Yonkers returned from a short let-up with a competitive effort at Rosehill last weekend, that saw him finishing within a couple of lengths of the rock-hard fit Welsh Legend, who also takes her place in this contest. The Medaglia D’oro gelding simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race and won each of his first two starts back from a spell earlier this year. I think he’ll enjoy big improvement from last week’s hit-out and this looks a lovely race for him.
Shot Of Irish has improved for two starts this time and looks ready to win third-up at Sandown today. The Richard Laming-trained gelding was a strong and consistent performer for leading Tasmanian trainer Scott Brunton last time in, missing a place only once in six starts and winning here at Sandown, most notably. He was less than three lengths from Jumbo Ozaki two weeks ago and will enjoy good improvement from that effort.
Hilo has returned three quality efforts this time in and should be returning to winning form in this race. The Godolphin-trained three-year-old gave his rivals windburn when resuming here and has since filled the minors of both the Listed Darby Munro and the Listed South Pacific Classic. Fitter fourth-up, dropping in class and from a decent draw, I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish. He is my best of the day.
Sunlight is the class horse of this race, but I am worried she’ll need to do too much work from out wide, So I am instead keen to back I Am Excited, who will have conditions to suit and who is hovering around the $10 mark (at publish). The Snitzel mare has been a strong and consistent performer for the Pfieffer stable throughout her career, but has clearly gone to another level this preparation, highlighted by a maiden Group 1 win in The Galaxy two starts back. She’ll relish a drop in the weights from her most-recent effort, she’s drawn a peach and is rock-hard fit.