Sunday's Previews
Bold Arch and Sunbird headline another scintillating Sunday afternoon at Hastings, where the mighty Erlich also takes on Buttonwood Tree in the second Marathon race of the season
WIRLY GIRLY had all these behind her when second to Daphne last month and she goes for her third win at Hastings since arriving from California. Last season’s BC Oaks heroine ABOVE AVERAGE is probably better over longer distances than this but she’s versatile enough, is the class of the race and remains a big threat, while front-running HOAX goes for her fourth win of the season and will make sure the test is true. TAMARA MINE has yet to show the form that prompted her connections to claim the mare out of Golden Gate in the spring, but a return to anything close to her early-season standard would make her hard to handle.
LOGICAL AL, who has been banging heads with some tough customers all year, drops onto the bottom rung of the class ladder for the first time and should be a serious opponent at this level. DIVAANY had ROLLIE’S SPIRIT, CRYPTO MUNNY and CHAMPIOSA behind when a distant second to Extra Innings last time and was arguably even better when third in a similar contest the time before. He’s a must for the shortlist. WHEN IN MEXICO’s only other attempt at this distance didn’t go well, but he won comfortably last time and represents the all-conquering Steve Henson barn.
DUKE GIRLS returns to the bottom level after a solid second in similar company two weeks ago. She was a way behind the winner that day but had the less experienced Thinkin Back behind her and, after finishing runner-up no fewer than five times already this season, looks to have a good opportunity to finally lose her maiden tag. THINKIN BACK ran well on just his second career outing and any small improvement would put him in the mix, while ATTAIN was beaten a nose on his debut before being claimed next time out after disappointing over the long course. He’s back to sprinting again and makes his first appearance for new connections.
BUTTONWOOD TREE got the better of a thrilling front-end duel to win the first Marathon race earlier this month and returns here for the second leg as the one to beat. ERLICH has won this contest for the past two years and remains a potent threat over his favoured extended distances. He was ridden a little closer to the pace behind Buttonwood Tree last time but was still staying-on well enough and he can be expected to arrive late on the scene again today. ARTISTIC JEWLER had no answer to Buttonwood Tree and co last time but, prior to that, went gate-to-wire to win over today’s distance and needs to be on the shortlist. With just a single Hastings start since arriving from California, STRAIT OF GEORGIA is not easy to weigh up, but should be suited by the distance and worked noticeably well recently.
Gamblers could have found long odds against SUNBIRD remaining winless after five races this year. However, last season’s leading sophomore has endured terrible racing luck this term and has still managed to be a close runner-up in two of the year’s most important Stakes races. This is certainly no ‘gimme’ but he remains a class act, should have plenty of pace ahead of him and, with clear passage, can finally get his head in front. The magnificent BOLD ARCH is already a three-time winner this season and would be something of a certainty if this race was being run over the short course. However, he’s still very good over this distance and is a big threat. PURSUE took full advantage of the pace set by barn-mate JUST JIMMY last time and will be a major beneficiary of any silly fractions.
FRANKIE MACHINE is a wily old campaigner who already has multiple career wins at this distance to his name and who hasn’t finished outside the first three all season. He hasn’t been on the bottom rung since June, where he won over the mile-and-sixteenth, and should be thereabouts again today. FAMILY BIZ had Frankie Machine behind when winning over this distance back in July and ran well enough in his two most recent starts, despite being caught behind a slow pace on both occasions. FORT LANGLEY is another veteran who knows more about the game than most of us humans and he lines-up here on the back of a trademark win over the same distance last time.
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