3 minute read
Local mare Babelicious will be hard to hold out in today's final race at Scone – the Patinack Farm Breeders' Bonus Handicap (race 7).
The mare, prepared on the course by Rodney Northam and to be ridden by leading rider Robert Thompson, has a big weight and wide gate but looks the hardest to hold out over the 1100m journey.
A daughter of Not A Single Doubt, Babelicious has raced only five times for three wins, a second, and a city fifth.
She kicked off her career here over 1100m and had a bit on her maiden rivals on heavy ground, running on for a 1.5 length win.
After a short spell, she then dropped back to 1000m at Muswellbrook and after settling second last again had little trouble accounting for her Class 1 rivals.
It was no surprise Northam was keen to test the waters in town which was over 1100m at Canterbury.
Drifting back from an inside gate, she turned third last before making steady ground in the run home, finishing a 3.3 length fifth behind Courgette.
Babelicious had another spell before resuming over 1000m in a Benchmark 60 in Tamworth.
There she drew the extreme outside gate in a big field, and went back to the tail before running home in a eye catching effort, finishing a three-quarter length second behind Miss Teejay's.
Lats start, here in a Benchmark 55 over 1100m, she carried 59.5kg and sat closer in the run form a good gate before running away with a length win over Sweet Talkin Woman.
That horse is well fancied to win race five today.
Babelicious drops a half kilo on the win but has drawn wide again this time.
She is unbeaten at the course and distance, will be fitter for the two runs back and is a progressive mare who looks more than up to a Benchmark 60 at home.
Urania Crown is a last start winner in this class and she looks the biggest danger from an ideal alley.
The mare, prepared by Pat Farrell at Muswellbrook, kicked off this campaign over 1150m at Cessnock and after sitting just off the pace worked home strongly for second, beaten in a photo.
She then tackled a Class 2 at Mudgee over 1200m and after sitting off the pace from the inside gate ran home hard and away with a 1.8 length win.
Next run was over 1200m in a Class 3 at Tamworth where she drew an outside gate and was forced to work wide in a midfield position.
That told in the straight where she tried hard but could manage only eighth.
Up to 1300m at Taree she drew better and sat second throughout, boxing on well there to finish runner-up.
Last start, in a Benchmark 60 over 1100m, she drew gate four and sat fifth in the run and turned there, before proving too good in the run home and going on for a 1.5 length win.
She meets the same grade here but carries 2kg more today, and is yet to place in three ruins at the course.
But from gate four again she will be camped just off the speed and does look hard to hold out.
Ruling Class scored an impressive win at Muswellbrook last time and should be hitting the line hard.
The mare settled fifth over 1000m but charged away, scoring by 2.5 lengths.
She won her only start here and should be steaming home again at the finish.
Sutton Brave looks one of the leaders in the race and will give a big sight.
The gelding tried to lead throughout last time at Tamworth but did some early work which told at the finish, ending up fourth.
Today he drops in class, has only half a kilo more and from a middle draw will roll forward and take catching.