Friday Night Previews
Hastings on a Friday evening is the perfect place to kick-off the weekend. Lots of exciting racing action, as well as plenty of East Van fun … and food trucks!
Both ANZAC BAY and EBONY EYES make the second start of the season here after just the solo outing each as juveniles. Anzac Bay was fourth behind Licorice last month, but was a fair way behind the winner. Similarly, Ebony Eyes has bumped into some good horses on both her starts to date and although trailing the field last time, she was up against Space and Desired Outcome and there will be nothing like those to frighten here here. BC CHU CHU has put in three solid performances this season without winning and she represents the bar the others will have to clear to win this.
Veteran war horse ACE DEUCE gets his first chance to ‘go long’ this season after three respectable efforts over shorter distances. Ten of his 14 lifetime wins have been at a mile-and-sixteenth and seven of those have been at Hastings. He seems to be holding his form and won’t be far away from his 15th victory today. It would be a popular win. VANCOUVER’S HUNTER has also won over this distance and, like Ace Deuce, gets his first chance at it this season. He’d be difficult to stop if he could reproduce last October’s win over Lizzie’s Girl but he’s been expensive to follow this term, despite running well enough. BODEGA’s rallying fourth to Don With the Wind over this course last month make him a worthy favourite. He also won over the same distance last October in a tougher contest than this appears on face value.
DRILL BABY DRILL makes her first start for new connections since being claimed last time and also makes her debut at the mile-and-sixteenth distance. Prior to her last effort, she hadn’t missed the board in nine starts. If she adapts to the distance she will be a threat. Trainer Steven Henson has his barn firing like a well-oiled machine right now. The only person arguably more in-form is rider Fraser Aebly and they team-up again here aboard SILVER ARROW, who has put in three solid efforts at this distance in her previous three outings. PEACEHAVEN would be a ‘shoo-in’ if repeating pretty much any of her runs at Golden Gate. However, she ran a clunker in her Hastings debut last month and she will need to show she can handle the unique demands of the Vancouver track.
DESIRED OUTCOME has hit the board in all three of his runs this season and the form of his most recent outing received a big boost earlier this week when the winner Space ran fourth in the BC Cup Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial. Anything close to a repeat of that by Desired Outcome will make him hard to dislodge from a date with the winner’s circle. BRIAN’S DELIGHT is as game as they come and if he’s allowed an easy lead here he will not need a second invitation to take advantage. Like all the runners here, CAIRO CRUSADER makes his debut at the mile-and-sixteenth but he runs as though this may be just what he’s been looking for. CROWN COUNCIL had Cairo Crusader behind when they met last month and, as long as he handles the ‘long course’ he’s another who shouldn’t be too far away.
FILLY FATALE drops back to 6 1/2 furlongs and makes her first appearance for new connections since being claimed last time after winning over the longer course. The distance is of little concern given that she has performed so well at it already this year. A repeat close to her second to Cocorita in June would make her a leading contender here. Woodbine import CARLA’S HONOR takes a little class relief and can reward value seekers if reproducing either of her previous two Hastings’ efforts. VISENYA also drops in class a little and can make her presence felt. She’s making just the third start of the current campaign and a repeat of her third to Kampala Candy last month would give her every chance.
ARIKARA goes for a hat-trick of wins here following two gate-to-wire victories. She rarely lets anyone down and even though she takes on horses dropping back down in class to levels they have previously won at, she shouldn’t be far away again. ICE BREAKER’s takes a little class relief here following a good third to Koala and Quality Command last time. She’s consistent and holds solid claims at this level. AMANDA nosed out Nine Oclock Ceaser when dropping in class last time. She’s been hitting the board against better opposition than she faces here and should be involved at the sharp end.
Texas import I’M ALL SHOOK UP ran a promising second to Kapalua Candy on her Hastings debut last month and should go close again here if repeating that effort. LICORICE beat Queens Over Jack’s over 6 1/2-furlongs two starts ago and returns to the distance here after an excellent fourth to Above Average last time. Florida campaigner HOAX makes her first foray in Hastings claiming company after bumping into a smart collection of fillies last time and she should find this a lot more to her liking. CHI CHI’S SONG makes her debut against winners after breaking her maiden. This will be tougher, of course, but she shouldn’t be underestimated. ADDENDUM has been mixing it in Allowance company and is another for the shortlist in what looks like another ultra-competitive finale.
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Corgi Races - Sunday, August 13
