The Henry Dwyer Racing stable has six runners today in TOP CRITIC, GAIUS, EXLOVER and THE SISCOS KID running at Mildura and STAR OF MANHATTAN and VISTABELLE running at Morphettville.
Mildura – Soft (6)
This is Day 2 of the Mildura Cup Carnival and the track was certainly rain affected on the opening day. Horses tended to be best suited off the fence yesterday and there’s no reason to think that will change heading into today.
Race 1 (12.21pm) Mildura Party Hire Maiden Plate
No.2 GAIUS – Jack Martin (Barrier 2)
GAIUS heads to Mildura today where he will contest an 1100m Maiden. He has drawn gate two and Jack Martin will take the ride.
GAIUS was very good up at Swan Hill two back when up on speed in a moderately run 1200m contest and battling on well to run second. He was ridden quieter last time out and never got into the race, struggling into midfield. He has jumped-out impressively between runs and finds a race where he can lob right on speed from gate two. His rating from two starts back is good enough to win this with the soft track the only slight query given he has performed moderately on wet tracks.
He will be strong down the outside late and will need some navigating from Jack Martin from the barrier to find the best ground, but is a good chance to break his maiden today.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $4 (as at 8am)
No.10 TOP CRITIC – Jake Duffy (Barrier 4)
TOP CRITIC also heads to Mildura today where he will contest the same 1100m Maiden. She has drawn gate four and Jake Duffy will take the ride.
She has travelled up well to Mildura and looks in terrific order after her freshen up. The 1100 metres is ideal for her today and if you take away her last start her form reads pretty well for a race like this. GAIUS is slightly ahead of TOP CRITIC out of the stable’s pair but she is over the odds and can run a cheeky race and be fighting out the placings in this race. Jake Duffy will look to ride her neutral from the barrier and put her where she is comfortable, then looking to find the best part of the track to finish off. An each way chance at odds.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $16 (as at 8am)
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Race 2 (12.56pm) Visitmildura.com.au Maiden Plate
No.3 EXLOVER – Jake Duffy (Barrier 8)
EXLOVER is our third runner at Mildura today where he will contest a 1000m Maiden. He has drawn gate eight and Jake Duffy will take then ride.
EXLOVER was home the best last 600m split of the meeting at Ballarat last time out, closing off strongly into second. That was a very slowly run 1000m contest and his performance was most meritorious. There’s a bit more depth to this race but given how the track played yesterday he looks well drawn out wide on the course and the soft track should be no issue judging by his first campaign.
He is fresh in himself today and the distance does suit him better today, this is a very strong maiden though and he faces some stiff competition with some progressive types in this race. EASY SINGLE is clearly the horse to beat here with POCKET ROX also a smart horse, so most likely it looks like we might be fighting out for a minor placing today at best. Hopefully he can surprise.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $12 (as at 8am)
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Race 7 (4.01pm) Sunraysia Daily 0-58 Handicap
No.3 THE SISCOS KID – Jake Duffy (Barrier 7)
THE SISCOS KID is our fourth runner at Mildura today where he will tackle a 1400m 0-58. He has drawn gate seven and Jake Duffy will ride.
THE SISCOS KID comes up a short-priced favourite here on the back of a strong second at Ballarat where he sustained a wide run throughout to go down narrowly. That race rated well enough to be winning this contest at Mildura. The blinkers go back on and THE SISCOS KID will be ridden with good intent early stepping from 1200m to 1400m. He was a winner second up at Stawell last preparation when putting a maiden field away with ease. The only little query the soft track as his wet track runs have been moderate at best, but with track continually improving it shouldn’t be a concern.
He should run as well as he is capable today and that will go close enough to winning this.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $2 (as at 8am)
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Morphettville – Heavy (9)
Race 5 (2.37pm) GH Mumm Handicap
No.12 STAR OF MANHATTAN – Mitch Aitken (Barrier 6)
STAR OF MANHATTAN heads to Morphettville today where she will contest a 1050m BM60. She has drawn gate six and Mitch Aitken will ride.
She travelled over Thursday night and has eaten up and is bright in herself. From the barrier she will look to take a sit off the pace, one off the fence so she can stay clear of trouble, with the one concern the heavy track she finds today. She is as fit as she has been and she might have many of her competition covered today in terms of class, so if she can handle the track she will go very close to winning this. All of her work at home suggests she will run very well today and if she gets through the going she could be too good for them today.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $6 (as at 8am)
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Race 7 (3.57pm) The Junction Handicap
No.8 VISTABELLE – Dom Tourneur (Barrier 1)
VISTABELLE also heads to Morphettville today where she will contest a 1200m BM60. She has drawn gate one and Dom Tourneur will ride.
VISTABELLE also travelled over well and faces a field that has seen many scratchings which makes the task a little easier. The heavy track today is a slight query, all she has to do today is to run up to her run at Swan Hill to be competitive her today. We have dropped her back to 1200 metres today and she will look to improve in the run, with Dom needing to do some work from the barrier to get her rolling early and into the race. PREAKNESS does look hard to beat here, but with some luck in running VISTABELLE can be competitive with some luck in running. One probably more for the multiples here at odds, but if she gets through the going and gets the gaps at the right time, we are hopeful she can run home strongly.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $18 (as at 8am)