It Is What It Is, Cheyne should win
Para Handy’s consistency to be rewarded
It could pay to indulge in a closing double at Durbanville today featuring It Is What It Is in Race 7 and After Glow in Race 8.
The former is the model of consistency and could prove a worthy Pick 6 banker when she lines up in the FM 80 Handicap over 1000m. Following promising performances against stronger opposition it is safe to say this Count Dubois three-year-old has earned her merit rating of 83.
It Is What It Is has plenty in her favour. She’s taking a massive drop in class considering the average merit rating of this field is 73. She also gets the services of in-form jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe, has the best form in the field and jumps from a plum No 1 draw – a massive advantage at this course.
The only chink in her armour is the heavy 61kg on her back.
Fayd’Herbe rode Mike Stewart’s charge to a commendable second place finish over the course and distance three runs back and she wasn’t disgraced. She made noteworthy progress in the dying stages and was merely 0.75 lengths behind Rebels Spirit.
If the Swinger and Exacta bet tickles your fancy consider boxing her with Passion Peach who finished 2.75 lengths behind It Is What It Is in their latest encounter over 1000m at Kenilworth. This Ideal World speedster tries Durbanville for the first time, but has great form over the trip having run three times for a fifth and two victories.
After Glow shed her maiden tag at the second time of asking and showed absolutely no signs of ring-rustiness following a two-month stint off the racetrack when edging out Sommersonne by a gutsy 0.30 lengths at Kenilworth in a 1400m contest.
That performance suggests she could be better than her current merit rating of 70 suggests, plus that form line has worked out very well. It boasts a winner and two runners who have finished second and third.
If it not broken don’t fix it, so trainer Adam Marcus has kept After Glow over her winning trip in Race 8, a FM 69 Handicap.
This daughter of Magok will strip a lot fitter and has the right form credentials to beat this sort of company.
Her only disadvantage is the wide No 12 draw in this 14-horse field, but she has the class to overcome it and will be aided by an experienced rider in Greg Cheyne.
Para Handy is another worthy win bet to take in Race 6, a MR 76 Handicap over 1250m. Brett Crawford’s charge is holding form nicely and has finished second in two consecutive outings. He also comes into the race with a light 52.5kg and a decent No 6 draw.