Eagle Farm Tips & Preview – Saturday, April 6

Eagle Farm Tips & Preview – Saturday, April 6

After last weekend’s washout, Eagle Farm will play host to Brisbane’s major metro meeting on Saturday with a stacked 10-race card.  

Rain throughout the week has the track still rated in the Soft range with the rail out 4.5m at time of writing.  

There are plenty of winners to be found, and our thoughts on this Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting can be found here.  

each way
Race 1 - 11:33AM BECOME A BRC MEMBER BENCHMARK 70 Handicap (1000 METRES)
No. 12 Radiant Remi

Radiant Remi tends to hand in an honest first-up from a spell for Tony Gollan.  

She’s won twice from three starts during her short career, resuming at Doomben last January over further where she won her maiden well clear by over a length.  

Her recent trial was strong and it wouldn’t be surprising if she rolls forward early from the wide gate and looks to lead. Proven in the wet, I think she’s got each-way appeal.  

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Race 2 - 12:08PM STRADBROKE SEASON ON SALE NOW QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (1200 METRES)
No. 2 Italian Riviera

Italian Riviera could be one worth following out of the Stuart Kendrick yard. 

This juvenile by Shalaa won in eye-catching fashion on debut on the Sunshine Coast last month, weaving a passage at the top of the straight to drive clear and win by a length.  

This is tougher, but the form out of that race has been franked with the runner-up going on to win her next start.  

Race 3 - 12:43PM LADBROKES RACING CLUB Class 3 Plate (1820 METRES)
No. 12 Sacred Feeling

Sacred Feeling looks ready to peak now third-up and out to a distance she’s won over previously. 

Tony Gollan’s mare won in arrogant fashion over the same trip here at Eagle Farm last September, taking over at the top of the straight where she put away a smart field in the process.  

Her two runs this time in work have been solid, just finding one better over the mile last-start at Doomben in wet conditions.  

She’s got the gate to contend with, but with a couple of kg’s off under Ryan Maloney, she should be one of the hardest to beat.  

Race 4 – 1:18PM CASCADE BENCHMARK 75 HANDICAP (1300 METRES)
No. 2 Evocator

Evocator got the job done by half a length on return over shorter here a month ago.  

The Divine Prophet five-year-old was held up badly in the run home, winding up with a big run from a slightly wide position after being taken right back to the tail under apprentice Tahlia Fenlon. 

The pair combine again here, and from another low gate, there’s nothing to suggest they can’t repeat that effort with more of a forward showing out over further.  

Race 5 - 1:53PM DAVE IRVINE'S 50TH No Metro Wins Handicap (1400 METRES)
No. 2 Commodus

Commodus comes back to compete over 1400m, an interesting decision after leading all the way home to win over the mile at Doomben three weeks ago.  

He’s seen success over this trip previously and also has the superior wet track form compared to some of his rivals.  

This is a step up in grade, but if he gets to the front cleanly and dictates the pace, he should be in this for a long way. 

Race 6 - 2:28PM XXXX 3YO QUALITY HANDICAP (1200 METRES)
No. 3 Flag Hall

Flag Hall is a progressive three-year-old having his second run back for the Freedman Team.  

Only lightly-raced, he was solid on return winning at Ipswich early last month, leading for most of the way before finding an extra gear to draw clear by over three lengths.  

This is harder again, but he’s had success at this venue in the past and was good in a recent Gold Coast trial on the synthetic. Drawn well with Boris Thornton sticking, he ticks most of the boxes.  

Race 7 - 3:07PM DRINKWISE BENCHMARK 68 Handicap (1400 METRES)
No. 19 Majestic Boom

Majestic Boom on top in a very tricky affair.  

This is the toughest assignment he’s faced in his short career, but undefeated in two starts, he does look a progressive gelding capable of holding his own in tougher races. 

The son of Spirit Of Boom went around at Eagle Farm over 1200m a fortnight ago, clinging to the trail and overcoming some late traffic at the 200m mark to charge clear. 

He’s got a tricky gate to contend with now, but if he gets back early and handles the sting out of the track, he could go on with the job. 

Race 8 - 3:47PM SKY RACING OPEN Handicap - Weights Raised 3.5kg (1820 METRES)
No. 12 Solar Apex

Solar Apex is hard fit for three runs back and potentially wanting further now.  

The six-year-old by Deep Impact held his own over 1400m a few weeks ago off a seven-week let-up, shifting off the fence at the top of the straight where he was only three lengths off the winner in a small field.  

The tactics as a backmarker were against him that day, but if he settles closer under Todd Marshall this time, his natural improvement should take him a long way.  

Race 9 - 4:27PM LADBROKES ODDS SURGE Class 6 Handicap (1600 METRES)
No. 15 Iverson

Iverson looks ready for the mile now after cashing a cheque in both runs this time in. 

Robert Heathcote’s gelding proved too strong finishing over the top at Doomben first-up, returning a few weeks later over 1400m where he went within a length of Naval Trader after coming off the fence in the run home.  

This is harder, but given his preferred trip has always been the mile, I think he’ll run a nice race providing the track isn’t in the heavy range.  

Race 10 - 5:08PM GALLOPERS SPORTS CLUB Class 6 Handicap (4YO only QTIS bonuses applicable) (1200 METRES)
No. 9 Outlawed

Outlawed is a quality sprinter ready to produce her best third-up from a spell.  

She had the inside gate to her advantage a couple of weeks ago over the same track and distance where she was shuffled back at the start but unable to produce her usual late speed when it mattered most.  

She gets a change in rider now with Vlad Duric taking over, and I think we’ll see more of a forward showing from another perfect draw. How she handles the wet is the only big question mark.