Closing Day Previews
With seven scintillating races slated and fine weather forecast, Hastings will be the place to be on Sunday, as we say farewell to the 2024 season
The remarkable AVE’S IN COMMAND goes for a sixth win in seven starts this season and will be a warm favourite to land the spoils. Expect him to be on the speed from start to finish. RACING RIVER has enjoyed an exceptional year of his own. He won his opening race back in May and has finished in the frame in each of his subsequent eight races and, with fair sailing, won’t be far away again. BROKE AN BROKEN drops back in distance after three excellent efforts over the mile-and-sixteenth. The last time he ran over this distance was against tougher company than he takes on here and he could be a real threat to the favourite if reproducing two early-season efforts behind the likes of Finding Ways.
Like her male counterpart in the first race, QUEEN OF ATTITUDE bids for an extraordinary sixth win of the season and it’s worth coming out to the track just to witness and celebrate these veteran athletes, who underpin everything that’s good about our sport. She had WANDALITA, NINE OCLOCK CEASER and QUALITY COMMAND behind her last time and, as long as she can find a clear passage for her traditional late rally, she should again take a lot of stopping. And what a cheer she’ll get if she can make it.
MAKENA’S JOY ran well enough when second to Anstruther last time to suggest he should soon notch a first victory and he gets the nod in what may not be the strongest maiden we’ve seen this year. BRODYS SOUVENIR may provide some value at the betting windows. She should know a lot more today following a nice introduction to the sport on her recent debut and didn’t finish far behind KIKIS GOLDEN TOUCH. This looks, on paper at least, like a marginally easier proposition for BROOKLAND who may have bumped into above average opposition last time.
B C CHU CHU has improved since breaking her maiden back in June and takes a noticeable drop in class here after going down by a head last time in a tougher event than this looks on paper. She shouldn’t be too far away. DREAMB just got up to defeat LICORICE last time, although that was over the longer course and there’s clearly very little between them, while FOOTHILLS BLVD. makes her first appearance for new connections since being claimed and looks to be a live threat at this level.
ATTAIN made up notable ground from the rear to finish third behind Duke Girls and THINKIN BACK last time and he shouldn’t be too far away here on just his fourth career start. The only filly in the race, SAILINGFORTHESTARS has been hanging with some tough opposition this season and has held her own. She’s a tenacious sort who thrives on a battle and a repeat of either of her most recent starts would make her tough to beat. MAX BOOSTER has been knocking on the door all season, hitting the board in four of his five starts, and needs to be on the shortlist.
FLORIDA GATOR takes on the mile-and-sixteenth course for the first time this year but has three wins at the distance in his career and was mixing it in Stakes company over the long course last season. COUNTERACT split Class Code and Gunfighter in a similar contest recently and a repeat of that would make him a big danger, while BUTTONWOOD TREE should be suited by a return to this distance after fading late against STRAIT OF GEORGIA in the 11-furlong Marathon.
Much will depend on how quickly they are pulled along here with the likes of KNOPFLER, QUAGMIRE and EYE BE SEEING YOU all better able to perform with something to run at late. ASKMENOQUESTIONS has won twice this season off the front end (in some style, too) and may be able to dictate proceedings again here. FOOT SOLDIER only reappeared in August but has been a busy boy since. He made up notable ground a week ago, when second behind Foreign Protocol, and a repeat of that would put him firmly in the mix to land the final race of the 2024 season at Hastings.
Lisa & Mike’s Sunday Selections
Statistics
