The Ballarat camp send two runners to Bendigo today, with Spylark and Rock Dee Jay both looking to break out of maiden grade.
Race 1 – Spylark
Jockey – Mitch Aitken
Barrier – 6
New Zealand import, Skylark, debuts for the Dwyer stable today over 1300-metres on suitably wet ground. The four-year-old daughter of Niagara had one start across the ditch before being transferred to Dwyer’s care, where she has trialled up twice this prep, showing good improvement in her latest on heavy ground at St Arnaud. The lightly-raced mare is likely to find today well short of her best distance, the stable indicating she would likely settle in the second half of the field and work through the line strongly. In a race of many chances, fellow Ballarat trainer, Archie Alexander, looks to hold a key hope with his runner Beour Bay, who worked home nicely at Geelong last start. Nijiko overdid it for Maddie Raymond at Donald last start but if it can overcome a wide draw, it will be right in the finish.
From the trainer:
She’ll be a long way off them, getting to the outside late. As long as she can pick up a bit of ground late I think that will be a good endorsement for her chances second-up.
Barrier manners are a little bit of a question mark. We want to see how she goes before putting gear on.
Her work has been good. She should derive good benefit from today.
Spylark is currently a $34 chance in the market.
Race 4 – Rock Dee Jay
Jockey – Mitch Aitken
Barrier – 9
Three times the runner-up in his first campaign, Rock Dee Jay kicks off his second preparation over the 1000-metre sprint trip in race four. The four-year-old son of Awesome Rock was given a quiet time at the St Arnaud trials ten days ago and is likely to find a couple of his competitors a little sharp for him at the short distance today. Mitch Aitken will need to overcome a tricky draw to be any chance in the race, and will hope the speed battle is fierce at the front so he can pick some runners off late and run into the placings. Ultra consistent in his three-year-old season, this gelding will look to get over more ground second-up and will use today as a real fitness boost heading forward. The market has identified three main chances in the race, all sitting around the $3.50 mark, but if any of the first-starters overdo it up front, the race may lend itself to a late closer at odds.
From the trainer:
He’s ready to kick off – he has got improvement to come and 1000-metres is probably going to be a little bit short for him.
We don’t want to give him a gut-buster first-up. We’ll ride him quiet and give him the chance to finish off down the outside.
He’s going really well and Mitch Aitken, who’s been riding him, is of the same opinion. But his best form and what he’s showing us is he’s a 1200 to1400-metre horse.
Currently, Rock Dee Jay is a $12 chance in the market.