Sunday's Race Previews
A top-class feature race and a competitive supporting card in store for Mother's Day at Hastings — just add sunshine!
I’M A CHI TOO was gutsy in defeat on his Hastings debut last month and a repetition of that run would see him go close in Sunday’s opener. MAKEITORBREAKIT was behind him on opening weekend and should have blown away any cobwebs with that outing. He could be closer today in what will be his first experience of life at this level of claiming contest. EYE BE SEEING YOU, DEBATABLE and DONE THAT are veteran soldiers of the Hastings claiming game and all three are capable of winning this on their day but, equally, may be seen to better effect with a race under their belts.
IRISH LUNA steps up in class after her neck victory on opening day and faces stiff opposition, despite having a fitness edge over some of these. REA MEA gave connections thrills aplenty last term with four wins and will have lots of support to resume this season where she ended 2022. Her biggest threat may be stablemate WANDALITA. She chased home Belcarra Park and Pretty Aria on her final outing last year and a repetition of that run would give her an excellent chance. DON’TPASSTHEPEPPER makes her Hastings debut after being claimed out of Turf Paradise where she has enjoyed mixed fortunes over the winter.
GWEN, TRAPALIS and ROLLIE’S SPIRIT all managed to win last season and it will be a little surprising if the trio doesn;t feature prominently again in this lower-level claiming contest for horses who have yet to win their second lifetime race. BARNEY GOOGLE, meanwhile, has the advantage of having a race under his girth and, although not one on which to pawn the family silver, can make his presence felt.
FOOT SOLDIER drops down a rung on the class ladder here after a good win over I’m A Chi Too on opening weekend and, based on that performance, he holds a favourite’s chance. KNOPFLER and JUVEE TOO were also in action on opening day and filled the minor placings behind Mr Quality. They should both play a hand here, while VANCOUVER’S HUNTER, who performed well enough last season in better company than he faces here, returns to the same level at which he won on his final appearance last October.
The day’s feature event may set up perfectly for the speedy BOLD ARCH. The 6yo does most of the damage to his opponents from the front and his rivals will do well not to allow him a soft lead. CASCADE BILLY, meanwhile, nosed out Bold Arch last August in a similar contest before then losing out to the same foe in October. The classy SOARINGFORTHESUN took the Jack Diamond Maturity over today’s distance on his first outing of last season and subsequently collected the BC Cup Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial.
A wide-open affair that could go to any of these hard-knocking types on their day. APPELLANT finished fourth on his reappearance last month and had YOU DON’T OWN ME and RACING RIVER behind him. MORETHANSOULTITLE makes his Hastings debut after a winter campaign at Turf Paradise and represents the in-form Condilenios barn. QUAGMIRE, meanwhile, won three times last season at this level and went down by just a nose on his reappearance last season.
RIMFIRE ran just twice last season and has been out of action since June. But he looked a classy prospect when winning on just his second appearance and it will be fascinating to see how he gets on today. The consistent Y VEE R, who successfully flew the Hastings’ flag at Emerald Downs last season as well as winning at ‘home’, has been working well in the mornings, while BETTER TONE represents an in-form barn and won at the first time of asking, and at this level, last season.
Sunday’s Picks
