Gai's Tip Sheet
THURSDAY 24th APRIL – BENDIGORail Position: +4M EntireROCK REVOLUTION (Race 3, 2.30pm, 1600m, T Nugent, 57.5kg)Rock Revolution ran them along at a solid enough tempo at Sandown last time and just felt the pinch in the final furlong. He drops back in grade here which is a positive, and we’ve added a tongue to assist his breathing so this should certainly aid his cause at the business end of the race as we’re confident he’s capable of seeing out the mile effectively. Teo will roll forward from his lovely barrier in 4 to try and get him travelling in an even keel where he can conserve energy, and if he’s able to get his own way in front and show a good turn of foot then we see no reason why he won’t take plenty of catching.FRIDAY 25th APRIL – FLEMINGTONRail Position: TrueSHIVERMEPINK (Race 2, 1.35pm, 1400m, J Stanley, 56kg)Shivermepink gave us all a huge thrill when taking out her maiden last week. She led throughout, set a strong tempo and kept pulling out more to hold on and seal the deal where it mattered. On that evidence, the slight drop back in trip to 1400 metres here is going to suit her and she’s racing on her expansive home track which should also suit her. Jett got a great tune out of her last time so retains the ride here, and she’s drawn to do no work in barrier 3 so she should be able to utilise her early speed and flow forward from there to make her own luck from the front again. She’s up in grade quite significantly here so it’s going to be a lot tougher, but it’s a race that’s restricted to her own age and sex which is a positive and we’ve nothing to lose with the broodmare sale quickly looming. She’s fit, well and in a good headspace which counts for a lot and we’re confident she’ll show up well for a long way.FORMAT (Race 6, 3.55pm, 2800m, B Melham, 58kg)You can put a line through Format’s last run in the Tulloch Stakes as he got his tongue back and couldn’t breathe. We’ve therefore tinkered with his gear and put a tongue tie on here to prevent a repeat, and this will aid him enormously. He’s done everything right since arriving at our Flemington stable, and the smaller, more intimate environment suits him down to the ground. Last week’s trial was most pleasing and confirmed his wellbeing, and we don’t think he will have any trouble racing the reverse direction for the first time. The way he won over 2400 metres at Kembla two back suggests 2800 metres is well within his range, so Ben will likely lead from the outset to try and control things to suit himself. He’s taking on well credentialed horses who bring good form into the race, so it won’t be easy. However, he’s in a great headspace and a big run would come as no surprise.TOO MUCH CAVIAR (Race 8, 5.05pm, 1400m, J Stanley, 61kg)Too Much Caviar is pleasing us ahead of his first start this preparation. He generally races well when fresh, and last preparation he was a terrific second with a big weight when resuming over 1250 metres at Canterbury. As such, we know he can be effective when carrying weight so the 61kg here doesn’t concern us too much, and 1400 metres on an expansive track like Flemington will play to his strengths. Barrier 18 isn’t ideal and makes life a bit tricky, so Jett will be as positive as possible from there to try and get across into a better position but if they kick up to his inside he may have to go to plan B and take a sit. Ultimately, we don’t expect him to be peaking first-up and there will be improvement to come as he gets deeper into his preparation and over longer trips, but he’s fit and healthy so we’re confident he’ll run well to get his campaign off to an encouraging start.FRIDAY 25th APRIL – KENSINGTONRail Position: TrueCOLLECT YOUR CASH (Race 4, 2.30pm, 1800m, A Roper (3kg), 62kg)Collect Your Cash lost no admirers when going down all guns blazing at Hawkesbury last time. Anna got a great tune out of him on that occasion, so she retains the ride here and takes a valuable 3kg off his back to bring him down to 59kg. Anna will be positive from barrier 5 to get him rolling along and he had no trouble with the step up to 1800 metres last time, so he sticks to that distance here. This race is worth $150k and he’s the top rated horse by quite some way, so he certainly sets the standard and we expect him to be hard to beat.CAMPALDINO (Race 5, 3.05pm, 2400m, A Roper (3kg), 59kg)Campaldino gave us all a huge thrill when winning the Orange Cup so decisively last time. He deserved to get his nose in front and the further he went the more dominant he was, so this step up to 2400 metres fills us with confidence as he’ll relish it. Anna takes a very valuable 3kg off his back which brings him down to 56kg, and she’ll be positive from barrier 4 to get him into a handy position although he showed last time that he doesn’t need to lead to win so he’s versatile in that regard. This race is a lovely steppingstone for him, and with further improvement forthcoming over this distance he’s certainly the one they must all beat.SATURDAY 26th APRIL – RANDWICKRail Position: +9m 1000m-W/Post, +7m RemainderTHE LITTLE GENERAL (Race 1, 11.30am, 1100m, R King, 56kg)The Little General is delighting us ahead of his first-up run. His two trials have been excellent, and they’ve brought his fitness along to where it needs to be ahead of this run. He was too green to do himself justice last preparation, but he’s since been gelded and he’s been a lot more professional and focused as a result so we certainly expect him to have his eye on the prize here. Rachel will be positive from barrier 6 to try and make her own luck from the front, and whilst he’s resuming in a tough enough race against some previous winners we think he’s capable of making his presence felt and running a big race for you all.LES VAMPIRES (Race 5, 1.50pm, 1800m, A Hyeronimus, 56kg)Les Vampires lost no admirers when finishing a close fourth in the very competitive Muswellbrook Cup last time. It was quite a rough race over the concluding stages so he may have finished a bit closer but for that, though it was still a very creditable effort up in grade. He’s back to a Benchmark race here and he’s also reunited with Adam who won on him two back, so these are both positives. He’s untested beyond the mile so the step up to 1800 metres is an unknown, but we don’t see why he won’t stay and it could even bring about further improvement. Adam should be able to get him into a forward position from barrier 7 to control the race for himself, and if he’s able to steal a cheap sectional or two mid-race it’ll make him mighty hard to catch. MAJOR BEEL (Race 8, 3.35pm, 1500m, A Hyeronimus, 59.5kg)Major Beel is thriving ahead of his first-up run. He took significant benefit from his first trial to finish second in his latest one, and he’s done nothing but keep improving since then. He was victorious when last first-up over 1600 metres in September, so we know he goes well fresh which adds confidence and he’s got enough speed in his legs at the outset of the campaign to handle the 1500 metres. He’s drawn to do no work in barrier 1 and he carries minimal deadweight with Adam aboard, so he should be able to roll forward and assume a controlling position at the head of affairs. He won’t mind any further rain or sting out of the ground, so he’s certainly got a lot going for him and we see no reason why he won’t be right there at the finish.SATURDAY 26th APRIL – EAGLE FARMRail Position: +5M EntireHEADBANGER (Race 5, 1.58pm, 1200m, R Bayliss, 56.5kg)Headbanger ran an extremely brave race on debut at Hawkesbury. She led the field at a genuine enough tempo and fought on very bravely when challenged, finding only two colts with prior race experience too strong for her in the run to the line. As you’d expect, she’s taken great improvement from the outing and she’ll be fitter and more streetwise here. She’s taken the journey up to Queensland in her stride, and she’s thrived since arriving at Eagle Farm. This is a big step up in grade to a Listed race so we’re under no illusions as to the task she faces, but she’s open to plenty of improvement second-up with the benefit of a run under her belt. We expect the step up to 1200 metres to play to her strengths, and she’s drawn to do no work in barrier 1 so Regan should be able to find the fence from there and make his own luck on speed. She’s got plenty going for her and we expect her to rise to the challenge and be very hard to run down.HEAT MISSILE (Race 7, 3.08pm, 1600m, R Bayliss, 56.5kg)Heat Missile lost nothing in defeat when second at Warwick Farm last time. The winner was an older mare and she had the rest of the field well covered, so it was a very creditable effort. She’s back against her own age and sex here which is a big tick, and whilst she’s untested over the mile we expect her to stay. It’s a step up in grade to a Listed race so she certainly needs to keep progressing to be competitive, but we think she’s entitled to do so third-up with scope for improvement over the 1600 metres. Regan will be positive from barrier 7 to settle her in a handy position, and it’s a full and competitive field so they’re likely to go a genuine gallop up front. She’s done everything right since arriving in Queensland and this is a lovely opportunity for her to gain some valuable Black type, so fingers crossed she enjoys some luck in running and fights out the finish.SATURDAY 26th APRIL – MORPHETTVILLERail Position: +5M EntireTOO DARN LIZZIE (Race 7, 3.37pm, 2000m, B Shinn, 56kg)Too Darn Lizzie is delighting us ahead of her Grand Final. She hasn’t run a bad race all preparation, and she’s been very unlucky to bump into Treasurethe Moment on a couple of occasions. Nonetheless, she’s earned further valuable Black type along the way but a Group 1 win or placing here would be the cherry on top. She’s drawn slightly wide in barrier 10, but there’s no better rider than Blake Shinn so he’ll let her find her feet from there and she’ll most likely roll forward to contest the lead or sit close to it. She’s stretching out to 2000 metres for the first time which is a step into the unknown, however the way she’s been hitting the line this preparation suggests she’s ready for it and we are confident it’s within range. This is a competitive race but she’s got some of the strongest form on offer and she’s the highest rated horse in the field, so on that basis she’s the one to beat and we hope she can salute for you all as it would be a very fitting way to end her career.SUNDAY 27th APRIL – SHA TINRail Position: TrueROYAL PATRONAGE (Race 7, 6.00pm AEDT, 1600m, T Clark, 57kg)Royal Patronage has taken to life in Hong Kong like a duck to water. He’s a very well-travelled horse though having raced in the U.K., USA, Australia and now Hong Kong so this has given us the confidence to send him abroad knowing that he is capable of handling everything that comes with it. He’s settled in very well at Sha Tin and hasn’t missed a beat since arriving. He’s been out on the track each morning taking in his surroundings, and he’s a very happy horse. He ran a huge race to finish a close second in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile last time, especially when factoring in that he was caught wide throughout. The winner Stefi Magnetica has franked the form since by finding only the mighty Fangirl too strong for her in the Group 1 Queen of the Turf, so this adds further confidence. Your part-owner Ray Montague had gold dust on his fingers at the barrier draw as he's drawn a beautiful gate in 3, so Tim will be positive from there to try and assume control of the race or at least sit close to the pace to minimise any hard luck stories. There’s some rain forecast prior to Sunday but he handles sting out of the ground, and overall he’s an extremely versatile customer so he'll handle whatever he's faced with. This is probably the biggest test of his career to date but he’s taking us all on such a thrilling ride, so Adrian and I dearly hope everything goes his way as we think he’s capable of giving this an almighty shake. SUNDAY 27th APRIL – BALLARATRail Position: TruePROFESSOR PICKLES (Race 5, 3.15pm, 1600m, T Nugent, 58kg)Professor Pickles ran out of his skin to finish second when first-up Kyneton. It was his first run for almost a year so he was entitled to need it, but he kept kicking all the way to the line and was only reeled in in the final strides. He’s taken plenty of improvement from it, and whilst some horses can race flat second-up off a big first-up effort after a break all the signs at home are positive. He will relish stretching out to the mile here, and Teo got a great tune out of him last time so he retains the ride here. He’ll be positive from barrier 6 to try and make his own luck from the front, and if he can steal an easy sectional or two mid-race we expect him to be extremely hard to run down.
