Horse Racing

Rotorua hosts an eight-race program on Wednesday, with the track rated a Heavy10 and the rail in the true position. Clear yet cool conditions are forecast, and the track is likely to remain a Heavy10 for the duration of the card. Selections for each of the eight races below: Rotorua Race 1 7 Echannay Echannay (#7) is a 3yo Hello Youmzain filly making her debut for Mark Brookes. She showed good improvement at her latest trial, handling the Heavy conditions with ease and pulling away for a good win late. George Rooke taking the reins from a favourable draw on…

With another Stradbroke Season now completed, the focus shifts back to the midweek program at Eagle Farm, where an eight-race card is set down for Wednesday. The track was rated a Soft 6 on Tuesday, and it would not surprise to see conditions remain somewhere in that soft range by race day. The rail is positioned 9 metres out, which may make race shape and early positioning important. During the latter stages of the Carnival, riders were often looking to get away from the inside section of the track, so it will be worth monitoring the early races to see…

Tauranga hosts an eight-race program on Saturday, with the track rated a Heavy10 and the rail out 6m. Torrential rain through the week has taken its toll on the surface, and a very testing track is expected for the duration of the card. Selections for each of the eight races below: Tauranga Race 1 4 Girlzgirlzgirlz Girlzgirlzgirlz (#4) comes into this at just her second career start after a fair debut at this course/distance, where she looked a touch flat before working home nicely late into 4th. She should improve with that run under her belt, and staying at 1200m on…

Tattersall’s Tiara Day is set down for Eagle Farm this Saturday as the curtain comes down on another successful Ladbrokes Stradbroke Season. The $700,000 Tattersall’s Tiara is the feature event on the nine-race program, with the fillies and mares contest again holding its place as the final Australian Group 1 of the racing season. The card has strong depth beyond the headline race, with six black-type events across the meeting, while the Ladbrokes Battle of the Bush Final gives Queensland’s country gallopers their opportunity to compete for a significant prize in town. Below is my race-by-race assessment of the Eagle…

Riccarton Synthetic hosts an eight-race program on Thursday. Selections for each of the eight races below: Riccarton Synthetic Race 3 Enchanted Delight Enchanted Delight (#3) resumes here, last sighted finishing down the track at Kurow where she pulled up with excuses that day. She heads here without a trial under her belt but has typically performed well fresh in the past. Her career best run came at this course/distance, where she surged home from the back of the field for 2nd. She should appreciate the small field and looks capable of running well in a fresh state.  Riccarton Park Synthetic…