Hobby looking strong for Mandurah Cup Heats
WA’s leading trainer David Hobby heads in to the Group 3 Mandurah Cup heats tonight with a very strong hand with his kennel stars Mermaid Monelli and Flake Monelli both heading in to the series in peak form.
Mermaid Monelli reigned supreme in last week’s WA Bred Championship final at Cannington defeating Tommy Shelby while Flake Monelli broke her own 600 metre track record when bringing up her ninth consecutive victory.
Another regular high achiever in WA Chasing, Campini, returned to somewhere near his top last Friday night at Mandurah proving too strong in the 490 metre Free To All stopping the clock in a best of night time of 27.15 seconds and he looms as one of the major players heading in to this evening’s heats.
The Paul Stuart trained Campini has had 5 tries at the Mandurah circuit for 2 wins and 2 placings and last week’s 27.15 second performance was a new personal best.
While he is closing in on his fourth Birthday Campini still has plenty to offer and with a trouble free run in transit he can be expected to be powering to the line in race 5 tonight.
The David Hobby trained Pixie Monelli has a marvellous record at Mandurah with her 8 starts yielding 4 wins, 3 seconds and a third and if Campini was to strike trouble she may well be there to take advantage. The same could be said for the Mandurah specialist Yunderup Magic for Andrew McLaren who has had 14 tries over the 490 metre trip at the coastal circuit for 8 wins and 4 placings.
In the second of the heats Mermaid Monelli is the testing material off box one. The daughter of Fernando Bale and Sahannah Monelli has won 23 of her 45 career starts with a further 13 placings and her trademark early burn always sees her hard to run down. All Zipped Up steps up in class but has won his last 5 in a row and More Deductions returned to the winner’s list last Saturday night at Cannington over the 520 metres in a Best Of Night time of 29.85.
Heat three is potentially the most interesting of the lot with Superstar stayer Flake Monelli engaged from box three.
The daughter of Fernando Bale and Dyna Sandy chases her tenth consecutive victory tonight over a distance she has had three tries for two wins and a placing.
While she is generally better known over a longer trip she did win at Cannington over 520 metres two starts ago, coming from third early to romp in for an eight length win in 30.02 seconds.
She maps to get room early with Star Book in four generally using a bit of the track and Buster The Brute in two likely to head to the rail early. If she does get that room and land on the speed she will take some stopping.
Cases could also be made for Mandurah Oaks winner Star Book, Mandurah Derby winner Fernando Star and the likes of Buster The Brute, Sunset Toxic and Grace Ali are all capable – it is a strong heat.
The fourth and final heat is another very interesting affair with Mandurah specialist Quartararo taking on some in form types which include Jackson County , Redcap Monelli and Regal Twist while Sir Monty’s best form would see him in the frame.
My better bets on the program are race 2 number 5 Resting Toucher, race 3 number 2 First Rule each way, race 4 number 2 Einsteinium and race 7 number 3 Flake Monelli.
Another stellar program lies ahead on Saturday night at Cannington with three heats of the Distance Potential over 600 metres.
My better plays on the card there are race 5 number 3 West On Roger, race 6 number 1 So Tough and race 8 number 4 Hastie Guess.
David Shortte