Ballarat (poly)
Race 5 – Berry Foxie
Jockey – Mitch Aitken
1500m – Barrier 5
Improving mare Berry Foxie is third-up and fitter when she has her first race start on the poly at Ballarat today. The daughter of Rommel was plain on a heavy track when fresh before a much improved effort at Geelong last start, where she made many lengths after being forced back from a wide draw. Jockey Mitch Aitken leaves from barrier five and can settle closer to the speed in a smaller field this afternoon.
This race lacks early speed. Geez Louise and Poetic Whisper get blinkers for the first time and both have the opportunity to find a forward position from opposite ends of the machine. The latter has had three runs this preparation, running well at her past two where the subsequent form has been solid. Drawn to get a lovely run on or just behind the speed, she looks to be the one to beat. Miss You Too was sound on debut at Pakenham on the synthetic and will have taken improvement from the run. She’s drawn favourably and presents as an each way chance. Others with minor claims include Geez Louise who was posted wide at Warracknabeal last start, and Snappy Pierro who got too far out of her ground at Bendigo. Both would need to improve lengths to figure in the finish.
Berry Foxie was forced back to the fence at Geelong last start in the home straight, where she finished strongly in inferior ground. Dwyer’s four-year-old was within half-a-length of Poetic Whisper on that occasion, who enjoyed a plum trail in the run and was entitled to go better. Aitken can find a spot outside or behind the lead on his mare here, and with racing under her belt, can be strong late in the piece. A winning hope.
Currently, Berry Foxie is a $3.90 chance in the market.
Ballarat (poly)
Race 7 – Nightstick
Jockey – Mitch Aitken
1400m – Barrier 7
Toronado gelding Nightstick is third-up and at peak fitness when he gets out to 1400-metres on his home poly track this afternoon. Dwyer’s five-year-old galloper has been good at both runs back from a spell, making good ground at Pakenham when fresh before peaking on his run late at this track to finish runner-up four weeks ago. Jockey Mitch Aitken rides from an outside gate and will drift back in the early stages to find cover in the second half of the field.
Early speed battle looks willing, with Apollo Blu and Race Against Time to punch forward from inside gates, while Our Free Spirit will dart across early from a wide draw. This galloper has had a freshen up since his last run and is a two-time winner at the track. A claiming apprentice gets him in well at the weights and he can be in this for a long way. Princess Raffles is a last start winner at this trip, running on from the back on Pakenham’s synthetic track. She’s fit for recent racing and is yet to miss a placing on synthetic surfaces. She’ll be strong late and shapes as hardest to beat. Of the others, Race Against Time has jumped out well and could show-up fresh, while Ossified gets blinkers second-up and can improve sharply.
Nightstick just missed Luv A Duck at Pakenham first-up, the pair making their runs together from the back. That galloper has run well at both subsequent starts and it looks solid form for a race like this. Aitken can look for a back to follow approaching the home bend and pull out to challenge in the run home. He’ll look the winner at some point and if his mind is on the job, is a strong winning chance.
Currently, Nightstick is a $2.90 chance in the market.