Day 1 of the Warrnambool Racing Carnival has arrived with the Brierly Steeplechase headlining Tuesday’s 10-race card.
Punters will have to navigate a wet track with current conditions rated in the Heavy range.
For our best bets across the program, check out our Brierly Steeplechase Day Preview below.
Dubai Moon gave a nice sight when attempting the jumps for the first time at Pakenham two back, only weakening over his final few strides after leading for most of the way.
The six-year-old by Pride Of Dubai hung on nicely for second, before heading to Moe last week where he was three-wide the trip beaten over five lengths.
There were no real excuses that day, but I’m not sure getting right back in trip helped his cause.
Out over further now and plenty fit, he should be right in this with some good wet track form also to his name.
Wilewink has seen good support coming off a handy last-start win at Stawell when dropping back in grade.
Aaron Purcell’s seven-year-old gelding has done some of his best racing here on his home track, while his recent trial win over the jumps also reads well.
The son of Rip Van Winkle has attempted the 3200m trip only once during his career, but with a decent effort in last year’s Jericho Cup over much further to his name, as well as some good wet track form, it’s not hard to see why he’s likely to start favourite.
Irish Butterfly has been given a good gap between runs after finishing second to Elementry in his first start over the jumps last month.
That form line has held up nicely with the same Waterhouse and Bott four-year-old going on to win at Pakenham a fortnight ago by a clear 4.5 length margin.
Henry Dwyer’s talented eight-year-old has been given a trial between runs over shorter, and if the track is rated somewhere in the soft range come race day, a similar effort should see him winning under William McCarthy.
Capzinzi has shown some real improvement in her last two starts, finding the line nicely out wide two back at Geelong where she received a lovely sit just off the pace.
The Capitalist filly turned in a similar effort at Sandown three weeks ago, tackling the 1200m trip nicely to finish third behind Etincelle, who has since gone on to run well in his next start up to BM64 grade.
Ethan Brown has been racing well of late and the pair should find a lovely spot in running if everything goes well from barrier 5. Hard fit now, she looks one of the main chances.
Tricky little race with most of the field on debut.
Harpalee doesn’t have a ton of wet track experience, but she has held her own in tougher races in town recently.
The two-year-old daughter of Alabama Express was held up badly in her latest effort at Caulfield two weeks ago, beaten just over a length by Rich Dottie over the same trip.
She won quite well over this distance to break maiden at Ballarat back in March and is clearly better suited over the shorter sprint trips. It’s tough to get a feel for the early speed, but I think we’ll see her settling close to a forward position.
This is the race STERN IDOL has likely had in his sights for a long time. Ciaron Maher’s talented hurdler was all class two weeks ago at Pakenham, making every post a winner on his way to a dominant 15 length win over a similar journey. That was just his second run back from a lengthy spell, and above all else, he’ll absolutely relish the wet conditions under foot. With a growing resume over the jumps, he’s the one to beat.
The conditions could play a big part in the chances of Rudhyar.
The talented European stayer appeared in need of the run at Mornington two weeks ago over 2000m, which had to be expected given he was nearly a year and a half between runs.
By Star Of The Seas, Lindsey Smith’s seven-year-old has superior wet track form to some of his rivals, winning over the same trip on a bottomless track at Sandown a couple of years ago.
He might be lacking some fitness in the run home, but if he can offset the wide gate and find cover under Fred Kersley, a top three finish isn’t out of the question.
Claidheamh Mor makes his return to the races looking to pick up where he left off in the Country Cup Final at Caulfield last November.
The Dundeel five-year-old enjoyed a fruitful, albeit short spring campaign, winning twice with a solid first-up victory over a touch further at Coleraine in to kick things off.
The gate and the top weight are the two knocks, but a proven swimmer with good form in town to his name, he should prove a class above most of these.
Flying Fizz is a three-year-old with genuine upside out of the Matthew Williams camp.
The Street Boss filly put together two solid wins to kick-start her career during the spring, the first coming over the track and distance where she overcame some late traffic to bolt in and win by a length.
Four weeks later she proved that was no fluke winning a tougher contest at Sandown, before going going down only narrowly in the Twilight Glow at Caulfield.
We haven’t seen her at the trials, but with some good form coming out of her previous runs, another honest performance can be expected.
Sasqualah comes back a level to kick off her prep for Symon Wilde.
This promising four-year-old mare by Magnus was a clear winner on debut here at Warrnambool last May, given a 10/10 steer from Linda Meech, who saddled her during a brief spring campaign that saw her run second at Bendigo in a BM64 fresh.
She was unsuited by the tight turns at The Valley in her next start and quickly sent back to the paddock in time for the carnival here on her home track.
Off a recent jump out with the inside gate also in her favour, there’s a bit to like about her chances at a decent price.