Burning The Clock has improved for two starts this time and is ready to win third-up at Ararat today. The son of Akeed Mofeed rarely runs a bad race and finished third in BM66 company at Morphettville first-up before running Octane to half a length in BM75 company last time out. This is a drop in class and he won’t be offered a better opportunity to win.
Instigator has been a strong and consistent performer without winning this time but strikes the perfect race in today’s Ararat Gold Cup. The six-year-old son of Nayef as placed in three of his four starts, including both the Coleraine and Hamilton Cups, and was last seen finishing sixth behind the likes of Double You Tee at The Valley. He’s rock hard fit and ready to win.
Tatoosh has been typically competitive in decent races this time and is up to winning the China Bowl at Ararat this afternoon at a nice price ($8.50 at publish). The Will Clarken-trained gelding has been up and racing for a while, but he has continued to return pleasing efforts and has form around some handy horses. This is probably the easiest race that he has continued recently, and he needs only even luck to fight out the finish.
Santelmo Fuego doesn’t win out of turn, but he is another horse that strikes an easier race at Ararat today and hopefully, he can send us home a winner. The Written Tycoon gelding has placed in three of his last four starts, will be ridden by Dean Yendall again this afternoon and should be given every chance in what is only a small field.