The HDR stable has two runners today in FRIDAY AT FIVE and BRUNGLE RAIDER at WARRNAMBOOL.
Warrnambool – Soft (7)
The key to the track on Wednesday at Warrnambool will be the forecast rain with the BOM suggesting up to 10mm might fall. If that sort of rain does come then expect the track to chop out quickly, but after one day of the three-day Carnival the inside is still holding up OK and I’d expect that to continue into Wednesday if that rain doesn’t come. (Form Analyst Matt Welsh)
RACE 3 (12:20pm) Bottle-O Warrnambool 3YO Maiden Plate 1700m
No.13 FRIDAY AT FIVE– Mitch Aitken (Barrier 6)
FRIDAY AT FIVE (6) heads to Warrnambool on Wednesday where she will tackle a 1700m Maiden (Race 3, 12.20pm). She has drawn gate six and Mitch Aitken will ride.
FRIDAY AT FIVE comes out of a really fast run race where she sat outside the leader over the mile before being claimed late. They went out 6.1L above standard for the first half of the race which is low-flying on a soft track so it was no surprise to see her claimed by a coupe of runners that had softer runs at the tail of the field. Her effort to stick on and run as well as she did was excellent and the overall time of that mile contest was the quickest of three races over the trip on the night. She is ready to win a race and from a soft draw she can lob on speed without doing much work – this looks a most suitable contest. (Form Analyst Matt Welsh)
FRIDAY AT FIVE steps out on day 2 of the carnival. There has been some significant rainfall last night, so there are queries over where she will settle in the run. Henry will leave it up to Mitch to a degree in how he rides her today, but preferably she will sit on speed. FRIDAY AT FIVE has come a long way this preparation and this shapes up to be a suitable maiden to get the monkey of the back. (Stable)
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $4.80 (as at 11am)
RACE 4 (12:55pm) Warrnambool Greyhound Cup Tonight Maiden Plate 1700m
No.2 BRUNGLE RAIDER– Mitch Aitken (Barrier 6)
BRUNGLE RAIDER (7) heads to Warrnambool on Wednesday where he will contest a 1700m Maiden (Race 4, 12.55pm) He has drawn gate seven and Mitch Aitken will ride.
BRUNGLE RAIDER is going to get a nice run from an advantageous draw. He was pretty good when making a sustained run at Mount Gambier two back and a repeat of that rating will see him awfully hard to beat. They went very slowly at Swan Hill last start and he wasn’t able to sprint with them and given that race shape – and fact he may not yet be a 2400m horse – I’d be a touch forgiving of the effort. He has been back to the jump-outs between runs and I thought he went very nicely in taking out that heat on the Ballarat Synthetic. He looks a big price at 20/1 plus – it certainly wouldn’t surprise to see him most competitive.(Form Analyst Matt Welsh)
Coming into this run off the back of a strong jumpout last week on the synthetic at Ballarat. BRUNGLE RAIDER has taken the step back in trip to 1700m after over racing last start at Swan Hill, The faster tempo and being ridden quietly should really suit BRUNGLE RAIDER in what looks to be a very open contest. HDR Training Advisor Simon Morrish’s horse BRAVE BUT CRACKERS looks to be the one to beat and we can hopefully follow it into the race to allow our boy the best opportunity. (Stable)
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $20 (as at 11am)