Harness
Australian Harness Racing Preview – September 12/13
The inside draw gives in-form gelding Keayang Tokyo his chance to beat a strong field including multiple Group 1 winner Catch A Wave in Saturday night’s Caduceus Classic at Melton.
Keayang Tokyo has been very consistent this time in and added to a string of wins and placings when he came from a much wider barrier to score by 1.3m at the circuit and distance last week.
The five-year-old takes on stronger opposition on Saturday but has the gate speed to take advantage of the ace draw.
Catch A Wave is the most accomplished pacer in the race and made a winning return off a let-up when coming from the back row to score at Melton last start.
He was forced out of the Len Smith Mile with a setback since then and the wide barrier poses a challenge but that last win was his seventh from 11 attempts at the 1720m distance and he stands out as the class runner.
Dangerous is looming as a threat having made an encouraging return after five months when runner-up from the same barrier last start. He is a two-time second-up winner so is open to improvement.
War Dan Buddy worked from the back row when fourth as favourite last start but won his previous two so could bounce back returning to the front line while Yambukian has been freshened since the last-start fourth from a wide barrier and had put together a long string of wins and placings prior.
The Melton program also hosts the finals of the Nutrien Equine Race Series for the trotters and the clash of two promising types in the three-year-old fillies race is a highlight.
Jess Tubbs' Tracy The Jet has returned in terrific order, beating the boys for a resuming win in the G3 Holmfield win at the track before leading from Saturday's barrier to cruise home by 14m in the heats. She can push forward again from the low draw and looks tough to beat.
The form of Miss Ohana is hard to knock having completed a hat trick when leading from wider to score by 8.6m in her heat.
She was a Group 2 winner in Sydney prior and draws inside Tracy The Jet. She has the speed to take advantage of that so could make a race it.
The three-year-old colts and gelding race looks the most competitive of the finals with four runners well fancied in early markets.
Lotus Louise was scratched from the heats so comes into the race fresh off a win from a wide barrier at Menangle close to four weeks ago and he steps up to a distance where he is proven
The last-start win continued a run of top-two finishes and he goes very well first-up so the freshen up won't bother him.
Ijustcalledtosay did a terrific job from wide on the back row in his heat, working forward to find the front before going on to score by 2.5m. He has the gate speed to take full advantage of the ace draw and strikes at 50 per cent at Melton.
Zarski made an encouraging return when he came from the second line to finish runner-up behind Ijustcalledtosay in the heat. He is proven second-up so should be improved and draws to advantage.
Sam Nien placed in the Holmfield the last time he raced at Melton and draws for a trail. He could be dangerous.
Boom filly Afternoon Breeze will be out to stretch her unbeaten run to four when she starts from a good draw in the two-year-old fillies race while the lightly-raced but promising pair of Hammer and Munny The Munster are dominating early betting in the 2CG race.
Magnificent Storm has fared best at the barrier draw having led from a couple of spots wider to score two back before coming from a very wide barrier and working when far from disgraced in the August Cup last start.
He has the gate speed to take advantage of the ace draw and should get the favours but takes on a smart field including Mister Smartee who makes his first appearance since completing the Nullarbor-Fremantle Cup double in the autumn.
He may not be at that level first up but has won four of six fresh attempts and six from eight at the circuit and distance so has plenty in his favour.
Last year's Inter Dominion runner-up Minstrel ended his last campaign with placings behind Mister Smartee in both the Nullarbor and Fremantle Cup. He is a multiple fresh winner who is drawn to make an impact.
Gee Heza Sport proved earlier in the year that he is up to these rivals having also placed in both the Nullarbor and Fremantle Cup and overcame a 30m handicap to score last start, his fourth win from his last five outings.
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