Friday Night Previews

Some of the toughest war-horses on the premises are set to shine under the lights at Hastings on Friday night in seven wide-open contests

Jun 28, 2024

A Friday Night Affair — photo Michael Bye

RICK’S DANCER drops back to the level at which he was claimed two starts ago but also renews rivalry with ON MY GOOD SIDE and Nu Soup for Baby, both of whom appear on the bottom rung for the first time. NU SOUP FOR BABY hopped out of the gate last time on what was only his second career start, but he was soon hustled up to the leaders and kept on gamely enough to suggest he has a major shout today. BORROWED EQUITY, who is the galloping definition of ‘consistent’, drops back to 6½ furlongs after a solid third-place finish over the long course last time. He’s missed the board just once in eight lifetime starts.

WICKED NIGHT takes a thick slice of class relief here, dropping several rungs on the ladder, and will be hard to handle if able to reproduce either of his two previous efforts over 6½ furlongs this season. LEFT THE BAR was forced to check when squeezed for room by the ultimately-disqualified Valuable Cowboy last time, ending any serious chance he held in the process. He should be closer today. THERE GOES MY HERO returns to action for the first time since beating subsequent winner Beckett’s Best by a neck in May and a repeat of that performance puts him in the firing line.

STRIKING VALUE came from a long way back to run Texas Legacy to a neck last time, passing DRILL BABY DRILL in the process. There’s clearly not much between them although, that day, Striking Value was having her first outing of the season, while tonight is Drill Baby Drill’s fourth run of the year. CATTY DOM might represent some value for the placings. She wasn’t a factor over the mile-and-sixteenth last time and is far from easy to weigh up, but her best form in the U.S. is over this distance and at a marginally higher level.

STANFORD NORTH has hit the board in all three starts this year and is unlucky not to have already won this term. He’s had DIVAANY behind in two of those three runs and won’t be far away again tonight. BARBERRY BANDIT drops a little in class after three unplaced efforts this season, but is a major player here if getting close to reproducing any of those performances, while RANCHO RED makes his first appearance for new connections since being claimed when last of five behind Stanford North and co. However, that was his first Hastings start and the Golden Gate veteran has form from earlier in the spring that would make him a tough opponent.

DIPLOMATIC flubbed her lines on her most most recent appearance, weakening quickly when her chance had gone. However, prior to that, she ran an encouraging second to Mini Market with tonight’s rival E Z TONIGHT just behind and may be worth another chance in what looks to be a moderate maiden. CHABI was staying on well enough behind a sauntering Dapper Don last time to suggest she can be a serious threat, while four-year-old DELTA SUNRISE makes just her third career start after taking them to the quarter pole on her season debut in May. NUMAANY’S CANDY, meanwhile, makes her first career start. She’s pleased her trainer Nicole Rycroft over the winter and would not need to be the reincarnation of Pegasus to make her presence felt here.

ICE BREAKER was clearly second best of the bunch behind Ostracize last time, staying on well in the closing stages, and is a leading contender to land what is a competitive-looking heat which featured a strong collection Hastings’ toughest lower-level claiming fillies and mares. RICHARDS COMMAND was probably too involved early last time and still only gave way grudgingly when finally crying enough close home. She won’t be far away with some racing luck. PINEAPPLE TIDBITS has been getting closer each time and was another plugging on gamely behind Ostracize last time. She would have been third in another stride that day and is definitely one for the shortlist.

Considering that she hopped, skipped and jumped her way out of the gate on her first career start, before understandably showing some inexperience in running, TIARA DAWN did well to finish a rallying fourth against what now looks like an above average group. A little improvement on that first effort would put her right in the mix here. DUKE GIRLS had no answer to the useful looking Eyes of Beauty last time but was clearly the best of the rest and had FOREVER SUMMER well behind. There’s no Eyes of Beauty to worry about here, although the two debutantes, the 3yo A Little Mercy Now and 4yo NOZOMI were both relatively ‘pricey’ local yearling purchases with pedigrees to match. A LITTLE MERCY NOW, in particular, is a half-sister to six winners, including the Scandinavian Group 3 winner, Giftform.