Couldn’t Refuse will take winning form into Race 2 at Eagle Farm this afternoon and can win again.
The Desleigh Forster-trained gelding has returned plenty of quality efforts throughout his racing career and has continued to improve with each of his three starts back this time, culminating in a nice win in BM75 company last time out.
This race doesn’t look to be a whole lot harder and he can continue his rise through the grades.
The early scratching of Jetty has left this as Ruddock’s race to lose.
Ruddock has been a strong and consistent performer this preparation and recorded consecutive wins at Canterbury and Gosford before finishing fourth in Class 2 company at Doomben last time.
This looks another very winnable race for him and I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish.
This shapes as one of the day’s more open contests and a horse like Astralis has claims on winning, at a price ($19 at publish).
Astralis has always hinted at ability since first making her debut for Team Hawkes in Sydney in 2019, and while she hasn’t quite been able to live up to the hype, she has still managed some good performances in city company.
She has stripped fitter for four starts back this time and I am happy to have something on each-way at the price today.
Return With Honour has been excellent since transferring to the care of Annabel Neesham and he can win the last at Eagle Farm this afternoon.
The Fastnet Rock gelding finished his time with Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou with a run in Listed company, albeit a failed tilt, and he hasn’t missed placing in three starts back this time.
He was last seen finishing second behind Boomnova in Class 1 company at Doomben and that horse has since franked the form by winning again.