EF SEPT 05 - EARLY RACES PREVIEW

By Graham Potter | Friday, September 4, 2009

Being quick out of the barriers is often a way to set up a winning run. If you can get far enough ahead early you might just end up on the right side of the ledger at the end of the day ... we are talking about punting of course!

Here follows a quick guide to the early races at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Race 1:

MR GOLDFIRE: Eight-year-old twelve-time winner. Finished just off the placings in both the Coffs Cup and Taree Cup. Carries weight well but the task of giving between 5kg and 8.5kg to all of his rivals over this type of distance should prove too difficult.

D’ELCATRAZ: Can run with the pace or go out and set the tempo himself. Winner at the track two runs back but not as committed last time over 2100m which translates into a distance query. Expect to give cheek for a long way, but chances are he won’t be able to finish it off.

BEARTRACKER: Has slowly been stepping up in distance in his four starts this prep following a five month layoff. Outgunned by Shuffle The Cash last time when having to settle for second place. Extra ground and light weight (with apprentice claim) puts him right in this. Watch.

TELFIRE: Flatters on occasions and the last time J. Byrne was in the saddle he finished a creditable fourth, 2.80 lengths behind Frozone over 2100m at this track. Again looks short of a couple of lengths her, but he does still rate an outside chance.

EUREKA: Once lost, then found, now going places. This gelding only made his debut as a five-year-old after being forgotten in a paddock for years and he now boasts an impressive record of four wins from nine starts. Comes into the race bidding for a hat trick having already confirmed he relishes the distance. With his light weight, he should again be hard to hold out.

UNCLE JAN: Beaten by 6.40 lengths by Eureka last time. He is now 2kg better off at the weights but that does not look to be enough of an advantage for him to be able to reverse that result. Should again have to settle for a minor role.

BOSSY MATILDA: Nine-year-old who has struggled in recent starts. Looks up against it.

LANDER: Consistent money-earner who is now overdue for a win. Went down by 1.30 lengths to Eureka over 2100m. The two now meet on the same weight terms, but Lander could well be good enough to make up the deficit - with the four-year-old having more scope for improvement than some of his older rivals. Expect him to be pushing hard for the win. He should be involved in the finish.

GRUNGLE: Beartracker beat him home by 2.50 lengths last time and he now meets that one on 4kg worse terms which would appear to put him out of contention for the main prize.

HRO VERDICT: Eureka is on a roll and he is clearly enjoying his time on the track. He looks the part to go on with here, but will have to once again take care of the challenge of Lander if he is to make it three-in-a-row. The latter will fight all of the way and a bold effort is expected from him. Beartracker will keep the first two fancies honest while Telfire rates best of the rest.

1 Eureka, 2 Lander, 3 Beartracker, 4 Telfire.

LAST START WINNER FEEDBACK (After Eureka’s win at Doomben on August 22).
Trainer Robert Heatcote: “We brought him up to Queensland and he’s the most unusual horse I have ever had to train because he was basically a five-year-old that had never been handled ... so he was like a five-year-old juvenile. Nobody had ever touched him and he just didn’t know what to do.

“I identified very early that he was a horse with some ability. I just wasn’t sure at that stage over what distance. He has rapidly shown us ... you know, he was won four of his last five ... that he is a stayer of some hope. He is a pretty handy horse.

“The thing that he has ... which most of us know with good stayers ... he has got that little turn of foot. He can put himself in the race.”


Race 2:

GERMAN CHOCOLATE: His runs have been carefully spaced and his form is better than it might appear at first glance. He took on the likes of Ortensia and News Alert during the Carnival and last time, when finishing third, he bumped into the formidable Court Command. The form of that race is strong with all of Somersea Drive (who finished second), Heart Of The Citi (fifth) and Forestreno (sixth) winning at subsequent starts. Set top weight here, he will have it all to do but Colless gives him a vote of confidence by staying in the saddle. That should be a significant pointer.

OLLIE VOLLIE: Was unplaced but only 2.10 length off the more-than-useful Battlefield in the Ramornie and then came up against Albert The Fat, who is up to feature quality in Sydney. Was held wide throughout when finishing 7.20 lengths behind Albert The Fat. Half of his ten wins have come over this trip. Should be in the mix when it matters most but his armoury could be short of a knockout blow.

SOUTHERLY IMPACT: He is a reasonably difficult ride and his waywardness sometimes compromises his chances. His runner-up finish to Sommersea Drive last time showed he has the ability to threaten here. Would certainly not be winning out of turn, but he will need to find something extra in the finish if he is not to end up with another consolation prize.

LIGHT RED: Won at long odds with big weight on local debut in first run for his new stable. Then showed to fair advantage in his follow-up when again carrying weight, this time from a wide draw, and finishing 3.10 lengths behind Heart Of The Citi. He carried 4.5kg more than the winner on that occasion, making it a noteworthy performance. Looks well placed here.

TORNADIC SKY: Nine-year-old. Compounded badly last time and ended up tailed off in only his second start since January. Apart from form reservations, match fitness has to be questionable. Cannot have.

ALBERT CADABRA: Underestimate any runner from this stable at your own peril. Hinted at a form return last time when third behind Lifeboat. The stable expertise and the light weight should ensure that there is further improvement, although the worry is that his form marked time without any good reason for several races before his latest showing. At very least, expect to give plenty of cheek.

BLACKWOODS CHOICE: Lightly raced six-year-old with a high strike-rate. Races second-up here after a seven month layoff and steps up in distance after winning over 1100m at Ipswich last time. That was only a Class 3 contest though. More to do, but should have more to come. He is something of a dark horse in the race with his true ability yet to be exposed. He could win with ease. He could be unplaced. It’s a spin of the coin.

HRO VERDICT: German Chocolate and Light Red should fight out the finish here. The former will appreciate a downturn in the level of the opposition and the latter appears to be well placed, relative to his ability, at the weights.

1 German Chocolate, 2 Light Red, 3 Southerly Impact, 4 Ollie Vollie.

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