By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
BLACK THATCH (Trevor Simpson) holds off a late challenge from CAPTAIN BLIGH (Brian Harding) to win the Panasonic Plaque for Overnight Allowance horses over 1600 metres last Saturday. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
TOMORROW'S RACING Pools game gets under way with a 3-y-o maiden special over the circular nine course to be contested by 10 starters.
On the surface, the race should come down to a straight fight between TO SIR WITH LOVE and GALAXY GIRL, but I for one would not be surprised to see ROYAL BELLE (tongue tie on) and HI-JOE stepping up on their last performances to make it close.
Although unproven over a distance of ground, TO SIR WITH LOVE looked the part at exercise recently when galloping seven furlongs in 1:30.1 and seems ready to do himself justice with three-time champion Charles Hussey aboard.
GALAXY GIRL has also worked well, blazing six furlongs in 1:14.4 last Sunday morning. She should have no problems staying the distance and will prove a worthy opponent for my selection, TO SIR WITH LOVE.
Next on the programme is a one mile optimum claiming race in which nine starters have been declared.
The ones expected to figure seriously are MAAS JOE, ADUKI, SOLILOQUY and JUST FRIENDS who has worked well since his last race and catches my fancy.
Although highly fancied for a 1400-metre race on April 21, JUST FRIENDS found himself badly outpaced and only found his legs in the last furlong, closing well into fourth place, 5 1/2 lengths away.
Now fitted with the tongue tie for the first time, JUST FRIENDS is back with a grand chance of winning this race, especially with an additional furlong to travel.
The 4-y-o son of Irish Quest should win from ADUKI, who ran a vastly improved behind TRAVELOCITY on April 25 (closing rapidly for fourth) and the very fit MAAS JOE who had JUST FRIENDS a length behind on last.
WARREN B, who seems to be begging for a distance of ground, should stalk and catch the noted front runner JACK DE PRINCE in the third race over the circular nine course.
From the stables of many-time champion trainer Philip Feanny, the American 3-y-o colt has been hampered by topweight in all three starts, but he has shown worthwhile ability and now eased in the scales by virtue of apprentice Dane Nelson's 3.0kg claiming allowance, should make no mistake.
Race four for the Starters' Trophy, the season's first two-year-old race, looks tailored for SARAH'S GIRL, a chestnut filly by Royal Minister out of Silken Miss who has looked the most forward at exercise in the field of seven juveniles.
She has most to fear from the highly thought of PRIME PRINCESS, one of four youngsters from the stables of Richard Azan entered in the race.
KING AL, who has been knocking at the door since running on Lasix, should prove hard to deny in the fifth race over the round five course, this for overnight allowance horses.
KING AL raced in contention through in the recent Easter Sprint Cup, finishing a good second to fast-time winner COURT CASE. Back on Lasix for the third time, the 5-y-o son of Al's River Cat will not go down easily. THE SEVENTH WAVE looks the main danger.
The last three races should be won by ROYAL FLIGHT, back to form FIRST TRICK and MEDIATOR in the 8th and final. Their respective dangers are MY PAL DON in the 6th, THAT 'S GOLD in the 7th and POLISH STAR in the 8th.
