The HDR stable has three runners today in SCARLETT DESIRE, MARTHA LAVINIA and MARQUETTE Geelong.
Geelong- Soft(5)
The rail is back in the true position today having been out 11m at the most recent meeting, meaning the inside strip of ground will be clean and fresh. When the rail comes back to the true at Geelong it can favour those up nearer the speed and closer the fence. The track has come up a Soft 5 and it should improve somewhat throughout the meeting. (Form Analyst Matt Welsh)
Race 1 (1:00 pm) Bet 365 2YO Fillies Maiden Plate 1100m
No.10 SCARLETT DESIRE– Mitch Aitken(Barrier 12)
SCARLET DESIRE (12) heads to Geelong on Friday where she will make her debut in an 1100m Fillies Maiden (Race 1, 1.00pm). She has drawn gate twelve and Mitch Aitken will ride.
SCARLET DESIRE is a daughter of Written Tycoon who has had a couple of jump-outs this campaign ahead of her debut. She struck some pretty testing conditions at Stawell in her first jump-out but I thought she worked home well enough. She showed good speed in her recent Burrumbeet hit-out but I was a touch concerned she didn’t let down slightly better when placed under pressure late. She looks to have enough speed to put herself in the early firing line from gate twelve but the challenge may be how much she finds under pressure in what looks a pretty hot maiden. (Form Analyst Matt Welsh)
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $20 (as of 11am)
Race 4 (2:30 pm) The Beach Hotel Maiden Plate 1300m
No.11 MARTHA LAVINIA– Mitch Aitken (Barrier 4)
MARTHA LAVINIA (4) heads to Geelong on Friday where she will contest a 1300m Maiden (Race 4, 2.30pm). She has drawn gate four and Mitch Aitken will ride.
MARTHA LAVINIA has been a model of consistency and now she gets the blinkers on for the first time, which could help her land that elusive maiden win. I liked the way she worked to the line over 1200m at Mildura last time out and the little step to 1300m today looks ideal. From gate four, she is going to lob into a lovely spot provided she jumps well and while this is stronger than what she contested last start, she is going to take plenty of beating. (Form Analyst Matt Welsh)
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $5 (as of 11am)
Race 8 (4:30 pm) Bomboras BM58 Handicap 1200m
No.17 MARQUETTE– Mitch Aitken (Barrier 8)
MARQUETTE (8) heads to Geelong on Friday where she will resume in a 1200m BM58 (Race 8, 4.30pm). She has drawn gate eight and Mitch Aitken rides.
MARQUETTE was very good in winning her only start at Swan Hill and the most pleasing aspect was she was still quite green and looked to have improvement to come. She really gapped her rivals there and the horse she beat was ALONTRO who goes around a leading contender earlier in today’s card. Hard to know what to make of her one soft jump-out leading into this but if she can replicate her debut win then she’s going to be mighty competitive, if she can improve on that then she’s clearly one of the horses to beat. There doesn’t look much speed on paper so there might be a chance for Mitch Aitken to come across and sit outside the likely leader DANAUSTAR (4), and from there she would get a nice run in the race. (Form Analyst Matt Welsh)
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $3 (as of 11am)