Sunday's Previews
A highly-competitive afternoon in store at Hastings, as the hard-knocking, blue-collar horses take centre stage to offer six infuriating puzzles to solve. Good luck, everybody!
FOOTHILLS BLVD. takes a noticeable drop in class here and looks a tough nut to crack at this level and a repeat of either of her two most recent efforts should be good enough. BC CHRISTIE has missed the board just once since being claimed back in May and shouldn’t be too far away, while MISS ACCELERATE put in an improved effort to win last time and remains a big danger now connections seem to have found the key.
SHAMRA takes a significant drop and looks to be the class act here, although this is her first start since May. She was beaten a half-length by Daphne that day and a repeat anywhere close to the same level would be good enough. However, all will need to be well with Shamra if she is to beat the remarkable QUEEN OF ATTITUDE, who goes for a fifth consecutive win today and has already had rivals NINE OCLOCK CEASER, MISS THE HYPE and WANDALITA behind her at various times this season. She arrives late, but she usually arrives.
The connections of BRIAN’S DE LEIGHT could be forgiven for having revenge on their minds here. They beat CHICKASAW by a nose last month, when both benefitted from some class relief, only for the stewards to intervene and place the ‘winner’ sixth. Returning to the same level, the extra distance should suit both protagonists today and it will be exciting to see how the ‘grudge match’ plays out. FRASER LANDING takes on the long course for the first time in his career but didn’t look to be stopping when winning in tougher company last time, while WISELY PLAYED will no doubt be looking to close late as usual and shouldn’t be too far away.
BLUEBIRD CAFE had MINI MARKET behind when going down by just a head last time and she should go close again here if repeating the standard. The stewards intervened to give WEEKENDINDELMAR the ‘win’ last time and she now faces winners while still a maiden in real life. However, this is the first time she’s run at this level after slowly dropping through the ranks this season and she can make her presence felt. There may be some value at the betting windows with I’M ALL SHOOK UP, who wasn’t beaten too far behind Bluebird Cafe last time and looked to be in tight quarters approaching the far turn. She should be closer with a clear passage.
VECTOR was impressive when pulling away from his rivals to win comfortably last time and he looks the one to beat. CURLIN ROCKS makes his first appearance for new connections after being claimed last time and looks a big danger. The lightly-raced OUR BLOKE went down by a head when splitting Beckett’s Best and subsequent winner Fraser Landing last time. It’s his first try at the mile-and-sixteenth, although he was plugging on well enough to suggest the extra real estate may suit the son of stamina influence, English Channel.
AVE’S IN COMMAND goes for his fifth win of the season and a third consecutive victory. He’s been in scintillating form all year and looks the one to beat again here. BACK SHACK and STAR ENTRY take some noticeable class relief but have to take each other on once more after finishing second and third behind Cerebro in July. Both have solid claims again. TIZ VICIOUS makes his first appearance for new connections after being claimed last time and has a big chance at this level if able to repeat some of his early-season form.
Lisa & Mike’s Sunday Best
Statistics
Celebrating “Brownie”
New Stride News
