April 14

Moonee Valley

Race 1- Love's Great showed nice improvement on its last outing to run over the top of them here. Appreciated a bit more speed on and hit the line well. Gold Chant skipped away on straightening and looked ok in second. Devil May Care was only fair in third. Overall a fair bit slower than the 3yo home in 35.90

Race 2- Top Tier well backed in the ring and was just a bit too sharp for Chairmanoftheboard. Good little effort by the winner, it can win again. Chairmanoftheboard was gallant in defeat, ridden first of all strategically to hold Amberino it kept grinding after the leader and did pretty well considering. The 1000m does look to short for it, it wants further. Amberino though baulked for a run only hit the line ok in behind them. Slipofthetongue was alright. And Rockpecker the most unlucky of them all, was travelling as good as anything at the home turn, it didn't get a look in trying to force a run along the rail. Forget it went around. Home in 35.16

Race 3- Evilweb made short work of these. Given a nice freshen up proved the difference here. Miss Kooch led them along and it and Evilweb came away at the 400m. Miss Kooch didn't give much of fight however, and Evilweb swept past it. Strong effort by the winner. Miss Kooch was ok look for it back to Sandown. Idria again dissapointed fans as it loomed into it but didn't go on with it. Not much to say for the rest home in 36.34.

Race 4- Hooker Road put up an almighty fight in front to win the 3000m. Setting the pace all the way, he was attacked from all angles in the last 500m with the tough Dirt Music making the biggest claim. The two came away to fight this one out and Hooker Road just got the bob in on the line. Intriguing kept coming and was rewarded with third. Home in 36.41

Race 5- Our Apache was just too slippery for them in the sprint. He had form around Stickpin last time in and the form held up here. Turned out a treat first up, the breaks came at the top of the straight and he skipped nicely down the straight to win well. His biggest threats were too awkwardly placed to make an impact. Ra Sun had to shop around for runs at the turn and sprinted ok given clear running. Hachiman did well when he got out, but this was not his race drawing one in a slowly run event. Caprizzi Strip good, Roadhog only fair, Paris Zero pretty unlucky. Home in 35.33.

Race 6- Assent a son of Redoubte's showed plenty of staying promise in this. Aided by a pretty good speed the good ones where able to be separated here from the average ones. Assent took the lead at the 400m mark and steadily ran to the line looking the best in the final 100m. Fire in the Night showed the most turn of foot running into it, but just found one a touch too strong for it on the line. Good effort considering it had topweight and had to race wide. China Causeway was an excellent run in behind them, a real stayer's effort in third. And Lazer Sharp our best bet didn't get the sweet sweeping runs the first two enjoyed. While it probably wouldn't of won it was baulked for a run long enough to cost it a place. May prefer a bigger track as it cornered a bit sloppy. Not much to say for the rest Sir Skahalad stayed on ok. Good overall running in the 2:06's. Home in 35.90

Race 7- Perfect ride by Mark Zahra saw Zingara run away from his rivals here. Sweating on the leaders Zingara got to the running lane and hit the line strongly. Defintiely the run of the race outside the winner was Arclace. She ran into it nicely along the rail, and was about to make a huge claim, when a run totally ended as For Now and Collodi sandwiched together. Nothing Matters in second hit the line well. Home in 35.67

Race 8- Purple Chocolate in a tight run to the line got the bob in here to defeat the unlucky Clavillo and Hillston Exchange. Purple Chocolate ran pretty good here, but Clavillo looked the better horse in defeat. First Clavillo had its momentum thwarted crucially at the 500m mark, and then it had to force a run on straightening and from there did a great job to go under by nose. I liked Dolphin Jo's run behind them, it might have just faded a touch on the line but showed a win is just around the corner with a strong run on performance at an unsuitable distance. Home in 36.38

On the provincials

Feel the Sting looked good at Hamilton, while He's Fierce looked very good at Tatura.

Win of the Day-

Horses To Follow - He's Fierce.

Better than it looks - Arclace, Rockpecker

Look out for the ratings and comments for Sandown on the 18th April. Available the morning of race-day.

Tim McDonnell.

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