The Henry Dwyer Racing stable has three runners today with MOSCOW RED at The Valley and SURE STRATEGY and TINSZEL at Donald.
The Valley has only held two meetings across the winter months and the rail goes back to the true having been out 6m at the last meeting – when the track was very heavy. The inside section of the track should hold up for most of the day and as is typical for The Valley, momentum down the side of the track will be crucial. The track is rated a Soft 5 and while that may well get up to a Good 4, it is still retaining plenty of moisture at this time of year.
The Valley – Soft (5)
Race 5 (3.10pm) Roger Booth & Donna Philpot Handicap
No.5 MOSCOW RED – Will Price a(3) (Barrier 7)
MOSCOW RED heads to The Valley today where she will contest a 1600m BM78 for Fillies and Mares. She has drawn gate seven and Will Price will ride.
MOSCOW RED is flying. She had a peach of a run at Sandown last start and was too good in a similarly graded BM78 race at Sandown last start. She relishes soft going and that may well be the one challenge here: getting onto a drier deck. That said, she’s going to get a lovely run in transit here and with the claim for Will Price gets in well.
She is on a relatively quick back up here but seems in really good order, hopefully she can be midfield with cover and this looks a good race for her today, albeit on top of the ground.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $12 (as at 8am)
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Donald – Good (4)
Donald is rated a Soft 5 and with fine weather forecast it may even get up to a Good 4. The track generally races really well and it’s rarely a disadvantage to be on speed.
Race 3 (12.51pm) Vale Rob Gaylard Maiden Plate
No.12 SURE STRATEGY – Jake Duffy (Barrier 5)
SURE STRATEGY heads to Donald today where she will contest a 1624m Maiden. She has drawn gate five and Jake Duffy will ride.
SURE STRATEGY has had the four runs this time in and should be at peak fitness with a mile run under her belt. She produced a career peak at Pakenham last stat in running fourth so hopefully she’s trending in an upward direction. She maps to get a reasonable run from a middle gate and this certainly isn’t an overly strong maiden.
This will be her last run the preparation, she has had a good prep without winning and today’s race sets up well for her. A good winning chance.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $3.60 (as at 8am)
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Race 5 (2.06pm) Jockey Celebration Day 0 – 58 Handicap
No.9 TINSZEL – Laura Lafferty a(2) (Barrier 3)
TINSZEL also heads to Donald today where she will contest a 2008m 0-58. She has drawn well in gate three and Laura Lafferty rides.
TINSZEL was most disappointing in a very moderate race here at Donald last start but she did work to the line OK the last 200m and maybe she needed that run at the 2000m. She can potentially settle handier from a better gate having drawn double-figure marbles her past two and this certainly isn’t any harder than her last start effort. You only have to go back three starts to find winning form for this mare and if she can get back to that level then she’s a huge winning chance.
On her best this race sets up really well for her, so hopefully she turns up today as this is a very winnable race.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $8 (as at 8am)