It is another tough card for punters at Fairview on Tuesday and we are back on the Polytrack.
There are, however, two outstanding bets at this meeting – Gimmie’s Lassie in Race 3, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1300m, and Masked Vigilante in Race 6, a MR 82 Handicap, also over 1300m.
Followers of the mare Gimmie’s Lassie have burnt their fingers of late as she has lost as favourite two of her last three starts.
The last start was particularly painful to remember as she had the field under pressure util it counted most – and that was at the post.
She was weighted to win her last start and had things in hand 200m from home but started to hang and that cost her dearly.
The Gimmethegreenlight five-year-old is once again weighted to win and will need a soft and cunning ride to get her home – but she really should win.
The Alan Greeff-trained Masked Vigilante has also been costly to follow but judged on his two Polytrack appearances so far he will be also hard to oppose.
The Vercingetorix gelding was a three-time winner when arriving in his yard and Greeff was quick to test him on the Polytrack in his second start for him.
That was in May and Masked Vigilante clearly liked it as he won by 4.25 lengths.
The handicapper took note of that win and gave him a six-point penalty. He has not won again since but was extremely unlucky not to win his second start on the surface.
That was in July when slowly away. He found it very difficult to get a clear run and was beaten 0.40 lengths. He would clearly have won it comfortably if he had found a way given through.
Some consistent and good runs have followed on the turf since then and he was only caught very late last time out.
If using those same tactics on the Polytrack on Tuesday, he will prove very hard to catch
Clive Robinson
