This shapes as a terrific contest, but I think that Sansom has real claims on winning fresh.
The Phillip Stokes-trained gelding has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his career, and he returned plenty of typically pleasing performances during the winter this year, highlighted by a second placing behind Alfa Oro and a fourth placing in the Bletchingly Stakes.
He’s drawn to receive a lovely run from barrier 5 and certainly has the class.
The enigmatic So Si Bon will go around in Race 4 at The Valley tonight and I think that it looks a really nice race for him.
He enters this race at peak fitness, and each of his last four starts have all been in Group 1 company, including a credible performance that saw him finish just three lengths behind Mr Quickie in the Toorak Handicap last time out.
I think that a repeat of that effort would find him tough to beat in something like this.
Groundswell was an impressive winner on Cranbourne Cup Day, and he can make it two in a row at The Valley tonight.
A placegetter in last year’s Neds Caulfield Guineas, Groundswell didn’t quite live up to expectations in autumn and was gelding during his time away from the track.
He needed the run but was still good when fourth at Caulfield first-up, but his performance just under a fortnight ago suggested the penny is really starting to drop, and he can continue his rise through the grades in this.
Diamond Effort doesn’t know how to run a bad race, and I think that she can record her first Group 1 victory in the Manikato Stakes.
The Mossman mare has recorded eight wins and three minors from her sixteen career starts, but there is absolutely no doubt that she has gone to another level in 2020.
She won each of her four starts in autumn, peaking in the Neds Hareeba Stakes, and she picked up where she left off this time with a smart win in the Group 3 Neds Heath.
She was absolutely luckless when fifth in the Moir Stakes here two back, and was last seen finishing a nose second to Dirty Work in the Schillaci Stakes.
Ben Melham should be able to lob into a decent position from barrier 2, and the $10 available for Diamond Effort in Manikato Stakes betting (at publish) looks a touch of overs.