Four Way Photo Finish?

Today we have the Ransom For Sal Challenge Stakes at Queensland for the 3 year olds. The distance is 6 1/2 furlongs and the track is rated as firm turf today.  Purse of $50,000 which is a nice addition to your cash stack.  What is disappointing is the number of entries – only four.  However they are four champions and it should be a remarkably close finish.  Four way photo finish maybe?

1 MONSTERS INC(AUS)

Owner: michaelb
Record: 7-4-1-2
Earnings: $166,080
Jockey: C Wyatt
Odds: 9/5  

One of my favourite horses going round in the sim from the Mick Bailey Stables group, a local Queensland residency trainer, firstly because I absolutely love the name and then of course as you all probably know now because he is Aussie bred.  This is his fourth run at Queensland having won first up in a maiden here, a third place in the Wayward Member Special Stakes in November last and then a win in his next race in the True Competitor Special Stakes over 6.5 furlongs.  Last run was a win in the Kilbeggan Special Stakes over 6 furlongs with a speed rating of 88.  So he looks good and with only 4 entries today he really looks like he can get another win here.  In form and looking to scare away the competition.
 
2 MOOLOOLABA SURF(AUS)

Owner: mooloolaba
Record: 6-2-0-1
Earnings: $53,620
Jockey: P Kays 
Odds: 5/1

And from Hawkz Racing Inc also of the Queensland residency here is Mooloolaba Surf(AUS), another coolly named horse.  Mooloolaba is a beautiful spot on the Queensland coast just north of Brisbane and absolutely perfect to sail into as I know from experience.  Nice yacht club there too – the beers are perfectly cold.  But I digress…  He has two wins to his name the most recent in October 08 in an allowance race over 6.5 furlongs where he ran a career best speed of 86. His last race was in December where he performed well with a third place finish over 6.5 furlongs in the True Competitor Special Stakes and a speed of 81. Interestingly he looked like he wanted more distance there so this may well be too short. Possibly.
  
3 BLINDING DARKNESS(JPN)

Owner: kev
Record: 8-4-2-1
Earnings: $128,505
Jockey: M Cameron
Odds: 8/5

Wow this race will be close.  Another one with a huge chance to take this out is Blinding Darkness out of Falbrav(IRE) x Sadler’s Wells x Mill Reef.  4 wins from 8 outings with the latest win two runs back in the Zinc Flag Memorial Stakes over 6.5 furlongs and a very good speed of 91.  Last run was in the Kilbeggan Special over 6 furlongs where he ran second and a speed of 85 losing to Monsters Inc who is also in this race.  He did look to be fading ever so slightly over 6 furlongs so the extra distance may be a worry?  Although he did win previously over this distance so depends on how he runs.
    
4 OJAI GOOD SON(FR)

Owner: ojai08
Record: 6-3-1-0
Earnings: $76,935
Jockey: D Ayso
Odds: 8/5 

Well this one is interesting out of Miesque’s Son x Dynaformer x Kingmambo.  5 of his runs to date have all been on dirt with only one, his last run being run on turf and that was on an off track!  So your guess is as good as mine here. His best speed on dirt was a rating of 88 but his last run on an off track on the turf in Allowance company was 89 which gave him a second place finish across the line.  Assuming he will run better on an off track he should also have a very good chance as the tote dictates.  Bit of a chance bet this one but could come off very nicely for you.

With only 4 runners I wont be picking a winner although I do fancy my favourite being Monsters Inc.  However anyone of these could win and win easily and it would be no surprise to anyone.  Good luck to the runners and it should on paper anyway, be a close race.