The Insider – Australian Analysis May 21 Edition

Superstar mare Captains Mistress, along with the Pearl Classic and Diamond Classic Finals headline this week’s The Insider race analysis.

Jason Grimson’s mega star mare Captains Mistress will contest the FFA at Menangle on Saturday night as she gets ready for The Rising Sun in July. She takes on stablemate Hi Manameisjeff, Seasider and Pinseeker this weekend.

Supporting the FFA is the Club Menangle Go Girlfriend Final for mares that qualified from the heats. Snap Shot is the favourite.

Gloucester Park has a pair of Group 3 features – the Pearl Classic Final and Diamond Classic Final – for 3YO pacers. We will cover both races.

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Menangle (Saturday, May 23)

Race 4

Heats for the Go Girlfriend were held at Bathurst, Menangle and Wagga, and on Saturday, the qualifiers will compete in the $30,600 final. Race favourite Snap Shot won in 1:52.1 at Wagga by 5.5m. Bettine won the Menangle heat in 1:53.6, defeating Where Back by 2.2m. At Bathurst, The Rogue I Am caused an upset in a three-way finish with Shazadele and Princess Ballerina.

SNAP SHOT NZ (7) smashed the clock in her Wagga heat victory, making a run down the back straight from back in the field to quickly range up to them during a 26.9 third quarter. Her personal sectionals were 1:52.1, 54.4, which is excellent. She looks hardest to beat in the final.

WHERE BACK (2) can fly the gate and has been racing well, including a brave second in her Menangle heat. If Will Rixon can find the fence, she can run a strong race and has each-way claims. FLOJOS BEST (4) was a good effort behind the favourite in the Wagga heat and has each-way claims in the final. Next best is PRINCESS BALLERINA (1), BETTINE (3) and SEASIDE BOULEVARD (5).

Selections: 7-2-4-5

SNAP SHOT NZ (7) to win

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Race 5

The Pryde’s Racing Cube Pace (1609m) could be a one-act affair on paper with four-year-old mare Captains Mistress chasing an eighth win from nine starts this season. When she wins, she normally wins by a big space. She captured the Group 1 Chariots of Fire by 7.1m in 1:49.8 and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Mile by 12.7m in 1:49.7. Cam Hart sticks with the mare rather than Hi Manameisjeff who he often drives. Hi Manameisjeff was a last start winner in 1:49.4, but he probably lacks the lightning-quick quarter that Captains Mistress can produce.

CAPTAINS MISTRESS NZ (8) is the $1.28 favourite and it’s pretty easy to see why with her recent resume. She will lead and dictate from that position. Hart will drop the accelerator when required and it’s hard to see any horse catching her.

SEASIDER (1) can show decent gate speed and hoping he doesn’t get buried on the pegs. He is racing in tremendous form and has excellent closing speed. Two starts back he won the $150,000 TAB Regional Championship over 2300m and then ran third behind HI MANAMEISJEFF NZ (10) last start. He smashed the clock after racing 5 back on the pegs. With some luck, he looks the place value in the race.

HI MANAMEISJEFF NZ (10) is the obvious horse to run second but if he doesn’t find the pegs, he may find it hard to run into that position when the sprint goes on. HUTA NZ (4), CAPTAIN BELLASARIO (6) and PINSEEKER NZ (9) look the other key place hopes.

Selections: 8-1-10-4

SEASIDER (1) to place

Exacta: 8 / 1

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Gloucester Park (Friday, May 22)

Race 5

The Group 3 Pearl Classic Final (2130m) is for 3YO Colts and Geldings. Trainer Aiden De Campo has a stranglehold on the race according to the market with the top three in the market. American Machine has drawn barrier three, Amalfi Knight starts from five and Bettor Behave has gate seven. Gentlemans Promise won his heat and will begin from barrier 11.

AMERICAN MACHINE (3) draws best of the main chances, and Aiden De Campo has opted to drive the colt from his three runners in the race. He was a brave second outside AMALFI KNIGHT (5) in the heat, finishing 1.4m away after racing in the breeze. This time around, De Campo will be trying to send him to the lead. Three runs back he led throughout to win in 1:55.9 over the 2185m at Pinjarra. Looks hardest to beat in the race.

AMALFI KNIGHT (5) will have Dylan Egerton-Green driving and this talented gelding has plenty of speed. He sat 1 out 2 back in the heat and ran them down in a 55.7 last half. He is versatile and is the obvious danger. BETTOR BEHAVE (7), CHUGACH (9), IDEAL AN ACE (10), GENTLEMANS PROMISE (11) and CEASE TO REACT (12) have smaller claims in the race.

Selections: 3-5-7-10

AMERICAN MACHINE (3) to win

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Race 6

The Group 3 Diamond Classic Final (2130m) sees heat winners Sovereign Jewel and Miss Leopatra drawing well in barriers one and three respectively. The biggest query early on is whether Dylan Egerton-Green holds the lead with Sovereign Jewel or hands up like he did in the heat. Regardless of how it is run, Crunchnsip who was a brave second in the heat will enjoy a soft run on the pegs.

CRUNCHNSIP (10) is racing well without winning, with back-to-back second placings in the race. She has only won once in 17 starts but has been placed in another nine races. She will be hoping for an early speed battle because Deni Roberts can make them pay if clear running opens up late in the race. Strong each-way contender.

MISS LEOPATRA NZ (3) is the class runner of the field and when she leads, she is devastating. It looks to be race over if she finds the top, but I am unsure what SOVEREIGN JEWEL (1) will do. Both horses deserve to be the top two in the market. IM CATEGORY FIVE (9) is next best but disappointed when leading in the heat. The car park draw makes it hard. SHEZABECA (11) has rough place claims.

Selections: 3-10-1-11

CRUNCHNSIP (10) each way

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For complete race fields, click here.

by Trent Orwin for Harnesslink