Impasse has hit the line well to place in his two starts back from a freshen-up and strikes a winnable race at Doomben this afternoon. The four-year-old son of Sepoy has been a strong and consistent performer for Chris Waller throughout his racing career so far and his record on the 1350m course at Doomben is good. He’ll need to show some early speed to find a position close to the pace from barrier 9, but he’s nearing peak condition and will be hard to run down.
Verry Elleegant has returned to racing in outstanding form this time and is primed to record her first Group 1 victory in this afternoon’s Vinery Stud Stakes. The Zed filly stamped herself as one to watch during a smart spring preparation when under Darren Weir’s care, and she resumed this time for a smart second behind Amphitrite in the Group 3 The Vanity. Her last-start effort for a dominant win in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes was probably the best of her career so far and she’ll only improve third-up and at 2000m.
Red Cardinal has returned to the track in excellent form this time and is a live chance of winning the Group 1 Tancred Stakes this afternoon. Once a favourite for the 2017 Melbourne Cup, Red Cardinal has taken a couple of seasons to acclimatize to Australia, but he strolled in to win the Listed Parramatta Cup at big odds first-up this time before repeating that effort and result in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes a fortnight ago. He’ll relish a step up to a mile and a half and races well on a rain-affected track. He opened at odds of $4.20 but has drifted as the punters have come for Avilius, and at publish he is available at $8. That is big overs on what he has done so far and a very backable each-way price.
I’m keen to have a play at the second-up Mahalangur on the heavy going in the last at Rosehill this afternoon. There was a lot to like about the performance mustered by Mahalangur first-up a fortnight ago and his condition probably just gave out a little bit late in the picture. There is no doubt that he’ll have taken good improvement from the hit-out and he meets the horse that beat him on that occasion, Star Of The Seas, better at the weights today.