Riccarton Synthetic hosts its first meeting of the year on Thursday, with an eight-race card set to be run on the all-weather surface.
Selections for each of the eight below:
Unwoke (#1) comes into this off a huge run for 2nd at Ashburton, where he was forced to work wide throughout on a genuine tempo and still stuck on strongly. He looks ideally suited returning to the synthetic, having already placed at his only attempt on the surface. Tina Comignaghi remains aboard and with a more economical run in transit, he looks primed to break through.
Andina (#9) improved sharply last start when finishing 2nd at Ashburton and now steps up to the mile fourth-up, which looks ideal. She remains well placed down in the weights under Kendra Bakker and has shown she can handle this surface previously. In what looks a moderate maiden, she shapes as the one to beat.
Royal Assent (#7) produced a strong effort for 3rd last start after doing work early before finishing off well once clear thereafter. She now gets a more favourable draw, importantly relative to Dorothea, which should see her able to land in a forward position under Leah Hemi. Her prior synthetic performances have been solid and she looks well placed to give this a shake.
Big Exit (#3) was far better than the beaten margin suggested last start, covering significant ground throughout on a solid tempo. He draws to get a softer run here and should be ridden more conservatively in what looks a genuinely run race. With cover and a cart into the race, he has the turn of foot to feature late.
Arctic Jewel (#4) is worth forgiving for her last start flop in the Gore Guineas, where the pattern didn’t suit those back and wide in the field. Back into R60 company and down in the weights with the claim, she looks much better placed. If she handles the synthetic, her prior form should see her well placed to bounce back.
Purple Prose (#1) comes out of a tight finish at Ashburton where despite finishing 6th, was only beaten half a length by the 2nd placed horse. He drops back into R60 grade and gets some weight relief through the apprentice claim. With very good prior synthetic form on his side, he looks well placed to return to winning form and is hard to dismiss in this.
Queen Of Naples (#3) resumes here after a below-par effort at the tail of her last campaign but has the benefit of a nice quiet trial under her belt in preparation for this. She has shown a clear affinity for the synthetic surface previously and from a low draw should secure a midfield run with cover. If she runs up to anything near her best, she can finish strongly late and account for these.
Dimaggio (#1) returns from a break after a close-up 2nd in an ODT Mile heat and has had a solid trial to prepare. His record on the Riccarton Synthetic is very consistent, and he looks suited by getting back in what should be a genuinely run race. Expect to see him rattling home late, a solid each way chance to close the card.