Cranbourne Tips & Preview | Wednesday 5 August

LA REINA VEGA (8) is the obvious on-top selection to begin the day. 

Graheme Begg’s filly ran on solidly to finish second on debut at Seymour last month where she was three-wide without cover on a bottomless heavy track. 

She’s drawn to receive every chance this time in barrier 3 and with natural improvement to come, plus a decent turn of foot, she’ll take the power of beating. 

IN’KANTOSSTAR (3) is easy to have based on his sensational debut effort for second at Moe last year. 

The son to Per Incanto has drawn a horrible game for this return assignment, but there was a lot to like about the way he hit the line, getting up along the rail once a gap opened up to finish second. 

The form from that race has stood up nicely over the last six months and if he finds some early cover, he’ll be hard to hold out. 

DUKE OF OMAN (5) has drawn a nice soft gate for this sharp rise to 1500m. 

This lightly-raced five-year-old rana smart race last time out at Moe in much wetter conditions, overracing at a key stage but really knuckling down late to grab second after laying in down the straight. 

He’s had two runs over 1200m leading into this third-up assignment and maps to land midfield early in the hopes of saving something for the finish again. 

OMAMORI (1) is probably the straight bat play in a tricky race between the stayers. 

He’s been charged with top weight after spending time racing at Saturday grade over his last two starts, holding his own on both occasions at Sandown to mis out on the placings only narrowly. 

The low gate works in his favour deep into his prep, while he’s a noted wet tracker with good recent form leading in. 

FOXENBERG (2) is first-up for Clayton Douglas with the blinkers on for the first time. 

The son to Foxwedge is unbeaten at this stage of his prep, adding to his record at Pakenham last time in work, before going on to tackle much tougher races in town where he was far from disgraced. 

He hasn’t been asked to do much in a pair of trials leading in, and providing he spends little petrol getting across early and landing close to the speed, he should be one of the hardest to beat. 

Happy to stick with ALLEN ANGEL (3), who was a handy winner of her maiden on debut here over 100m shorter a few weeks ago. 

This is an obvious step up in class with a tricky gate adding to the challenge, but there was a lot to like about the way she won fresh, especially after being held up for a run around teh 400m mark. 

The Hayes-trained mare looks a progressive type and based on what we’ve seen so far, she looks capable of taking the next step.  

RUSSIAN DUCHESS (9) is a definite chance with a couple of runs under her belt now. 

Ciaron Maher’s four-year-old was always looking for longer when she finished down the order at Ballarat fresh from a spell, before showing big improvement here over 1400m second-up, where she led for the majority until her condition gave way. 

She’s much fitter now third-up and it’s worth noting she won by 1.5 lengths at this stage of her prep earlier in the year. The 1.5kg claim also helps. 

FLY BY LIGHT (3) is a talented gelding returning off a six-week let-up for Clinton McDonald. 

The son to Flying Artie won three back over the same track/trip by a decent margin, then heading to Caulfield a couple of runs later where he was clearly out of his depth. 

Like the fact he’s been given a tickover trial between runs to keep him sharp with Mark Zahra getting a crack in the saddle for the first time. With luck from the wide gate, he should appreciate the step back to midweek level.