EAAA Division Inter-Residency Challenge 16F Dirt
That’s right folks, 11 equine supermen and women are all set to do battle in this weekends EAAA Division Inter-Residency Challenge over 16 Furlongs at Queensland Racecourse.
Let’s cast our eyes over the field:
1 114561 THAT’S A WINNER stlcards3 T Bouwens 47/1
A 5yo son of Red Ransom, this boy comes into this race on a bit of a mixed preparation. Last start ran 7 of 10 over 12F in the ATC Champions Day on the turf course. Prior to that, he won 2 consecutive claiming races on the dirt, one over this distance by convincing margins. Is an interesting runner.
2 87365 DARK PLACES(IRE) foxon4 M Radke 7/1
A 4yo front running filly by Black Tie Affair and winner of 7 of her 15 starts, placed in 6 others. Has won some of her races by big margins and placed 2nd in the G1 Birmingham Stakes over 10F but is yet to tackle the marathon 16F. Last start over 13F she had a commanding 9 1/2 length lead at the 3rd call and tired to hang on by 2 3/4 lengths at the wire. Will be in this for a long way.
3 95774 WAKI BULLET pandrews S Gann 8/1
This 6yo mare by Red Bullet out of a Miswaki mare looks to be very comfortable over the 14F Dirt course and is yet another runner in the field who is yet to try the two miles. With a Dirt Long Rank of 48, this girl is no slouch when it comes to distance racing, although she hasn’t saluted the judge since the end of July last year when victorious by 4 3/4 lengths in the Country Hospital Challenge. Likes to settle back and will probably be swooping home.
4 115499 THE PRIDE OF DUBAI(IRE) shamran4 T Cox 11/1
Group 3 placed over 12F, This 5yo sired by Dubwai is another who is flirting with danger and coming into the race on a mixed preparation. His last start was over the two miles, however it was on the lawn and wasn’t overly impressive running second by just over 4L. Since his 3rd in the G3 Derby de Swedish last July, he has struggled in stakes company and I believe he will be up against it here.
5 100944 KRISPY CREME bbudgies M Cameron 4/1
MMM Doughnuts….sorry, just got distracted. A 5yo son of Gulch who made an appearance in the World Cup, running 9 of 12. Doesn’t sound too good until you see where he has come from it is an achievement just to get there. He is now with his 6th trainer and current trainer bbudgies picked him up for 20k and has scored 3 wins from 9 starts including a sensational stakes triumph by 7L in the Swiss Halo Bonanza over 14F. In that race he powered home from near last on the sloppy dirt and toyed with his rivals. Unfortunatly for the white flash, he won’t be striking a wet track here. If he was, I’d say certainty.
6 136408 MEDICINE GURU(KY) eirann4 Z Zariz 40/1
One at big odds here, this 4yo Speightstown filly only broke her maiden status 4 starts ago and has been stepping up in distance and down in placings ever since. All Allowance starts have been against small fields and I can’t really see her doing much damage here.
7 125044 BROUHAHA(TUR) taylormade J Ustin 9/1
A lightly raced 4yo by Manilla, this lad showed last start why he is here. Over the 16F dirt course at Florida, he went wire to wire in the Your Castles Bonanza to win by a comfortable 6 1/4L. He ran an impressive speed of 101 and I believe is right in the mix here. Each Way
8 125194 FULL MEASURE mogulaxius S DeBerg 12/1
Trainer elite got a real bargain when he snapped up this 5yo daughter of Polish Precedent for a lazy $3500. She has since performed very well over today’s distance with 6 starts for nothing worse than a 4th. Is yet to win at stakes level, but she may well rectify that situation here. Has in form Jockey S DeBerg up and will be swamping them late at good odds.
9 97680 FLYING ELF(AUS) jacklad P Kays 5/1
Representing Queensland, trainer Jacklad has sent out this 5yo offspring of Flying Spur. Normally known as a sire of sprinters, it is interesting to see him having a runner in a 16F marathon. Flying Elf likes to get back in his races and sometimes doesn’t quite go on with it, running consecutive 4ths in his last 2 runs. Prior to that he had 2 nice wins, both over 11F, the most recent in the Holy Pecan Bonanza. Being a Queenslander myself, I’d love to see him win, but I think a place is more likely.
10 25106 SINANJU frosty C Wyatt 2/1
Coming out of the 10 gate with Queensland’s best jockey C.Wyatt aboard is the bookies favourite at 2/1 Sinanju. A 6yo son of Rahy, he has amassed more than 1.5 million dollars in earnings and has raced in Group company in every start since April last year. Although he hasn’t won any races since then, he has been unlucky, missing by a nose in the G2 Breeders Bowl Uncard two starts back. Another who gets back in his races, he will be also part of the tsunami like wave of horses that will be charginng home.
11 138408 SILVER GILTTER(CA) stayirish S Scriven 50/1
Three trainers in just 11 starts for this son of Benchmark. Hasn’t set the world on fire to date with his best win coming 2 starts back over 14F where he posted a modest 83 SP. Has run the distance, but I don’t think he is up to this class. Jockey S.Scriven will have to put in the ride of his life to score here.
WRAP UP
In a field of swoopers, it is hard to go past the favourite Sinanju, however there is some real value to be had by selecting any one of Dark Places, Brouhaha, and Full Measure.
For mine, Brouhaha is a young horse on the up and is where my money will be.
SELECTIONS
7 BROUHAHA
10 SINANJU
8 FULL MEASURE
Good Luck & Good Punting
lindsypark