Belmont Park, June 27, 2009 FIRST LEG 2.35 WA time
SECOND LEG 3.15 WA time
THIRD LEG 3.54 WA time
FOURTH LEG 4.30 WA time
Healthy Food Fast Hcp, 2000m (74-86)
Belmont Oaks, 3YO fillies (Listed) 2000m
York Stakes, 2YO and up (Listed) 1600m
Fruit & Veg Hcp (6274), 1200m
We can understand quaddie players going hard for (1) Like A Vain, a brave last-start winner over 1600 in similar grade here on June 13. With the claim from Duncan Miller, he carries the same weight; with the draw (2) he should have a much easier run than when three deep from the 600m. We can see him leading all the way, and holding off the swoopers. However … this is his first start beyond 1820m (won at Ascot in November), and … when you look closely there are other strong chances throughout. (14) Vain Spirit, off a last-start Belmont win is a strong finisher. Up in class but is becoming reliable. (6) Savage Wolf showed great strength to sprint hard from the 600m and hold off a bunch of challengers over 2200m here on June 13. Among those were (8) Bet Ahead, who led, settled, then fought for 2nd, (13) Sunrange, who came through on the rails for 3rd, beaten a ½ len, and (5) Cezanne, 6th, held up for a run over the last 100m. (9) Cassius Grey handled the muddling pace better than the rest, and finished strongly over this trip last week. (2) Dante’s Banquet has done well in better company. Rough hope: (10) Casual Life.
There’s form here from April’s WA Oaks (2400m) – (2) Offer Me Jewels (5th to Cassandara Shadow), (6) I Am Lucky (4th) and (11) Jewelled (fell, and has had two runs since; and from the recent Belmont Guineas (1600m, June 13), with (4) Furocitee (2 ¼ lens 3rd to Grand Nirvana), (8) Street Value (3 ¼ lens 5th) and (7) Tsarinsky, (5 ½ lens, 10th) after racing wide. There is also promise in the accumulated local form of (1) Night At The Opera, (3) Kender, (9) Quick Turn, (10) Better Lighten Up and (14) Galaxy Queen. Add the complication of the David Hayes’ runner, (13 Journey) over from a soft win in a 2088m Moe Maiden on June 15, and you can see this is one for the Field players. But, we loved the run of Furocitee in the Guineas, and we’d reckon that any of Grand Nirvana, runner-up Mega Steel, or fourth Russell Road in that race would be short odds to win this. Furocitee raced back in the field, was wide on the corner, trailing Grand Nirvana, and finished with great heart. As did Street Value, who came from last for fifth. Go tight with this pair, and wide – very wide – if you can afford it.
Another strong event, on a very good program. (2) Universal Ruler will start favourite, and so he should after his brave and powerful win in the Gr 3 Belmont Sprint (1400m) on June 13, when he beat (10) Roman Time by a half head in a thrilling finish. Roman Time meets Universal Ruler on 2.5kg better terms in this, but we reckon the barriers (UR 2, RT 12) bring them back to scratch. Universal Ruler’s win was remarkable first-up from two barrier trial wins. He was wide through the first turn, wide again, challenged the leader (12) Sheenasaidgrey before the turn, was passed, and just held on. We can’t see him being beaten with that run under his belt. We particularly can’t see the Verglas pair Sheenasaidgrey and (13) Spirited One improving on their runs in the Belmont Sprint (12th, 6th) to challenge him. The interesting runner is (4) Reverend Lovejoy, who has shown remarkable improvement this year (won 5-7 since resuming in March). We think this is beyond him. We have a soft spot for (7) Calico Blue, but she needs to improve on 13th from the back to Universal Ruler.
No breathers here, with multiple chances again. The only way to rest easy is to have enough in the kitty to take the field. We seriously can’t eliminate one runner from the 15. The likely favourite is (7) London, who was a short-priced elect and was an easy winner after a cushy run second up over 1200m on June 10. He is now 4 wins from 7. We like his capacity to race near the lead, and finish off, but the quality of the field he beat last time was not great. We have to include (2) Proud Falcon, very strong first up here on June 13, (11) Jay Jay Makster, a front of the field runner drawn ideally (6), (13) Czar Covoo, whose last two runs at good odds have been a remarkable improvement on his previous form, and (15) Sway Me Now, who was brilliant first up at the midweeks on June 10. This is harder, but that was very impressive. Other chances are (1) Dee Picked, (3) Trentan Dior, (10) Jean (will be under the odds), (9) Decryptor (4-20 at Belmont), and (12) Miss Kama, improved by two runs back from a spell. (4) Versarc, with 3kg off, has a show.
1 – 14,6,9,8,2 – 10,13
4 – 8 – 2,3,1,6,7,11,13,14 2 – 10 – 7,4,13,12
7,2,11,13,15 – 1,10,3,9,4,12
FOCUS ON THE THIRD LEG
THE PLAYS (50c unit)
(2) Universal Ruler is the class runner of the meeting. In a quaddie that has many chances apparent in each leg, we’re inclined to take him one-out. A stud career beckons for this handsomely bred son of the all-conquering Scenic, and we can see Universal Ruler having a profound influence on WA racing for generations. We just hope what might be a swansong race for him will be a happy one for quaddie punters!! We also like (1) Like A Vain in the first leg, so the 1F2F option is a must.
$40
1,14,6,9,8,2,10,13– 4,8 – 2 – 7,2,11,13,15
$88
1,14,6,9,8,2,10,13 – 4,8 – 2 – 7,2,11,13,15,1,10,3,9,4,12
$105
1–F–2–F
$210
F – 4,8 – 2 – F
OUR FAVOURED BET
$315
$420 F – 4,8 – 2,10 – F
1 – F – 2 – F for $105, and F – 4,8 – 2 – F for $210