Race-by-Race preview with Neil Evans

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

with NEIL EVANS

 

Albury Racing Club

Monday Jan 20, 2025

Summer Race Day

 

*Home of the Very Best Border Battles

 

Fallon St, NORTH ALBURY, NSW

PH: (02) 6025 1333

 

Check out all the great race day

options & hospitality packages @

www.alburyracing.com.au

E: info@alburyracing.com.au

@AlburyRacing

 

+Gates Open @ 12.30pm

+1st Race @ 1.35pm

+Track Good 4 & Rail True:

 

*RACE 1 @ 1.35pm CUP HOSPITALITY PACKAGES ON SALE NOW COUNTRY BOOSTED MAIDEN HCP (1175m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 6. COMPLAISANCE (Matthew Dale/Jake Duffy; 55.5kg & barrier 2) -we kick off the 2025 program with the maiden sprinters on a firm track & confident we can hit the ground running aboard this debutant 3YO filly by Pierata. Had a false start getting to the races 1st time around; but has continued to work well since an easy trial 4 weeks ago; and draws to get the right run with cover. Bred to get further carrying just a half kilo over the limit weight; and will appreciate the long run home at this course. Boosted further by two of the early market rivals both being preferred at Sunday’s Cowra meeting

 

MAIN DANGERS: 9. *Akatarawa

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My BET PLAN: COMPLAISANCE to WIN & Quinella: 6 & 9

 

*RACE 2 @ 2.15pm RENEW YOUR 2025 MEMBERSHIP NOW COUNTRY BOOSTED BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1600m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 4. DOWNTOWN’S ABBEY (Danielle Seib/Pierre Boudvillain; 57.5kg & barrier 2) -out in distance we go for the restricted milers; and in a moderate & testing affair; very keen on this honest & hard fit 4YO mare by Pariah who can finally crack it for a 3rd career win deep into the prep. Was run down late at Goulburn 3 starts back before stiff not to win finishing well over 1800m on the Riverside track at Wagga. Ridden poorly well off the speed last start after being backed from $3.20 into $2.60; yet still made up plenty of late ground. Parks closer here from the softer draw; and this looks ideal

 

MAIN DANGERS: 1. *Divine Conclusion; 2. *Notes; 7. *Big Time Charlie

 

Likely Tempo: Reasonable

My BET PLAN: DOWNTOWN’S ABBEY to WIN & Trifecta: 4/1,2,7/1,2,7

 

*RACE 3 @ 2.55pm MARTINS TRAVEL GROUP ALBURY MAIDEN PLATE (1600m) – Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 8. DIRECT SOUND (Patrick Kearney/Logan McGill; 57.5kg & barrier 3) -tough maiden battle here at set weights over the mie; but this lightly raced & improving 3YO by fashionable sire Alabama Express can strike at good odds; hopping the border from Ballarat for only his 3rd start. Liked the way he finished off at Echuca over this trip behind a handy winner when reloading off a 7 week break. Naturally fitter now; and drawn to park a little closer here with important cover. Out of a Savabeel mare; so he’ll enjoy the big wide stretches of this circuit

 

MAIN DANGERS: 4. *Maham; 7. **Triumphant Tonic; 10. *Queen Of Drama; 13. *Darn Deadly

 

Likely Tempo: Reasonable to Solid

My BET PLAN: DIRECT SOUND to WIN & Trifecta: 7,8/4,7,8,10,13/4,7,8,10,13

 

*RACE 4 @ 3.35pm NEWMARKET HOTEL ALBURY MAIDEN PLATE (1000m) – Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 3. LIGHTNING LIZARD (Ben Brisbourne/Milos Bunjevac; 59kg & barrier 11) -right back to the pure sprint trip for the set weight maidens again; and like this improving Wangaratta-based 4YO by Redente staying this side of the border 3rd-up for the new stable. Failed to finish off in a handy maiden at home 2 starts back; but the winner of that race has since bolted in a tougher affair. Held his ground nicely into a place at Wagga 17 days ago; and this isn’t strong; especially with the early market fancy also being preferred at Cowra on Sunday

 

MAIN DANGERS: 10. *Luja Attitude; 12. *Kathy’s Rose; 14. *Party Boss

 

Likely Tempo: Good

My BET PLAN: LIGHTNING LIZARD to WIN

 

*RACE 5 @ 4.15pm UNDER 30s MEMBERSHIP NOW AVAILABLE CLASS 1 HCP (1175m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 7. DIVRON (Gary Colvin/Josh Richards; 56.5kg & barrier 5) -tough & open sprint battle here for the lower class improvers; and confident the superior value lies with this underrated 4YO mare by Divine Prophet who can explode home here at big odds. Came off a break to finish well in a strong maiden at this track before breaking through at Wagga in Super Maiden company after tracking the speed. Was very stiff not to win 11 days ago when held up for a long way back in the field before finally getting clear & charging home to miss by a long head. Carries 1kg less back out of girls’ company; couldn’t be fitter; loves plenty of room to find the line; and is drawn to get cover around midfield. A mile over the odds

 

MAIN DANGERS: 2. *Dalhart; 3. **Hellberg; 9. *Taluk; 10. **Luna Jet

 

Likely Tempo: Solid

My BET PLAN: DIVRON Each Way & Box Exacta: 3,7,10

 

*RACE 6 @ 4.55pm CARLTON DRY MID BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1400m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 6. LORD FINLAND (Luke Pepper/Nick heywood; 60.5kg & barrier 6) -very open affair here with many chances; headed by this tough & progressive Canberra 5YO by All Too Hard who can go back-to-back 3rd-up. Led for a long way at home when resuming in weaker grade before a dominant barrier-to-box win at Wagga in similar company. Goes up 2kg in weight; but given he’s bred to get a mile and beyond; looks well placed from a handy enough draw; and is destined to win better races

 

MAIN DANGERS: 5. **Maid In Dubai; 7. **Urafiki; 8. *Choice Witness; 11. *Sebastian’s Flyer

 

Likely Tempo: Reasonable to Solid

My BET PLAN: LORD FINLAND to WIN & Trifecta/First Four: 5,6,7/5,6,7,8,11/5,6,7,8,11/5,6,7,8,11

 

*RACE 7 @ 5.35pm VALE JOHN SPALDING BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1000m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:

 

TOP SELECTION: 4. BAGGAGE HANDLER (Craig Widdison/Nick Souquet; 61kg & barrier 9) -we close the program back over the pure sprint trip; and very keen on this lightly raced & talented 4YO by Squamosa from just over the border at Wodonga to strike 1st-up off a 29 week spell. Has been sparingly raced; but always possessed superior tactical speed; and tuned up for this with two progressive trials; bolting in the latest by nearly 3 lengths & running a slick 32.50 secs for his final 600m. Comes to hand in a heartbeat; and normally it’s an advantage to be drawn away from the fence late in the day. Can send us home with a bang

 

MAIN DANGERS: 6. *Shoresy; 11. **Antisocial; 15. *Toronto Rain

 

Likely Tempo: Solid to Good

My BET PLAN: BAGGAGE HANDLER to WIN & Quinella: 4 and 11

 

**My BEST EARLY  BETS:

 

R1 6. COMPLAISANCE** Approx Market: $3.00 – $3.25; My Rating: $1.90

R2 4. DOWNTOWN’S ABBEY** Approx Market: $3.00 – $3.25; My Rating: $2.05

R7 4. BAGGAGE HANDLER** Approx Market: $2.50 – $2.85; My Rating: $1.85

 

**My BEST EARLY VALUE:

 

R3 8. DIRECT SOUND** Approx Market: $5.50 – $6.50; My Rating: $3.65

 

**My BEST EARLY EXOTICS:

 

R3 Trifecta: 7,8/4,7,8,10,13/4,7,8,10,13

R5 Box Exacta: 3,7,10

 

GOOD LUCK

@NeilEvansmail

 

Next Meeting:

Thur Feb 06; 2025

#AirborneAlbury