Saunter Boy returned from a freshen-up to finish fourth at Flemington and is ready to win at Sandown this afternoon.
The Myboycharlie gelding returned some good efforts during his autumn campaign and ran home well to finish two lengths behind Exemplar at HQ.
This is a drop in class from that race, he’ll enjoy good improvement and he might not be offered a better opportunity to win in town.
Ablaze will step out in the Grand National Hurdle this afternoon, and will take a power of beating.
The Raise The Flag gelding has taken to jumping like a duck to water this year, and has delivered some quality fields some thrashing defeats, including the Grand Annual at The ‘Bool.
He’s had a trial in the lead-up to this, and I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish.
Wairere Falls finished down the order here at Sandown last time, but he wasn’t far away from the winner and looks a winning chance today, at a price ($13 at publish).
The Chris Waller-trained gelding has made just four appearances at the races so far, but has recorded a win and a close-up second placing, most notably.
He looks a progressive type and he’ll have conditions to suit today, in what shapes as a wide-open race.
Melarita has returned to the races in excellent form this time and strikes another winnable race at Sandown this afternoon.
The four-year-old daughter of Rip Van Winkle won each of her first two starts back from a spell, and she was last seen filling the minors over 2100m here at Sandown, finishing just half a length from the winner.
She looks to be at peak fitness for this contest and will take beating.