Sense And Reason, fought out a recent Warwick Farm race and both will be in the thick of things again. I’m In The Money should lead and could be good value and Centrepet can show up.

Bet: 10 Amazon

Exotics: Box trifecta 2 I’m In The Money, 4 Centrepet, 10 Amazon, 15 Sense And Reason

Race 8 (4.30)

Betting: $4.40 Generalife, $6.50 Taxmeifyoucan, $9 Excess Knowledge, Earnest Ernest

Comment: Melbourne galloper Loot ’N’ Run has won seven races, has the speed to be on pace and ran second in Listed company last start. Of the locals Eigelstein’s last run was better than it looked, Absalon has trialled well, Taxmeifyoucan and Earnest Ernest are honest and Rugged Cross has a big hope if you forgive him one run. Excess Knowledge, an import, won a trial.

Bet: 4 Loot’N’Run

Exotics: Quinella 3 Eigelstein, 4 Loot ’N’ Run

BEST BET

La Amistad

VALUE

Loot ’N’ Run

WHO’S HOT

The Chris Waller-trained Brazen Beau is a hot $2.20 favourite in the Sires Produce Stakes at Doomben after his brilliant first-up win two weeks ago.

WHO’S NOT

Mamwaazel (Race 7, Randwick) keeps running placings without winning and she looks unders as a $4.60 early favourite.

DROP A HINT

Wyong galloper Big Bonanza has had three trials and is ready to make a big first-up showing in the Chief De Beers Handicap, 1100m, at Doomben.

EYE CATCHER

Furious Jet (Race 5), to be ridden by glamour apprentice Taylor Marshall, turned in a last-to-first ‘eye catcher’ to win at Wyong last start.

Originally published as Ken Callander: La Amistad is on course to win Saturday’s McKell Cup