THIS would have to be one of the toughest get-out races ever served up with numerous horses coming off luckless last-start runs and another (Fawkner) threatening to take the step into the elite league.
Fawkner showed himself to be an abnormal talent first-up when he rounded up his rivals over this course to win by a space. But as promising as he may be, this race will be no pushover.
Firstly, he has the outside draw of 15 around the 1400-metre course at Flemington, which means his rider Nicholas Hall is almost forced to ride him back in the field over the notorious front-runner's course. He next problem is that he rises four kilograms to 58 on the back of that win and so finds himself just half a kilogram short of a horse like Torio's Quest, a group 2 Queensland Guineas winner.
Few would have missed the luckless run of MENADOS (No.13) at Caulfield last time when the Zabeel four-year-old could not find room for seemingly the entire length of the straight. He returns tomorrow to his home track and is certain to appreciate the more spacious course.
Another horse to find plenty of trouble last start was AMAH ROCK (No. 9), who never got into the race at Caulfield last week when heavily supported. The value runner in the final event could be BY THE WAY (No. 10), who is capable of carving out amazing final sectionals. He did just that when first-up at Moonee Valley. Notably, By The Way has won four of his six second-up starts.
BETTING SUGGESTION
Try and get Fawkner beaten, so concentrate on Numbers 9, 10 and 13 in quaddies and other multiples.
