Sandown
Race 1 – Flyball
Jockey – Blaike McDougall
1500m – Barrier 1
Resuming galloper Flyball returns to the races six months after falling in the Sires Produce Stakes at Flemington in March. The gelded son of Starspangledbanner was impressive the start prior when on debut at 1200-metres, running the fastest last 400-metres of the race to run sixth, beaten under two lengths. The form from that race has been strong (Brave Mead, Pantelone, et al) and kicking off over 1500-metres looks a more suitable assignment today. Jockey Blaike McDougall has drawn the inside alley and will drift back to the second half of the field from the outset.
Speed looks ok for a small field with a few looking to find forward positions in the run. Limburg gets blinkers for the first time after settling just behind the speed second-up last start. He can punch forward and hold the inside, forcing the likely leader, Porter, to work around him in the early stages. This galloper has shown good early toe to lead and win two recent jumpouts, and sat handy at his only race appearance back in May. In a competitive race, he looks one of the main chances. Gold Bullion will be somewhere near the lead and could roll right across to claim the front heading into the bend. He’s third-up and fitter and can be in this for a long way. Binotto and Double Glazed will be the closers and will benefit from a strong tempo. If the leaders go at each other, these two come right into it. Tough race.
Flyball will be suited first-up at this distance and will be better still when out over further. A couple of these may prove too sharp at this stage but look for him to be running through the line strongly. He can run top four without surprising, but will take improvement from the run.
Currently, Flyball is a $31 chance in the market.