Another week, another brand new $1 million race in provincial New South Wales.
The Gong is an outstanding name for a feature race and while there is a few decent horses confirmed for a start at Kembla Grange on Saturday afternoon, there is no denying that this race lacks the depth of last weekend’s ‘The Hunter’.
Regardless, all we can do is find the winner at you can find my The Gong tips below.
Suggested Bets
- 2 Units E/W #2 Star Of The Seas
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
Star Of The Seas has mixed his form a little this time, but he’s returned some outstanding performances and results and The Gong looks the perfect feature race for him. He was typically tough to the line when fourth in the Tramway first-up, while his run in the Bill Ritchie was a total forgive, given he was caught wide and the race was run against his pattern. His third in the Epsom meanwhile was about as good as anything he’s done, and a repeat of that effort in this race would see him braining them.
Its been a while between drinks for Group 1 winner El Dorado Dreaming, but she appears to have returned to the track in typically competitive form this time and is up to winning The Gong. The four-year-old daughter of Ilovethiscity was good without winning in autumn; placing in Group 1 company twice. She trialled well off a freshen-up in October and resumed a fortnight ago with a smart run for third in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill, and there’s little doubt she’ll enjoy good improvement for that effort and getting out to a mile.
Mister Sea Wolf is the toprater in The Gong field and is as honest as they come. He hasn’t quite hit the lofty Group 1 standard that I am sure trainer Chris Waller and his connections had hoped for, but he has still been a consistent performer since arriving in Australia and is a multiple black type winner. He’s had three starts this time for one win in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes in late September and he is certainly up to the class of this race.
Noble Boy has continued to run out of his skin for Queanbeyan-based trainer Todd Blowes this time and I think he’ll produce another cheeky effort in The Gong at a double-figure price. The five-year-old son of Bon Hoffer hit the line late to finish fourth in The Kosciuszko first-up and has since finished fourth in the Goulburn Cup and less than half a length third in the Group 3 Chatham Stakes at Flemington. He’s rock-hard fit and can fight out the finish again.