3 minute read
Back to town after last week’s meeting ventured north to the Sunshine Coast for the Sunshine Coast Guineas, the Caloundra Cup and the Glasshouse Handicap.
With the meeting back to Eagle Farm fields are big with the highlight of the day being the Bmag Queensland Cup over the marathon journey of 3200m.
Sydney visitor Astro Avalanche looks the one they all have to beat after his exciting ‘catch me if you can’ style when second over the same journey at Randwick on June 7.
The Sam Kavanagh-trained stayer got out with a huge lead and with 1200m to run the estimate – and it was an estimate – was that he was 20 lengths in front of the field.
It reminded old time racegoers of the deeds of Scotch And Dry, a noted front running galloper of the 1970’s that used to get out with big leads and have racegoers on the edge of their seats.
Kavanagh has replaced apprentice Taylor Marshall with senior rider Ryan Wiggins in Saturday’s staying test.
Astro Avalanche is a former Irish galloper that was prepared by Aidan O’Brien and took time to acclimatise to Australian conditions after making his debut for Kavanagh at Morphettville in April last year and it’s taken until four weeks ago for the son of Galileo to hit his straps.
Now that he has shown that glimpse of form he’s going to again give this lot something to catch.
Earlier in the day Excellantes can hit a winning note again.
Despite having to carry 59kg, Excellantes has been contesting tougher grade than what he meets here.
He carried 57.5kg to score in a Listed race over this course and trip in April before disappointing at Doomben at his next outing.
He returned to Doomben on May 24 running third in the Chief De Beers stakes before rising to Group 3 company and finishing 3.4 lengths from Big Money in the W.J. Healy Stakes.
This certainly looks a much better option for him.
Team Meagher – John, Chris and Daniel – looks to have a good chance with Smart Huss in the Hlb Mann Judd Handicap.
Smart Huss is backing up after running in the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas last Saturday, finishing 11th behind Hopfgarten.
He was forced to cover ground in the run on that occasion and wilted in the final stages, suggesting the drop back to 1400m here will be an advantage.
Expect him to be hard to stop.
BANKER: Race 6 No 1 Excellantes @ $5.50
BET OF THE DAY: Race 4 No 6 Smart Huss @ $11
LAY OF THE DAY: Race 2 No 1 Hi Son @ $3
