Mitch Davis has been through the form guide and speed maps and has provided his race analysis and betting strategy for each of the six races at the Riccarton Synthetic meeting on Thursday 20 August below:
Cocomara (#4) is a locally trained 4yo Tivaci mare resuming for Anna Furlong. She was last sighted running a fair race for 3rd at Riccarton back in February, where she was exposed for much of the race on a genuine tempo. She finds a very soft maiden field for her return and while publicly untried on the surface, she is locally trained and will have been exposed to it at home. Expect her to take up a forward position under typically positive rider Jasmine Fawcett in a race lacking obvious tempo. Should take plenty of beating if anywhere near her best.
| 4. Cocomora (6) 56.5kg2363X |
Cool In Command (#7) is a 3yo son of Cool Aza Beel resuming here for Te Akau, last sighted finishing last of four at Matamata back in January. Those two flops in his 2yo campaign in the North Island were possibly in part due to racing on tracks of a fairly testing nature. He has since relocated to Te Akau’s South Island barn and his two trials ahead of this campaign have been pleasing without being asked to do much. He finds a soft maiden for his resumption and looks poised to settle up on speed throughout from the inside draw. Should prove hard to beat.
| 7. Cool In Command (1) 55kg64X |
Overstate (#6) was first-up for the new stable last start, having previously been trained in the North Island, and kicked off her campaign with a bang winning impressively in R60 company at this track and trip. She should only be better again for that resuming run and while she rises to R65 company, she looks well placed to repeat the dose. She draws to obtain a very similar run in transit from the low draw, where she may well find herself in the trail again or possibly three-back the inner at worst. Just needs the gaps to go her way again to be playing a part here.
| 6. Overstate (2) 57kg808X1 |
Mr Fortrus (#5) heads here off a last-start win in the Polytrack Championship at this course and distance, where he was able to settle up on speed in an evenly run race and held his rivals at bay down the straight. He maps to find the front here from the low draw, where Jasmine Fawcett should be able to dictate terms as she likes. Should that eventuate, they will struggle to reel him in again here given he remains down on the minimum. Hard to beat.
| 5. Mr Fortrus (3) 54kgX1261 |
Graeme John (#2) comes into this off a last-start 7th in the Polytrack Championship two weeks ago, where he was able to find a good handy position early from the wide draw but only battled into 7th. He now slides back in grade to R75 company and finds himself in a much more winnable assignment as a consequence. He could well lead this field from his wide draw under 3kg claiming apprentice Ashlee Strawbridge in a race that only has an even tempo engaged on paper. Should he lead as expected, he should get his chance to dictate and run a much improved race.
| 2. Graeme John (10) 57kg65577 |
Red Star Bella (#6) comes here off a last-start 9th at this course and distance two weeks ago, where she took a while to go through her gears late before running into traffic problems as soon as she did. She looks to get a very similar setup here, settling back of midfield from her low draw off what should be a genuine tempo being set out in front. Will be relying on the gaps going her way this time around, and with clear air she should be right in the finish. An even race, but she looks a solid each-way chance at the price to close the card.
| 6. Red Star Bella (1) 57kg51239 |
