3 minute read

A return to the mile can bring about a return to the winners circle for the David Hayes-trained Speckie at Kilmore today.

Speckie was well short of his best at Seymour last time but his best form has always come from 1400-1600m and he is expected to improve sharply getting out to the mile today.

His return effort at Geelong was sound, showing him back in good order, and on best form he is the one to beat on weight adjusted figures.

That peak form came when stepping out the mile last season with a good runner-up effort and a win at Sandown both pieces of form that read well coming into today’s race.

That was followed by close up efforts at Flemington and Caulfield, in tougher company than he meets here, and again that form makes for good reading today.

In-fact in five runs at a mile only on the one occasion has Speckie not returned a figure that would see him a likely winner today and he had plenty of excuses on that day having been back and in traffic on unsuitable ground.

Also in Speckie’s favour is the way the race will pan out. There is a lack of speed on paper which should see Speckie either lead or sit right on the back of whoever opts to take up the running.

Speckie has a turn of foot and that may be what proves decisive off a potentially slow gallop.

The key danger today looks to be last start winner Kim Command.

He returned a good winner and has clearly come back well but on that winning piece of form he still has around 4-5 lengths to find on an in-form Speckie.

The market makes Belmaison next best but he is fairly limited and has a bit to find on the top two who are the stand-outs.