********AIRBORNE ALBURY PREVIEW******
with NEIL EVANS
Albury Racing Club
FRIDAY MAR 20, 2026
SHOWCASE COMMERCIAL
CLUB LISTED GOLD CUP DAY
*Home of the Best Border Battles
Fallon St, NORTH ALBURY, NSW
PH: (02) 6025 1333
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+Gates Open @ 11.00 am
+1st Race @ 1.15pm
+Track Soft 7/Heavy 8 & Rail True:
*RACE 1 @ 1.15pm LEXUS OF WODONGA COUNTRY MAGIC CLASS 3 HCP (1500m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:
TOP SELECTION: 5. BONNIE MURRINGO (Darrell Burnet/Pierre Boudvillain; 57.5kg & barrier 5) -we kick off Day 2 of the Carnival on Gold Cup Day with a very competitive & open class over a middle distance. Like this progressive 4YO mare by Bon Hoffa who is still on the rise 4th-up. Rattled home to miss narrowly in a weaker race at Wagga when resuming before settling much closer in similar company & going home best. Then tackled a far deeper Country C’ship Qualifier at home where he made up a stack of ground to finish just over a length from the winner. That form reads big for this settling back off the speed with cover. Has a 33 percent winning strike rate from 9 starts; including a win in soft ground
MAIN DANGERS: 2. *Ghost Walker; 3. **Samurai; 6. *Light Foot; 8. **Warpainted; 9. *Sweet Treats
Likely Tempo: Solid
My BET PLAN: BONNIE MURRINGO to WIN & First Four: 3,5,8/2,3,5,6,8,9/2,3,5,6,8,9/2,3,5,6,8,9
*RACE 2 @ 1.50pm ADRIAN LEDGER MEMORIAL – BENCHMARK 66 HCP (2400m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:
TOP SELECTION: 7. THINK I DO (Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones/Ms Claire Ramsbotham a1.5kg; 58kg & barrier 5) -now the traditional staying battle at another competitive level; and rating on top is this tough & ultra consistent 4YO Canberra mare by So You Think who is well placed to pounce deep into the current prep. Has been in the money last 4 runs; surging over the top to claim a BM 58 at Wagga over a mile before beaten only 1 length in a metropolitan BM 64 when stepping up to 1900m. Then went up to this longer journey; and again found the line well running into a place in a provincial BM 68. Right on a fitness peak now; handles rain-affected ground & the jockey’s 1.5kg claim off-sets part of the weight hike
MAIN DANGERS: 2. *Palace Green; 4. *Untethered; 6. **Super Mirage
Likely Tempo: Fair to Reasonable
My BET PLAN: THINK I DO to WIN & Quinella: 6 and 7
*RACE 3 @ 2.25pm ALLURE LASH & BEAUTY BAR CLASS 2 HCP (1000m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:
TOP SELECTION: 2. RIDE THE RIVER (Mitchell Beer & George Carpenter/Grant Buckley; 60.5kg & barrier 4) -right back to the pure sprint trip here; and in another open class affair with several chances; like this improving provincial-based 4YO by prolific Headwater who can go back-to-back 3rd-up. Narrowly beaten when resuming in a handy provincial CL1 before leading all the way as a hot favorite against similar opposition at Kembla 17 days ago in heavy ground. Reliable weight carrier who will roll forward from this draw; and relishes wet tracks
MAIN DANGERS: 1. **Hello Romeo; 3. *Tallingas Immortal; 6. *Sizzleist
Likely Tempo: Good
My BET PLAN: RIDE THE RIVER to WIN & Trifecta: 1,2/1,2,3,6/1,2,3,6
*RACE 4 @ 3.05pm MEREDITH ROOFING SUPER MAIDEN PLATE (1175m) – Set Weights; Apprentices Can Claim:
TOP SELECTION: 7. COSMIC EAGLE (Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou/Ms Alysha Collett; 56.5kg & barrier 8) -the super maiden sprinters lock horns here over a bit further; and nothing looks better placed at the value than this metropolitan-based & improving 3YO filly by Deep Field who is primed to peak 4th-up. Did her best work late when resuming at Wyong before beaten only a half length in a handy Fillies & Mares maiden at Rosehill. Then was stiff not to salute in a strong maiden at Canberra when not getting a lot of room late & missing by half a length to one in superior ground. Handles all going; and the little drop back in trip is a plus
MAIN DANGERS: 2. **Borjnord; 6. *Tuscany; 10. *Jasira
Likely Tempo: Solid
My BET PLAN: COSMIC EAGLE to WIN
*RACE 5 @ 3.40pm CARLTON DRAUGHT BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1175m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:
TOP SELECTION: 10. BLUE MONDAY (Mitchell Beer & George Carpenter/Grant Buckley; 58kg & barrier 8) -staying over the distance for another very wide and open restricted sprint; and like this lightly raced & emerging 3YO filly by Merchant Navy at the value resuming for only her 3rd start. Hit the line hard to miss by a whisker on debut at her Kembla home late last year before breaking through at Moruya next start when sweeping home from midfield in soft going. Has trialled nicely for this; and looks to have a tonne of scope heading into her 1st extended prep. Out of a Sebring mare; so bred to handle any level of rain-affected ground; and look for her to settle back and off the fence and let rip with a powerful closing 350m
MAIN DANGERS: 3. *Marty McFly; 4. **Sargeant Stan; 6. *Fourthtimelucky; 7. *Guru Two
Likely Tempo: Solid to Good
My BET PLAN: BLUE MONDAY to WIN & Trifecta: 4,10/3,4,6,7,10/3,4,6,7,10
*RACE 6 @ 4.20pm TONKIN GROUP 3YO ALBURY GUINEAS – BENCHMARK 74 HCP (1400m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:
TOP SELECTION: 3. AUTUMN BREAK (Kym Davidson/Ms Brittany Button a1.5kg; 58kg & barrier 7) -now the 3YO’s lock horns in the Guineas run at BM 74 level; and rating clear on top is a promising & talented locally-trained son of superstar The Autumn Sun who is primed to strike again 3rd-up; and take her record to 66 percent from 6 starts. Powered home to easily win both starts here up to CL2 level last spring before a break. Then was luckless resuming when badly held up & charging late to miss by under a length in a CL2 Highway at Randwick. Again had a tough run from the draw in a deeper Country C’ship Qualifier at Wagga 3 weeks ago as a hot favorite yet still worked home into a place. Drawn better here; handles soft and heavy tracks; & the 1.5kg weight claim leaves her as the one to beat
MAIN DANGERS: 1. *Beyond Question; 2. *Ethereum Girl; 4. *Jaegers
Likely Tempo: Reasonable to Solid
My BET PLAN: AUTUMN BREAK to WIN
*RACE 7 @ 4.55pm COMMERCIAL CLUB ALBURY ‘Big Dance Eligibility’ LISTED ALBURY GOLD CUP (2000m) – Quality; Min Weight 54kg; Apprentices Cannot Claim:
TOP SELECTION: 2. PLYMOUTH (Ben, Will & JD Hayes/Luke Currie; 56.5kg & barrier 4) -now for the feature Gold Cup run at Listed level; and a chance to nail down a place in the lucrative Big Dance at Randwick in spring. Naturally in a deep field with many chances; very keen to back this progressive Victorian 4YO and also by The Autumn Sun who is well placed to strike 3rd-up rising in distance; and coming back significantly in class. Won the Benalla Cup in early spring before a game effort going down by a long neck in Group 2 company at Caulfield over this distance. Then was well beaten behind subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup again over this trip. Resumed with a fair closing effort behind top notch Tom Kitten in a Group 3 before running on late in a Group 2 over a mile at Flemington. Has been living against some of the best middle distance and stayers around; and desperately wants this journey. Drawn to get cover back in the field on a suitably big & spacious track; with a leading jockey making the trip up. Very well treated at the weights under the conditions of the race; and he just needs clear air from the 500m to make his mark
MAIN DANGERS: 1. *Casino Seventeen; 4. *Touristic; 5. **Bear On The Loose; 8. *Geemes
Likely Tempo: Reasonable to Solid
My BET PLAN: PLYMOUTH to WIN & Quinella: 2 and 5
*RACE 8 @ 5.30pm NAUGHTIN DEVELOPMENT GROUP FLAT KNACKER HCP (900m) – Min Weight 55kg; Apprentices Can Claim:
TOP SELECTION: 2. TICKLEBELLY (Scott Collings/Pierre Boudvillain; 59kg & barrier 10) -we close the carnival with the traditional & open feature sprint over the flying short course; and supremely placed at the big value is this smart 5YO mare by Va Pensiero; returning for her 1st run since late spring. Finished close-up in an Open Hcp for country sprinters at Randwick before finishing best to claim a feature BM94 sprint at Gundagai. Then. dropped out from the front in a deep & open Federal sprint at Canberra and was immediately spelled. Looked good through the line in a recent soft track trial; and she will come to hand quickly having won 2 from 4 1st-up. Drawn out with tactical speed; she boasts a 30 percent winning strike rate from 22 starts; and this looks an ideal starting point to the new prep
MAIN DANGERS: 1. *Sparring; 5. *Iron Will; 6. *Rumours Abound; 8. **One Hard Lady; 9. *Brenlyn’s Legacy
Likely Tempo: Strong
My BET PLAN: TICKLEBELLY Each Way & First Four: 2,8/1,2,5,6,8,9/1,2,5,6,8,9/1,2,5,6,8,9
**My BEST EARLY BETS:
R6 3. AUTUMN BREAK – Early Price Range: $2.10 – $2.25 – My Rating: $1.75
R7 2. PLYMOUTH – Early Price Range: $5.00 – $6.00 – My Rating: $2.80
**My BEST EARLY VALUE:
R2 7. THINK I DO – Early Price Range: $4.75 – $5.00 – My Rating: $2.70
R4 7. COSMIC EAGLE – Early Price Range: $5.00 – $6.00 – My Rating: $3.15
**My BEST EARLY EXOTICS:
R3 Trifecta: 1,2/1,2,3,6/1,2,3,6
R7 Quinella: 2 & 5
GOOD LUCK
@NeilEvansmail
Next Meeting:
Thursday APR 23; 2026
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