City Quaddie Sent South
Canterbury’s closure for quarantine purposes means a raft of autumn midweek meetings are being hosted by provincial courses. It would seem that to use Kensington is to risk unbearable criticism.
How odd!
Today’s venue is Kembla Grange. A meeting at Randwick would have been in doubt, but South Wollongong has avoided the bulk of recent precipitation. Enough so to post a Good 4.
This is Kembla’s third meeting in twelve days. The two preceding today have been conducted with the rail true and wide runners in the ascendancy.
A three metre rail on a drying surface is still likely to favour the running line and gun riders.
Quaddie leg 1 is the “three-forty-five” for “apples and pears”. Autumn finds punters focussing upon the “apples” or 3-y-o fillies.
As it stands, Tremezzina and Lycia are in possession of the recent city lead-up race, the latter bailed up hopelessly from the turn.
Lycia returns to the scene of her only win-to-date, is 3rd-up and looks to control this event.
Hermosa Beach, a 5-y-o mare with high strike rate, is yet to see a city event, having run in two highway races. She has been well placed in her career so far.
Ocean Tempest trialled well after disappointing first-up, but then failed to get warm on Black Opal Day. I find her hard to recommend.
Quaddie leg 2 is the “four-fifteen” and the longest race on the programme.
Imported Hipparchus will be expected to relish the extra distance and looks hard to beat second-up.
His main opposition is Monogram, returning to a suitable trip with the leading rider, and local Rhodin Drive, on the backup with blinkers reapplied.
Fellow import, Secateur, making his local debut with blinkers-on, looms as a wild card.
Quaddie leg 3 is the penultimate race on the card at four-forty-five over a mile.
3-y-o Moher finds a race and draw to control after working outside the lead his past two runs.
His danger looms as 4-y-o ex-kiwi Swift Code, who showed an impressive turn-of-foot on an unsympathetic wide rail at his local debut.
Quaddie leg 4 is the nightcap at five-fifteen.
3-y-o Montauk resumes in his second preparation having achieved Saturday credentials before a Derby-Day flop packed him off to the paddock and an enroute encounter with the vet. He has returned trialling strongly.
His older stablemate Liberty Island, whilst a run ahead, preparation-wise, has been enigmatic, with his record now a dubious 17-2-2-2.
@justideal
