Derby Time in Mandurah
A host of this state’s most talented youngsters will be on show tonight in the peel region when four heats of the 2021 Mandurah Derby take place.
Last week’s third placegetter in the Group 1 Perth Cup Rippin’ Purton drops back to his own age group and is likely to play a part while David Hobby holds a strong hand with the Monelli clan.
Stout Monelli has emerged as one of the most exciting sprinters in WA over the last few months and he looks to have a mortgage on the fourth of the heats.
The son of Barcia Bale and Corona Monelli has won 11 of his 19 life time starts and has run some slashing times at Cannington.
He makes his Mandurah debut this evening but in a race with a lack of early pace he should sit handy in the run and use his V8 motor to full effect.
After recently campaigning in Victoria where they had a tilt at the Launching Pad Draft Monelli and Toohey Monelli have returned to their home state for a crack at the Derby series.
Toohey Monelli will have to overcome the draw in box six and the very talented Victorian Earn The Answers in the first heat. Hobby has also welcomed in to his kennel the very talented Victorian Earn The Answers and he arrives with some hot form and has come up with box one – he is an odds on favourite to prevail.
In race seven Rippin’ Purton meets the up-and-coming duo of Got The Swagger and Manzini. They are the big three in betting and look the key hopes.
Draft Monelli has drawn box one in heat three and since returning from Victoria has knocked out two excellent sub 30 second wins at Cannington over the 520 metres. The race is chock full of early speed and if Draft Monelli can position up just behind them he will be strong to the line.
The top two from each heat will qualify through to next week’s Mandurah Derby final.
My better bets for the night are race 3 number 3 Got The Sugar each way, race 4 number 8 Stanga Moose each way and race 9 number 6 Stout Monelli.
David Shortte