Lacklustre All Stars seek extra polish
The All Stars barn will be looking to bounce back from a rare disappointing Australian carnival when they launch their Menangle assault in Sydney tomorrow night.
It was a time to forget for Australasia’s most powerful barn, who didn’t snare a major title in Melbourne despite attacking with stars like Self Assured, Oscar Bonavena, Chase Auckland and Smooth Deal.
Self Assured had to be content with two Group I seconds, but both were monstrous runs in the Ballarat Cup and 4YO Bonanza at Melton.
Australasia’s most exciting pacer and prepost favourite for the Chariots Of Fire and Miracle Mile is looking to return to winning form in the $50,000 Group II Hondo Grattan (1609m) at Menangle.
He’s there because the second to Lochinvar Art in the Bonanza didn’t qualify Self Assured for a Chariots Of Fire berth.
The Aussie TAB opened Self Assured a $1.55 favourite and he quickly firmed to $1.45 from gate nine this week with his main rival being the untapped and explosive Balraj, who is a $3.20 shot from gate 10.
Balraj, unbeaten in eight Aussie starts since coming from New Zealand, has brilliant early speed and will probably push forward in search of the lead.
This will be Balraj’s first run for new trainer KerryAnn Morris, who took over from Anthony Simiana. Morris’ husband, Robbie, takes the reins and has been the pacer’s regular driver.
Classy Victorians Demon Delight (gate 11, $12) and Max Delight (12, $18) will also make their presence felt.
Meanwhile, a ho-hum support race at Menangle could totally reshape the NSW Oaks.
In an exciting twist for the already stellar card, Kiwi stars and the first two home in Victoria
Oaks – Dr Susan and Stylish Memphis – will clash in a $14,280 fillies’ race over 2300m.
It’s an ideal race to sharpen them up for the NSW Oaks heats two weeks later.
Under the preferential draw conditions this week, Stylish Memphis has drawn gate 10.
Dr Susan is out of the draw after causing the false start in Victoria Oaks so she will start from the outside (gate 11).
If there’s a blowout it could be emerging local Vincenzina, who stormed home from last to be beaten by just half a metre by Dr Susan when they clashed in the Raith Memorial over a mile at Menangle on January 11.
Vincenzina has since scored two impressive wins at Menangle, the latest in a blistering 1min 51.8sec mile on January 25.
■ Temporale and Massive Metro have already paid for their Australian campaigns for trainer Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett with big performances at Melton over the last two weeks.
Temporale won the A$50,000 Dullard Cup in a rare Group I win for Hackett’s green and white racing colours while Massive Metro was a strong third in the A$250,000 Great Southern Star at Melton last Saturday.
While plenty of the Kiwis who contested that carnival are already home, both the south Auckland trotters are staying on in Australia for three more races and the final one, in particular, looks perfect for them.
The pair next contest the A$50,000 Knight Pistol at Melton on February 14 followed by the A$100,000 Grand Prix at the same track on February 29.
They will then head north to Menangle for the A$50,000 Trotters Mile on March 7, which is Miracle Mile night.
Already one of the hotshots of the open class trotting scene in Oscar Bonavena has returned to New Zealand, where his connections hope a break will help him strengthen up.
Jimmy Rattray’s decision to skip the Hunter Cup with Ignatius and stay home to build-up to the Miracle Mile could get a reward tomorrow night.
Ignatius has drawn gate two and will come into the pole if emergency Wrangler doesn’t get a run in the 1609m free-for-all.
Paul Court’s Hail Christian, who went back and never got into a 2300m free-for-all when he resumed at Menangle last week, is sure to be fitter but will need luck from the outside draw (gate 10).