Waverley Tips & Preview | Saturday 4 July

La Florida (#8) is a dual acceptor here and in R3, and looks hard to beat wherever Shane Crawford elects to line her up. She comes here off an eye-catching last-start 2nd at Te Rapa, where she was seen flooding home from the back, and the form out of that race has already been franked with 3rd-placed Noble Cabello winning earlier this week. She maps to land off the speed again and should get her chance to be finishing over the top of these late. Good chance to go one better. 

Reconvene (#3) didn’t flatter on a testing track at New Plymouth last start, where he got a long way out of his ground and made no impression. He now comes here third-up and the drop back in trip may suit going off that last-start effort. He maps to settle a touch closer in the run from the inside draw, where he should get a cosy run doing very little work midfield on the fence. Can run an improved race here. 

La Florida (#19) is a dual acceptor here and in R1, and looks hard to beat wherever Shane Crawford elects to line her up. She comes here off an eye-catching last-start 2nd at Te Rapa, where she was seen flooding home from the back, and the form out of that race has already been franked with 3rd-placed Noble Cabello winning earlier this week. She maps to land off the speed again from the wide draw, and going off her last start, the step up in trip should suit. Good chance to go one better. 

Great Escape (#5) ran a brave race for 3rd last start at Woodville, where she travelled up nicely on the bend before fighting on in the testing conditions. She heads here on a shorter turnaround and back on better footing here looks far more ideal. She maps to get a great run from the low draw under Kelly Myers, settling just off the speed throughout. The blinkers going on for this is another big tick in her favour. Hard to beat. 

Im Bartholomew (#4) got a long way out of his ground last start at Wanganui, where he put in some good late strides from the back into 5th. He again maps to get well back in the field from his wide draw in what shapes as a solidly run race on paper. Hyeontaek Oh’s 4kg claim sees him carry just 54kg here, which looks a big assist. Should be finishing off hard again late and shapes as a solid each-way chance at the price. 

Force Of Nature (#3) is a dual acceptor here and at Te Rapa, though this race looks the better option of the two. He hasn’t set the world on fire this campaign, not yet recapturing some of his better form from last season, but he now has three runs under his belt and the addition of side winkers may spark some improvement. He maps to settle back off a strong tempo, which should aid him in getting home over the top late. Capable of better and gets the right setup to show it. 

Tisse (#1) built nicely to an impressive win at Te Rapa last start, getting home best from the back in a strongly run mile. Stepping out over 2200m here should only suit him further. He maps to again get back in the field from his middle draw, where Kelly Myers will look to have him in a nice rhythm throughout before blending into the race late. This field looks a touch softer than what he met last start and while he has to carry a big weight, he should take plenty of beating if he reproduces that effort. 

Can Do (#2) comes here off a mighty effort for 4th at Ellerslie last start in a Winter Series Final, where he lost the compass turning for home before getting home strongly from the back and producing all the best closing splits. He drops back into a much softer race here and should only be stripping fitter again third-up. Back left-handed and stepping out over 1650m are both positives, and he should take plenty of beating if he runs up to that last-start effort. 

Orson Stone (#3) broke through for an overdue win on Winter Series Finals Day at Ellerslie last start, going through his gears nicely late to get up in the shadows of the post. He again maps to get well back in the field from his low draw, but another genuine tempo here should aid him in blending into the race late in the piece. This field doesn’t look any tougher than what he met last start and he should go very close if he runs up to that winning effort. Looks the one to beat.