WA flavour on a big Group 1 night at The Meadows
On Saturday night at The Meadows gun WA chasers Tommy Shelby and Zack Monelli are presented with wonderful opportunities in the Group 1 Temlee and Group 1 Zoom Top.
The invitation only events have drawn together stellar line ups with Australia’s best sprinters and stayers hand-picked to compete in the events.
Tommy Shelby, fresh off another Group 1 placing in the Gold Bullion final at Albion Park in Queensland last Thursday night, has arrived in Melbourne in good order with Trainer Steve Withers and he runs in to a steaming hot bunch of sprinters in the Temlee.
The box draw has not been kind to Tommy Shelby with the son of Fernando Bale and Serena Fly High exiting box six, the same box he had in last week’s third placing behind Shima Shine in the Group 1 Gold Bullion Final.
He has worn the green rug on six separate occasions in his career for 2 wins and three placings.
Tommy again runs in to star Victorian Shima Shine who has drawn his favourite alley in box eight.
Shima Shine relishes having the pink vest on having started from the widest draw on 11 occasions for 9 victories and a third placing.
The TABtouch Fixed Odds market on the Group 1 Temlee sees Shima Shine at $2.65, Tiggerlong Tonk at $5, Wow at $5.50, Lakeview Walter at $6.50, Tommy Shelby at $11 and all other runners are $14 and upwards.
On to the Zoom Top for the stayers over the 715 metres and West Aussie Zack Monelli has drawn beautifully in box one.
Zack heads in to the series in stellar form having won his last six straight races and he should be comfortable at the Meadows circuit given he won a sprint race at the venue over the 525 metres just six weeks ago.
The David Hobby trained chaser generally cashes in when he has red on his back having 7 tries from the box for 4 wins and 2 placings. He is on the second line of betting with TAbtouch fixed at $5.50.
This is no easy assignment however with a host of high quality stayers contesting this year’s race.
The Kel Greenough trained Houdini Boy is the current TABtouch Fixed Odds favourite for the race at $2.50 and has won 5 of his last 8 starts including a superb win in the recent Sale Cup over the 650 metres. He is likely to be monstering in to the event in the back half of the race.
Fellow Victorian Sunset Bourbski relishes racing over the 725 metres at the Broadmeadows venue and she is also rated a $5.50 chance. From 9 tries at the track and distance she has racked up 5 wins and 3 placings and her performance in the Group 1 Gold Cup final at Albion Park last week when runner-up to Sir Truculent was first class.
In the third of the Group 1’s over the 600 metres the part WA owned Wallbanger will exit box five and is rated a $21 chance.
Headed up by prominent WA Owner Peter Cameron the son of Black Magic Opal has won 3 of his 5 starts over the 600 metres but the draw is far from ideal being the only box he has never won from in his 65 start career.
The TABtouch Fixed Odds favourite for the Rookie Rebel is Ferando Cazz at $3.10 in front of Ava Wine at $5, Mepunga Isla at $5.50, Weblec Ace at $6 and Cawborne Footrot at $8.50.
There is a healthy Quaddie carryover of $62,000 with the pool expected to be in excess of $250,000.
Good luck to all three chasers flying the flag for the West on Saturday night – quite simply it is an honour to be selected to compete in these three races – we will be cheering hard for all three of them.
Locally at Mandurah on Friday night there are excellent heats of the Express Stake over the 405 metres while on Saturday night at Cannington some of the state’s best youngsters will be competing in heats of the Puppy Classic.
David Shortte