Palace in command

Ken Nicol

It’s unusual for the standout bet on the card to be a maiden with 12 runs behind her trying a new distance, but that’s the situation today on the Greyville Polytrack.

Palace Rose is carded to run in Race 3, a maiden plate over 1600m for three-year-old fillies, and is clearly no star.

But she has placed three times on the Polytrack over sprint trips, and she stays 1400m, as arguably her best ever effort was when just touched off over that distance on turf at Scottsville last month.

Going 1600m will stretch her, but there is very little credible opposition. The 10 other fillies have managed a solitary fourth place between them, and only two have previously ventured beyond sprint trips.

With champion jockey Anton Marcus up she seems likely to hit the front early, and on exposed form it is difficult to see any of these being able to match strides.

Dennis Drier’s Counter Fate could be a danger. She stayed on for fifth second time out, and this Master Of My Fate filly should enjoy the extra.

Kilvington, Face Of An Angel, and the debutante Cosmology are other possible threats, but Palace Rose will never have a better opportunity to put maiden company behind her.

A good looking value bet is another filly Maneater in Race 5, a moderate FM 62 Handicap over 1900m.

Sean Tarry’s charge only faded late over this trip a fortnight ago when making her Polytrack debut from a poor draw in slightly stronger company.

She has ultra-promising apprentice Luke Ferraris up again from an inside gate, and can be expected to strip fitter.

She should be right there in the finish at a fairly decent price.