Nathan heads to Alexandra Park tonight hopeful rather than confident chiefly through tricky draws. How he sees the lineup.
Race 5 Harness Million Fillies -Shezsofast /Wat Next
“SHEZSOFAST ($6.50) has one on the second row but it might not be the worst result. My mapping suggests she won’t be further back than three fence and she might get her chance to have a crack at them if she is no worse than that. A bit more racing would have been ideal but she has gone well fresh before and she is in the right order to go a bold race here. But if she ended further back on the rail that would make it harder. She is a Group 1 winner and has the ability.
WAT NEXT ($6) is well though probably not quite as forward in race condition as the other filly because her prep has not gone quite according to plan. She has proven ability though. The gate could test her -and Dad. If he goes back he has a full field to get round and if he goes forward that’s energy used early. Not much between them,I would just favour Shezsofast if she got the right split.
Race 7 Delightful Lady Classic. Lady Di
“I would have labelled LADY DI ($3.30 fave) but for the gate. It’s a hard race to map. Steve and Amanda and Barry and Scott have multiple runners and Robert and Jenna’s has the ace gate. I am just hoping Lady Di can find a space about midpack where she doesn’t have to do too much to get into the action.
She is very well,the best we have had her and she is still improving. She can win but there are a few traps for Dad early. but he knows most of them.
Race 9 Cardigan Bay/Young Guns Final Coal Fire,Arisus,Delaney
“COAL FIRE ($4.80) has the ability but not the gate. Being drawn outside Tour Party is going to make things hard for him. But he is a horse who can thrive on doing a bit of work -probably suits him best-and he is not far away on ability. I would say top three if the race pans out the way it looks.
DELANEY ($31) might be a surprise packet. He has the gate and he can actually get off it a lot better than people may think. I would hope to see him in front early and get the right run from there. If it all worked out I wouldn’t count him out of the money. ARISUS ($35) lacks the experience of some but when he trialled one day I rolled the rein over his back going out of the gate and he showed me a bit straight away. He is a very professional type and nothing seems to worry him. He’s a longshot but a better run than the odds is possible. I rate those two as about equal chances given luck.
Our best is LADY DI -with luck.
PIC: Wat Next -Not ideal buildup but has the class