Australian Hurdle and Steeplechase day, one of only two city-based race programs on the calendar now involving jumps racing. The other this year being Sunday 3 August at Sandown again when the Grand National Hurdle and Crisp Steeplechase will be held.
There’s some good prizemoney on offer here for the jumpers and I don’t mind Sandown as a jumps course as it has an undulating track with plenty of room and a long run in which usually provides every horse with a chance if they’re good enough.
Race 2 – Sportsbet Australian Steeplechase 3900m @ 12.30pm
A good race to kick off the jumps racing on the day.
I’ve been a long time follower of 1 Stern Idol and he’s been the best steeplechaser up to this distance in recent seasons, but I have a slight niggle about whether he’s going as well currently as he has in previous seasons. His jumps racing so far this season has been over the hurdles and I think he will find the step up to the bigger fences today more suitable. He did have a late jockey change at Warrnambool when beaten, with Steven Pateman having a fall in an earlier race on the day and not being able to ride him. He has his fair share of weight here, although he has carried 73kgs to win previously and comes into this race off a comfortable steeplechase trial win at Terang a couple of weeks ago.
I’ve also been a follower of 2 Leaderboard and have tipped him with success this season but have a question mark now with him as to how he’s come through his fall at Warrnambool following his poor run on the flat at Mornington earlier in the week. The Stewards Report suggests he didn’t appreciate the Good 3 surface at Mornington and there were no veterinary issues found. I’m sure the stable wouldn’t be running him here if they weren’t 100% happy with him.
For mine it’s a race in three with the top two being the obvious chances along with 5 Treasured Crown who can also make his presence felt here at his race debut over the bigger fences. He’s shown himself to be a very good jumper so far and trialed well over the fences winning a trial against good opposition at Ballarat back in early April.
After much consideration I’m going with 2 Leaderboard as the one to beat at the weights. He was going very well over jumps until his fall at Warrnambool when he was traveling well and has raced well around this course previously, albeit over hurdles. 1 Stern Idol and 5 Treasured Crown are the obvious dangers. Stern Idol has won around this course a couple of times and will roll along but I’m sure Will Gordon on Leaderboard and Willie McCarthy on Treasured Crown won’t let him get too far out of their sight and with the pull in the weights I think they’ll run 1-2 here. I’m backing the stable in with Leaderboard. Treasured Crown jumps very well, and I don’t think the bigger fences will be an issue at all for him. His form over hurdles has been very sound and at the weights he can also beat Stern Idol, who boasts some very well known sporting names in his ownership, and goes in for third but it won’t surprise me one little bit if he leads them a merry dance and wins.
2 Leaderboard – 5 Treasured Crown – 1 Stern Idol
Race 4 – Sportsbet Feed BM120 Hurdle 3400m @ 1.50pm
The topweight, 1 Noonday Gun has changed stables since winning first up and is now with Shane Jackson at Warrnambool.
He’s two from two over jumps and I can see no reason why he won’t make it three from three here. He tuned up for this race with a recent Terang hurdle trial when ridden by regular Shane Jackson stable rider, Tom Ryan, and was given an easy time.
Hardest to beat will be 3 Hit The Road Jack from the strong Symon Wilde stable. He is yet to be out of the money over jumps and with 8 Normandy Bridge has the best flat form of the runners in this race. 5 Sing For Peace from the strong Patrick and Michelle Payne stable goes in for third. He was second to Noonday Gun in a Maiden Hurdle at the end of last season before breaking his maiden status and beating Enchanted Elle at the recent Warrnambool carnival. That form was proven sound with Enchanted Elle’s very impressive Maiden win at Casterton two weeks ago.
4 Pure Deal, 6 Serenade The Stars and 8 Normandy Bridge aren’t without a place chance in the race.
1 Noonday Gun – 3 Hit The Road Jack – 5 Sing For Peace
Race 5 – Sportsbet Australian Hurdle 3900m @ 2.30pm
A small but strong field of hurdlers here, as would be expected for a $100,000 race.
The top weight, 1 The Cunning Fox, is unbeaten over hurdles but faces by far his toughest task here and is now starting to get up in the weights. He’s a winner at this course.
2 Affluential, last seasons Grand National Hurdle winner, looked the #1 seed amongst the hurdlers at the start of this jumps season, but was pulled out of a race at Pakenham at his first jumps start this season, and then went down to The Cunning Fox at Warrnambool. He gets a 2kg swing in the weights and an extra 700m here against The Cunning Fox after being beaten 1.25 lengths by him at Warrnambool. He comes into this race off a win over 3000m on the flat at Mornington earlier in the week.
5 Highland Blaze in his first season as a jumper is certainly on the way up and comes into this off two good hurdle wins recently at Warrnambool and Casterton where he has been very strong at the finish and so the rise to 3900m here should also suit him perfectly. He’s part of the strong Shane Jackson jumping team and it’s good to see jockey, Jordan Hart, rewarded for his good rides on the horse recently and maintaining the ride in this major race.
It’s sure to be a very good race and the only horse in it which would totally surprise me if he got into the finish is 6 El Diez.
I’m going with 2 Affluential here at the weights and over the longer distance from 1 The Cunning Fox and 5 Highland Blaze.
2 Affluential – 1 The Cunning Fox – 5 Highland Blaze
Safe jumping.
Gamble Responsibly. Chances are you’re about to lose.
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About Dandy Andy
Racing, pacing, chasing and sport, thoughts and views, tips and news. For the love of the game #WayOutWest Western Victoria.
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