The Listed $125,000 Beaufine Stakes (1000m) shapes as one of the most intriguing races of the winter so far with almost every runner in Belmont’s Saturday headliner on campaign reappearance.
Of the 19 initial entrants, only Desert Whisper ($20), Sinful Living ($31) and emergency Kay Tee Why ($31) have had a run since spelling.
Understandably, punters are having a hard time deciphering the riddle and Madhi Girl is a narrow $5 favourite.
The Winning Rupert four-year-old showcased her speed when saluting first-up in the Summer Scorcher (1000m) at Ascot on New Year’s Day.
However, she’s also shown her aptitude for winter conditions having won four of five starts on rain-affected tracks.
Luana Miss ($8.50 to $5.50) has been the market springer in the early stages of betting and the three-year-old is already one of the class runners of the field despite having only nine starts.
She won the Placid Ark last year before being experimented in both the Winterbottom Stakes and Quokka (all 1200m).
Whilst not disgraced in either of those top sprints, she was down the pecking order and will be looking to restore her numerical form on Saturday.
Oscar’s Fortune ($6) is another runner with an edge according to his record and as a result, will have to lug 62kg.
He won the Rock Magic (1000m) first-up last campaign and dead-heated for ninth with Luana Miss in the Quokka.
Twisted Steel ($6) sparkled in three-year-old company earlier this year with his change-up speed proving too much in his two most recent starts.
He was quickly shelved with an eye to better races and reappears this weekend after a half-length second to Want A Winner ($19) in a Belmont trial on June 22.
Repossession ($7) capped off a superb winter with success in this event last year but although consistent, he has not been able to win a race since.
The four-year-old was second in The Joey (1200m) – the Quokka undercard – behind Cessation and warmed up for this when fifth in a Belmont trial behind Pin Deep on June 22.
Immortal Bliss ($18 to $12) has been a longer-priced move but was only seventh in that trial behind Pin Deep.
The four-year-old has shown lots of potential since arriving in WA, while Jaz Session ($14) confirmed herself as one of WA’s best sprinting mares with three victories when last in work.
Including Madhi Girl, William Pike will have a typically strong book of rides featuring six of the eight market leaders on the day.
Rockin’ Serenity ($3.10), Deep Lyric ($2.80), Brazen Butcher ($3.30), Magical Sequence ($3.70) and Reminiscence ($3.50) are all favourites for the Wizard.
+ Dangerous ($1.60f) is poised to make his presence felt in the second round of Inter Dominion heats at Albion Park, gaining valuable momentum and points as he attempts to endorse trainer Jason Grimson’s chances of leading the feature final next week.
Following a trainer change to Grimson, the formerly Victorian-trained Dangerous set the Albion Park track alight in a public workout, unofficially breaking the 1660m track record.
But he was down the track in eighth place last weekend after drawing on the second row, almost 13m astern of Inter Dominion hero Leap To Fame.
However, seven days later, he has secured the coveted No.1 barrier, which will be a key advantage as he looks to press his claims for a win this week and position in the final.
Nyack ($4.60) ran a bottler to be second in that event last week at 50/1 but has drawn barrier four this time and is less fancied than Dangerous as a consequence.
Fighter Command ($6) is a lightly raced five-year-old with 14 wins from his 28 starts as a result of health complications but he showed his best form when landing his heat by 5m.
Ubetcha Tigerpie ($10) was seventh to Leap To Fame and Bay Of Biscay ($13) won the remaining heat last weekend but is unfancied from barrier 11.
An hour later, in the second of the night’s three qualifiers, Grimson also has the ace hand with Minos ($1.90f) a hot elect despite having the 11 alley.
He has been a revelation since transferring from Lindsay Harper’s Perth stable and travelling east.
The gelding emphasised that last weekend when running Bay Of Biscay to a half-neck despite starting from barrier 10.
Top pacer Captains Knock is the newest addition to Grimson’s team having started last week for Brad Hewitt.
However, after finishing ninth in the first round of heats, Hewitt said the entire did not travel well from New South Wales to Queensland and left him in the care of Grimson.
He’s been backed from $4.60 down to $3.90 in opposition to Minos, while Speak The Truth ($5) and Cheerstolou ($5.50) are next in commission.
Amazingly, Leap To Fame is a $1.01 chance to take the final qualifier from gate six.
He is certain to be the most favoured runner in the history of Inter Dominion heats and is in search of his 47th Albion Park victory.
Overall, he has won 71 of his 90 starts and is rapidly closing on $6.5 million career earnings.
The Janitor ($9) has drawn the inside of the second row, while Tasmanian visitor Triedtotellya ($17) is next in betting.
+ Caulfield hosts the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on Saturday and Andrew Gluyas is upbeat that $6 co-favourite Watchme Win can break a run of outs.
The five-year-old son of Harry Angel has not won since September last year in an 1100m event at Morphettville and has run second at three of his last four starts.
He resumes this weekend having not started in just over two months, last seen when finishing eighth but only a length and a quarter from Desert Lightning in The Goodwood (1200m).
“I feel that he’s come up quite well. His fresh work is good,” Gluyas said to Punters.
“We’ve had a little bit of a gap between The Goodwood and going into Saturday’s Sir John Monash.
“His fresh form is pretty good, so we are excited for him to go in there.”
The chestnut was an unlucky fourth in his only previous Caulfield outing in last year’s Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) and the initial plan was to again target that race this year.
However, a setback forced him out of that outing.
“We had a little bit of a hiccup a couple of weeks ago. We took him over there, were hoping to run and he just had a bit of a hoof abscess which blew out in an uncomplicated sort of style,” Gluyas said.
“We then freshened him and are having a crack Saturday – back to Caulfield.”
Watchme Win seemingly reserves his best runs for when fresh with last preparation the only time he has been beaten upon resumption from four attempts.
That day, he was only just touched off by a half-neck when going under to WA raider Super Smink in Adelaide’s R N Irwin (1100m).
Beginning from barrier six, he shares favouritism with Winnasedge ($6jf), who starts from gate nine.
“His first-up runs are very sound; he’s well around the mark on those occasions,” Gluyas said.
“Hopefully we are replicating that on Saturday. A soft draw, I think six is probably good for him.
“The weight-for-age conditions suit him this time of year; he gets every chance.”
