The Henry Dwyer Racing stable has three runners today at Ballarat on the synthetic in HONORABLE MENTION, GIMME THE GOSS and HONORABLE SPIRIT.
The synthetic has been mixed in how it has been playing, but generally speaking it’s a slight advantage to be up on speed.
Ballarat – All Weather Track
Race 4 (2.30pm) AJM Contracting BM78 Handicap
No.5 HONORABLE MENTION – Ben Allen (Barrier 4)
HONORABLE MENTION heads to our home track in Ballarat where he will contest a 1500m BM78. He has drawn gate four and Ben Allen will ride.
HONORABLE MENTION has found a few lengths since getting onto the synthetic tracks. He jumped-out brilliantly at Ballarat prior to a luckless third at Pakenham two back where he should’ve gone close to winning and he again meets the winner of that race, Design Rouge. He quickly atoned at Ballarat last start, enjoying the run of the race before putting a moderate field of BM64 gallopers to the sword over the concluding stages.
This is no doubt tougher and SONDELON looks hardest to beat whilst carrying 62kg, but HONORABLE MENTION maps to get a beautiful run and only needs to hold his form to be taking this race out.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $3.50 (as at 8am)
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Race 5 (3pm) Porter Plant BM64 Handicap
No.10 GIMME THE GOSS – Damien Thornton (Barrier 6)
GIMME THE GOSS also heads to Ballarat where she will contest a 1200m BM64. She has drawn gate six and Damien Thornton will ride.
GIMME THE GOSS gets into open company for the first time but she will find this a shade easier than last start at Caulfield where she covered ground throughout. She has enough tactical speed that she could either lead, or sit outside the lead, and from there she will get her chance to return to the winners’ circle.
This race is a step back in grade compared to where she has been running, she will roll forward and use her tactical speed early and can certainly win this race.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $7.50 (as at 8am)
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Race 7 (4pm) Sportsbets Footy Fill Up BM58 Handicap
No.4 HONORABLE SPIRIT – Jordan Childs (Barrier 7)
HONORABLE SPIRIT is our third runner at Ballarat where he will contest a 1400m BM58. He has drawn gate seven and Jordan Childs will ride.
HONORABLE SPIRIT has been up for a long time now but this is as weak a race as he’s seen in some time. He was well-beaten in Adelaide last start having had every chance up on speed over 1550m at BM66 level having placed in a similar sort of race over 1400m the start prior. The drop back to 1400m is ideal – he provided a reasonable rating win over the trip back at Warrnambool back in February – and this is a fairly moderate BM58.
The synthetic should suit him and he should run a good race today from a forward position.
TAB WIN Fixed Odds – $10 (as at 8am)