Daily Racing Tips – Thursday, January 18

Dressel steps out today second-up and primed to strike.

The Chris Waller-trained gelding ended his last prep with three-consecutive placings, including a decent metro race at Randwick-Kensington in early September, though he clearly needed his first run back this time when four lengths behind the winner at Newcastle.

He took wholesale improvement into his last second-up assignment, and he might not be offered a better opportunity to win than this.

Lady Boss puts an unbeaten record on the line in the sixth at Wyong today.

The Maher & Eustace-trained filly stamped herself as one to watch by winning on debut at Canberra in November, and she franked that effort in BM64 company last time out.

Fitter third-up, something like this looks the next logical step for her.

Walter Spur has returned to the races in fine form and strikes another very winnable race at Pakenham today.

The Fighting Sun gelding returned a dominant winner in a 0-64 at Mornington last month and has since filled the minors in a couple of tougher contests at Geelong and Sandown.

He’s hard fit and this does look to be a small drop in class.

Brier has turned in two decent performances since debuting and gets a great chance to win at Pakenham this evening.

Brier hit the line to finish a half-length second on debut out at Sale in July, and after settling at the tail of the field in his first run back this time, mustered an eye-catching turn of foot to only just miss.

With natural improvement, this looks an ideal opportunity to begin his rise through the grades.