HOT DANISH STAKES G2

RACE 7 - 1400m

LAZZURA / GERRINGONG / MODELLA

Chris Waller had LAZZURA in peak form throughout the autumn, highlighted by a commanding victory in the Gr.1 Coolmore at Rosehill followed by a strong runner-up finish to BEIWACHT in the Gr.1 All-Aged Stakes, demonstrating her competitiveness against a high-calibre field. The SNITZEL mare resumed with a tidy 3rd in the Shearco, then held together by JMac to win the Golden Pendant. To good in the Invitation last start and this really is her pet distance so incredibly hard to beat again.

☆☆☆☆

The accomplished Queensland mare GERRINGONG, prepared by Chris and Corey Munce at Eagle Farm, returns to Sydney following her impressive victory in the Nivison at Rosehill last October and a resilient fourth-place finish in the Invitation behind the formidable mare LAZZURA. Potentially, better suited back on this circuit and she is high quality at best so can definitely get into the finish with the edge on.

☆☆☆

MODELLA went from Midway grade to running in last year’s Golden Eagle, and although the mare improved by leaps and bounds in the autumn, she took on some seriously high-quality fields. Charged late to win the Listed Mona Lisa at Wyong, then kept chasing hard to get within 1.6 lengths of LAZZURA in the Gr.2 Golden Pendant. Trusting Lee and Cherie Curtis to extract a bit more out of the mare, and she will need to step it up.

☆☆

FIVE DIAMONDS G3

RACE 8 - 1800m

EVAPORATE / DECLICHY BOULEVARD / TUXEDO

EVAPORATE has been a bit ordinary, although went lame in the Rupert Clarke on a rock-hard cricket pitch at Caulfield amd trapped on the wrong part of the track in the Toorak when all the action was wider. Good effort for 3rd resuming in the P.B Lawrence and was going far too well in winning the So You Think (1500m) at Sandown in the next. Going great guns last spring and almost ran in the Cox Plate, so too talented to dismiss and we anticipate a top performance here with the right run in transit.

☆☆☆☆

Just forget DECLICHY BOULEVARD ran last start at Randwick when crowded and checked at the 200m in the Epsom (1600m). Eased wide for a sound fresh up effort in the Goulburn Cup but really stepped it up on this course in the next when taking over at the 300m and made it look easy at the mile. The Waller-trained SNITZEL mare did have the services of golden boy Ronald McDonald who put her in the perfect spot. Definitely loves this track having won at 1400m in May and can bounce back.

☆☆☆

The Ritchie/Murray team have committed to a run across the Tasman with TUXEDO and this appears an obtainable contest for the TIVACI gelding. The Aotearoa Classic winner in the spring returned to deliver two fine runs for second to the WFA star WAITAK in the Howden Mile and Livomal Classic so certainly shouldn't be underestimated arriving here in peak condition and ready to collect some Australian dollars. At the distance we believe he goes very close with Opie aboard.

☆☆