Race-by-Race preview with Neil Evans

*******AIRBORNE ALBURY PREVIEW******

with NEIL EVANS

 

Albury Racing Club

Thursday Mar 20, 2025

 

Day 1 of the feature

Gold Cup Carnival for

Showcase Hutchinson

Civil City Hcp meeting

 

*Home of the Very Best Border Battles

 

Fallon St, NORTH ALBURY, NSW

PH: (02) 6025 1333

 

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www.alburyracing.com.au

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+Gates Open @ 11.30am

+1st Race @ 1.50pm

+Track Good 4 & Rail True:

 

*RACE 1 @ 1.50pm MEREDITH ROOF PLUMBING COUNTRY BOOSTED MAIDEN PLATE (1000m) – Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 3. SARGEANT STAN (Ron Stubbs/Harry Coffey;58.5kg & barrier 9) -the maiden sprinters at set weights kick off a big 2 days of carnival action, and there’s plenty of quality & depth on show. Like this emerging home track 3YO by tough sprint sire Magnus peaking big time 2nd-up for only his 3rd start, & importantly with blinkers added. Showed plenty as a well backed favourite on debut here last winter before being turned out for a lengthy break. Returned with another big betting move into long odds-on and after looming to win at the furlong; just peaked on the run late & was collared by the main rival finishing wider out. Given 23 days between runs to offset the drop back to the 5 furlong trip is ideal, and expect him to come across & stalk the speed parking off the fence before pouncing over the final 300m. Leading Victorian country rider hopping the border to steer is a further pointer

 

MAIN DANGERS: 2. *Pride Of Jezza; 5. **Group Chat; 8. *Smart As Grace; 10. *Bessie La Belle; 13 *One Hard Lady

 

Likely Tempo: Good to Strong

My BET PLAN: SARGEANT STAN to WIN & First Four: 3,5/2,3,5,8,10,13/2,3,5,8,10,13/2,3,5,8,10,13

 

*RACE 2 @ 2.25pm DUX ALBURY 3YO & UP CLASS 1 & MAIDEN PLATE (2000m) – Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 4. SEA STRIKE (Ben Brisbourne/Lachlan King; 59kg & barrier 3) -right out to the longer journey now for the maidens and lower class improvers; and it shapes best for this progressive & well bred Victorian 4YO by superstar Sea The Stars peaking 3rd-up staying at the distance. Swept home for an impressive maiden win at Benalla over the mile before closing hard from the back to be beaten only a length when stepping straight to BM 64 level. Very handy stayer in the making who draws to get cover back in the pack; and only needs a clear shot at them from the top of the straight on a suitably bigger track

 

MAIN DANGERS: 1. *Pennine Way; 5. *Taumata; 8. *Engeline; 11. *O’hellyeah

 

Likely Tempo: Fair to Reasonable

My BET PLAN: SEA STRIKE to WIN

 

*RACE 3 @ 3.05pm ATURA ALBURY COUNTRY BOOSTED CLASS 1 HCP (1400m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 1. GHOST WALKER (Danielle Seib/Pierre Boudvillain; 59kg & barrier 2) -another competitive lower class battle here, with a few chances. Settled on this honest & still improving 4YO by Ready For Victory who is primed to finally crack it for a 2nd career win 4th-up since spring. Did his best work late when resuming over the mile before a battling effort in a much tougher CL3 Highway at Randwick over 1800m 5 weeks ago. Then came back in distance and ridden quieter when charging home to miss narrowly as a well backed favourite at Goulburn in BM 58 grade. Looks fairly treated carrying 1kg less again back a shade in trip and winkers going on is a key gear addition; drawn to get plenty of cover around midfield

 

MAIN DANGERS: 2. **Rose Aye; 9. *Bon Holler; 10. *Spicy Lu

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My BET PLAN: GHOST WALKER to WIN & Trifecta: 1,2/1,2,9,10/1,2,9,10

 

*RACE 4 @ 3.40pm HABITAT PLANNING SUPER MAIDEN HCP (1400m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 7. TANYA SIMONE (Ben Brisbourne/Lachlan King; 56.5kg & barrier 17) staying at the distance for a handy & open Super Maiden. Settled on this tough & progressive 3YO Victorian filly by dual Group 1 winner Dissident who is primed to strike on a 7 day back-up despite drawing wide. Hasn’t missed a place in her last 3, tracking the speed and missing by a long neck 2 starts ago before covering plenty of ground yet still ran home well late at Wangaratta. Gear changes have been made; and while she will again be forced well back from this draw, has been bursting to get on a bigger track with a much longer run home. Has never seen anything but a firm surface, and that’s what we get here

 

MAIN DANGERS: 2. *Qismah; 3. *Eclair Awesome; 4. *Breezy Bon; 11. *Sister Shay

 

Likely Tempo: Reasonable to Solid

My BET PLAN: Tanya Simone to WIN

 

*RACE 5 @ 4.20pm MLM ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1600m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 3. EXTRAVAGANT CHOICE (Nick Olive/Billy Owen; 61kg & barrier 8) -a stack of chances here over the mile in a very wide & tactical affair. Like this hard fit and still improving 5YO by Extreme Choice coming back a shade in distance deep into the prep. Went home best in heavy ground to beat similar opposition 3 starts ago before finishing just behind the placegetters here 24 days back when not suited through late inside ground. Ridden quieter at Cowra 10 days ago and looked home for all money cruising up past the 175m; but was outkicked over the final bit. This is his best trip and the regular rider sticks

 

MAIN DANGERS: 4. *Sorry Sunshine; 7. **Sydney Gal; 9. *Washington; 13. **Lysander; 14. *Southern Dancer

 

Likely Tempo: Reasonable to Solid

My BET PLAN: EXTRAVAGANT CHOICE Each Way & Box Exacta: 3,7,13

 

*RACE 6 @ 4.55pm BAXTERS CONCRETE ALBURY MILE (1600m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 10. VILLASAURUS (Donna Scott/TBA; 55kg & barrier 3) -staying over the mile for the main support race; and in another wide battle; it stacks up nicely for this progressive & sparingly raced home track 4YO by Villermont peaking 2nd-up over a furlong further. Found the line well to finish less than 3 lengths from the winner in a CL3 Highway at Rosehill last December before being spelled. Came back via 2 easy trials with a strong chasing placing in a Country C’ship Qualifier at Wagga 19 days ago, and has reportedly trained on well since. Loves firm ground, blinkers come off; gets in on the limit weight and is drawn to get an economical run with cover a few lengths off the speed

 

MAIN DANGERS: 3. *Bianco Vilano; 6. *This Is The Moment; 9. *Fox Appeal; 13. **Bravissima; 16. *Sturn Words

 

Likely Tempo: Fair to Solid

My BET PLAN: VILLASAURUS to WIN & First Four:10,13/3,6,9,10,13,16/3,6,9,10,13,16/3,6,9,10,13,16

 

*RACE 7 @ 5.30pm HUTCHINSON CIVIL CITY HCP (1175m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 16. GUNDY GUY (Todd Smart/TBA 55kg & barrier 10) –we close Day 1 of the carnival with the headline sprint; and in a race of several chances; very keen to ride home at big odds aboard this progressive Canberra 4YO by 2016 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist. Stiff not to win from a wide gate when charging home late 1st-up in a BM 86 Federal at home before again unsuited when forced back to the inside late in a BM 90 Hcp on Black Opal Stakes day. More depth here, but he’s drawn to settle back and get to the preferred outside over the final 350m; and he already has a 40 percent win rate from 10 starts. Handles all going & is well over the mark in a wide open sprint

 

MAIN DANGERS: 4. **Asgarda; 5. *Master Montaro; 9. **Canny Hell; 12. *Acappella Sun; 18. **Burrandana

 

Likely Tempo: Good

My BET PLAN: GUNDY GUY Each Way & Box Trifecta: 4,9,16,18

 

**My BEST EARLY  BETS:

 

R2 4. SEA STRIKE** Approx Market: $3.45 – $3.60; My Rating: $2.15

R6 10. VILLASAURUS** Approx Market: $4.50 – $4.75; My Rating: $2.55

 

**My BEST EARLY VALUE:

 

R4 7. TANYA SIMONE** Approx Market: $7.00 – $7.50; My Rating: $4.70

 

**My BEST EARLY EXOTICS:

 

R3 Trifecta: 1,2/1,2,9,10/1,2,9,10

R4 First Four: 3,5/2,3,5,8,10,13/2,3,5,8,10,13/2,3,5,8,10,13

 

GOOD LUCK

@NeilEvansmail

 

Next Meeting:

Friday Mar 21; 2025

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