Sikorsky has improved for two starts back from a spell and is ready to win at Flemington this afternoon.
The Lindsay Park-trained four-year-old was a strong and consistent performer during the 2018 Spring Carnival and returned from a long lay-off to finish sixth over 1300m at Bendigo.
He finished within a length of Jumbo Ozaki at Caulfield at his most-recent appearance and is a horse that will relish getting out to a mile.
He has a fitness edge over several of his key rivals in this contest and will take plenty of beating.
Ranier returned to the races with a lovely effort to win a talent-rich race at Randwick and the Luskin Star Stakes looks a lovely black type target for him.
The four-year-old son of Lonhro has been a great horse for Godolphin for several seasons now and found form around some good horses over summer, highlighted by his win in the Group 3 Festival Stakes here at Rosehill.
I like that he’s had a trial in the lead-up to this race and he looks a touch of overs at around the $7 mark.
Harbour Views returned a pleasing effort when he ran on to fill the minors when resuming at Caulfield a fortnight ago and he’ll enjoy good improvement into the RA Lee Stakes at Morphettville this afternoon.
The Le Havre gelding hasn’t run a bad race since debuting, winning each of his first five career starts before finishing second in the Country Cup race at Flemington on Oaks Day last spring.
He’s drawn a peach in barrier 5 and will be ridden by in-form hoop John Allen.
This is a strong edition of the Dark Jewel Classic and a quality betting race has materialised.
For that reason, I’m eager to dig out the value and I think that lies with the Allan Denham-trained Bangkok, who has opened and is hovering around the $20 mark.
Bangkok produced some fast closing sectionals to finish fifth in the Group 3 Wenona Girl Quality when resuming and returned two particularly eye-catching efforts to fill the minors of both the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes and the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes.
She wasn’t able to get into the race when eighth in the Hawkesbury Crown last time out, but I am more than happy to give her another chance at the price.