The Henry Dwyer Racing stable has four runners today at Ballarat on the synthetic in HIS LATEST FLAME, ORDER OF VALOUR, HONORABLE MENTION and HONORABLE SPIRIT.
Racing is on the synthetic track at Ballarat and with light winds forecast, it will likely be some advantage to be on speed, but generally it has raced reasonably well this season.
Ballarat – All Weather Track
Race 3 (2pm) Madica Civil Maiden Plate
No.13 HIS LATEST FLAME – Michael Poy (Barrier 2)
HIS LATEST FLAME heads to Ballarat where she will contest an 1000m Maiden. She has drawn gate two and Michael Poy will ride.
Trialled last Thursday and won it, so should improve off that from her last start. This is a tough race and many of these will be tough competition today, she will be ridden quietly and hopefully she will running home late. Doesn’t look like a winning chance and hoping to see her show her best and finish in the first half of the field.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $34 (as at 8am)
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Race 6 (3.30pm) Hygain Winners Choice BM58 Handicap
No.9 ORDER OF VALOUR – Jaden Lloyd a(2) (Barrier 9)
ORDER OF VALOUR also heads to Ballarat where he will tackle an 1100m BM58. He has drawn gate nine and Jayden Lloyd will ride.
ORDER OF VALOUR has been racing well without getting into the winners’ circle. He got into a bumping duel up the straight at Pakenham which didn’t help his cause, although he wouldn’t have troubled the winner by the same token. He was good late at this track and trip two back when hitting the line strongly in the fourth best last 600m split of the entire meeting behind NINE CLOUDS.
The strong tempo should suit and we expect him to be right in the finish here – his best is better than these. Plenty of chances in the race but ORDER OF VALOUR is one of the clear top hopes.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $6 (as at 8am)
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Race 7 (4pm) Porter Plant BM64 Handicap
No.1 HONORABLE MENTION – Laura Lafferty a(2) (Barrier 1)
HONORABLE MENTION will contest a 1400m BM64 at Ballarat today. He has drawn gate one and Laura Lafferty will ride with her 2kg claim.
HONORABLE MENTION is racing really well since getting onto the synthetic surfaces. He should’ve won three back at Pakenham when he was badly held up before flashing late but then quickly atoned with a dominant BM64 win at this track over 1500m two back. He rose in grade and was far from disgraced last time out and based on how he tired a touch late there, the drop back to 1400m won’t hurt. He can settle of the leader’s back off gate one and provided the breaks fall his way, he’s deserving of favouritism.
HONORABLE MENTION is the horse to beat.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $3 (as at 8am)
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Race 8 (4.30pm) Hygain Winners Choice BM58 Handicap
No.11 HONORABLE SPIRIT – Beau Mertens (Barrier 1)
HONORABLE SPIRIT is our final runner at Ballarat where he will contest a 1500m BM58. He has drawn gate two and Beau Mertens will ride.
HONORABLE SPIRIT is deep into a campaign now and he had every chance at this track over 1400m when running midfield last start. This race isn’t much harder though and with a soft run up on speed he should again be in the finish. Blinkers on today which may help him find a length or two and we will be positive in the run from the barrier.
Will be competitive and hopefully can finish in the money somewhere.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $13 (as at 8am)