Garza Blanca to soar fresh
Promising four-year-old GARZA BLANCA is poised to score a first-up win when he resumes in the $160,000 Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1100m from Rosehill Racecourse, Australia on Saturday.
GARZA BLANCA is a two-time winner with as many second-place finishes from six career starts and was last seen in late December last year. On that occasion, he was an eye-catcher late after being contacted and taken out in the early stages, closing off strongly to miss by the barest of margins in a race that has proven to be a handy form reference.
GARZA BLANCA has trialled well twice ahead of his return, taking out his most recent heat strongly, while with champion jockey James McDonald for the first time, there are plenty of boxes ticked.
The Bopper to go bang first-up
Quality six-year-old gelding THE BOPPER is well placed to score first-up win when he returns in the $85,000 Open Handicap over 1000m from Eagle Farm Racecourse, Australia on Saturday.
THE BOPPER makes his race track return after a narrow run in defeat in the Listed Hoysted Handicap (1000m) at Flemington on March 25, finishing a half-length behind handy five-year-old, Kallos, who subsequently won the G3 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphetville.
A four-time winner from seven over this week’s distance, THE BOPPER is also one from one at the track and distance under this week’s rider, jockey Andrew Mallyon. After a slew of scratchings, trainer Kris Lees will be confident THE BOPPER can make is a third first-up win from six tries.
Miller to deliver on Canny Hell
Impressive debut winner CANNY HELL can go back-to-back in the $27,000 Class 1 race over 1300m at Wagga racecourse this Sunday.
CANNY HELL was heavily supported and duly saluted on debut late last month. On that occasion, the Hellbent gelding made light work of his rivals when sitting on speed and drawing away to score by nearly three lengths over 1000m.
This week, CANNY HELL is ideally placed in a moderate field where, he stands out as the best horse going forward. From an ideal draw, he can prove hard to run down under jockey Simon Miller.
In-form 5YO Hard to beat
Trainer Helen Harding will be confident that five-year-old gelding FLOPPY can score two wins in a row this Sunday, when he contests the $24,000 Class 2 race over 1760m at Kalgoorlie racecourse, Australia.
Following a solid fifth in a Class 3 race two starts ago, FLOPPY relished the drop in class and returned to best form at Belmont last start, when he led all the way to score by 2.7 lengths over 1650m in Class 1.
Despite carrying the top weight, FLOPPY looks more than capable of handling his rivals at the provincial track this week and he can prove hard to beat from a low draw.
