Platinum Angel has been charged with carrying topweight, but she is also the class horse of this year’s greys race and I think she’ll be winning. Now saddled by Lindsay Smith, Platinum Angel ran a close-up second to Prophet’s Thumb at Caulfield first-up, before a credible performance for seventh in Group 3 company last time. This is a big drop in class, and she needs only even luck to be in the finish.
Ball Of Muscle has returned to the track in typically excellent form this time and looks hard to beat in this Listed race. The Dubawi gelding doesn’t know how to run a bad race and has placed twice in three starts this time, including the Group 2 Schillaci behind Trekking last time out. There clearly is not a horse of that calibre going around in this and Ball Of Muscle can go straight to the lead from barrier 6.
He’s already pretty short at $2.20 (I wouldn’t want him a lot shorter), but Harbour Views is clearly the class horse of the Cup Carnival Country Final and he’s going to take a power of beating. He’s recorded four wins from as many career starts, all super impressive and he put away a couple of smart ones last time out. He’s at peak condition for this race and even with 61.5kgs in tow, he has options from the rails draw and is the one to beat.
I had California Zimbol pencilled in to win the Coolmore, so it’s less than surprising that she is my best bet on Kennedy Oaks Day. The three-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible is a serious racehorse. She is two from two this time, which included a convincing win over subsequent Manikato Stakes winner Loving Gabby. I think she’ll be better third-up, but a repeat of her last effort would see her braining these rivals. Anything over even money looks like terrific value.