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Handy galloper Barigan Boy can return a fresh up winner in today's final race at Gosford – the Sports Sunday HandicaP (RACE 8).
The lightly raced five-year-old, prepared by the Webster stable at Randwick, has won only three races but is usually in much higher grade than today's Benchmark 65 over 1200m.
Barigan Boy resumed last winter over 1100m at Doomben and after settling back from a wide gate hooked widest in the straight and ran home powerfully to finish a 2.5 length fifth in a race dominated from the front.
He then returned to New South Wales and tackled a Class 2 at Kembla Grange where he was able to sit closer and after turning stalking the leading group burst through and ran away to score by a couple of lengths.
Next start was in town over 1300m at Warwick Farm where he struck a heavy track.
He sat just off the lead and loomed up to challenge in the straight before fading over the final stages in the testing ground, finishing fourth but a good run nonetheless in a good form race behind Galah.
Last run before a break was over 1300m in a Benchmark 70 on the Kensington track.
There he sat midfield in the run and turned there before working home strongly in the straight, finishing third and beaten just over a length behind Bubadar.
He had a let up following that run before dropping back to 1100m at Wyong in a one metropolitan winners race.
Settling sixth and racing there throughout, he was disappointing in the run home to finish sixth so he was turned out for a good break.
The gelding resumes over the 1200m journey today and all three career wins have been at the trip.
His fresh up record is better than it reads and he looks nicely placed here with the claim offsetting the big weight.
He has drawn out a little but with good speed on he should be camped off the speed and on his favourite firm conditions he should be hard to hold out.
The Graeme Rogerson trained Aporia is a last start winner in Adelaide and looks to have found a nice race for her new yard.
The mare, formerly prepared by Phillip Stokes at Morphettville, has been pretty consistent in city grade throughout her 13 starts career which has included three wins, one at 1000m and two over 1250m.
She had been knocking on the door before a disappointing run on the Morphettville Parks track over 1400m two starts back, leading but seemingly not running out the journey.
So she was dropped back to 1250m there and ridden just off the pace finished strongly to score a neck win.
Today she resumes with an easy trial under held belt and has drawn a good gate.
From there she should be prominent throughout at each way odds.
The Brett Partelle trained Inherited resumed with a nice run at Newcastle and can only be fitter for it.
The mare tried to lead throughout in a Benchmark 60 fresh and held on well to finish third.
She drops in weight today after the claim but has the wide gate to overcome.
She has good pace though and will take catching.
Akmal, who has been thereabouts at his last four starts without winning, looks a strong each way hope to break through.
This grade suits, he has a fair record here and is certainly overdue.