Sandown
Race 4 – Friday At Five
Jockey – Jacob Opperman
1500m – Barrier 10
Zoustar mare Friday At Five heads to town fresh after an eight week let-up. The four-year-old won her last two starts with authority in the Wimmera and earns the right to tackle metropolitan company today. Jockey Jacob Opperman jumps from an outside draw and will look to come across and find a spot with cover behind the leaders. Smart Elissim and Let Fly will roll forward together from adjacent middle barriers and likely share the lead here. The former has been racing consistently in this grade but has found it hard to win. Up to nineteen months and counting since he graced the winner’s stall but can’t be discounted as an each way hope. Let Fly has won two of her past three and is far more appealing at the price. Back to 1500-metres suits and she’ll be in this for a long way. Star Vega couldn’t have been more impressive on debut but jumps quickly to 64-grade and has a tricky draw. Willing to risk. Rockin’ Zain got a confidence-boosting win last start and can go on with it here. The wide draw is no disadvantage and he’ll be running on late. Hard to hold out. Concede a chance to Skinny Dip. Friday At Five has had a quiet time at home since her Stawell victory and it will be interesting to see how she performs off a lengthy freshen-up. She is being set for a tilt at Warrnambool spoils and today will bring her on nicely for it. Not fully screwed down but an each way chance on her latest efforts.
Currently, Friday At Five is a $16 chance in the market.
Race 8 – Our Destrier
Jockey – Will Price
1800m – Barrier 14
Six-year-old gelding Our Destrier comes back to 1800-metres today after a puzzling run at Ballarat last start. His efforts in stronger grade earlier this preparation suggest he’s up to a race like this but will need his share of luck from a carpark draw. Jockey Will Price has a long run to the first turn to decide where he’ll land, ideally two or three pairs back in the running line. Unbeaten galloper Globe will use an inside draw to advantage and hold the lead while Captain Pluto, Brooklyn Boss and Simeon will roll across from their respective barriers. Globe has led and won both career starts at 1400-metres and 1600-metres, giving every indication he’ll run out today’s trip strongly. He’ll start favourite and rightly so. Intrepid Eagle ran third in this grade last start behind a very smart quinella. He looks well over the odds and must be considered an each way chance out in trip. Simeon carries similar form and will be very competitive if he can slot in behind the leaders. Many other each way hopes but they’ve all got to get past Globe to win it. Our Destrier will need to improve on his last two starts to claim some prizemoney here. His run at Bendigo in March brings him into calculations but needs plenty to go right in the first four-hundred-metres of the race to figure today.
Currently, Our Destrier is a $34 chance in the market.