Sergeant has not been seen at the races since August, but he is a proven first-up performer and strikes a very winnable race at Gosford this afternoon. The Helmet gelding immediately stamped himself as a horse to follow when he debuted in winter and ended his campaign in tougher races this this one. He’s had the benefit of a couple of trials leading into this race and will be hard to beat.
D’Grammy will carry plenty of benefit into the fifth at Hamilton today and looks the one to beat. The son of Medaglia D’Oro stamped himself as one to watch when he won easily on debut at Sale in June and he continued to work through the grades well – ending his campaign in a Saturday race at Flemington. His performance for fourth first-up at Bairnsdale was fair and any improvement from that run would see him winning this.
With a few early scratchings, I’m confident that Black And Tan now finds herself in a very winnable race at Newcastle this afternoon. The daughter of Sebring resumed from a freshen-up to finish seventh at Newcastle first-up, but this does look an easier race than that one and she’ll enjoy a rise in trip, as well as improvement. She can take a position behind the leaders from barrier 6 and with even luck, can fight out the finish.
Manilenya has strung together an impressive campaign and looks beautifully placed in the Brighton Cup this evening. The High Chaparral mare finished off well to second at her first two starts and clearly relished stepping out to a mile when she easily won at here at Hobart three starts back. He last-start effort for ninth in the Listed Tasmanian Stakes (1600m) was one of a horse crying out for longer and she gets that in tonight’s 2100m staying feature. Craig Newitt returning to the saddle is also a major plus. ($13 at publish).