Pinjarra Tip Sheet & Staking Plan: Saturday 6th February

10. Wakan Tanka – 6. Uncle Dick – 5. Zetorio – 1. Bogart

1. Comfort Me – 2. Giant Leap – 4. Beat The Bro – 3. Stormy Ruler

Comfort Me

Really like the jockey change for Comfort Me here with horses really going for Derrick lately. Last start held leaders back in running and just couldn’t find space when he really needed it and was absolutely bolting. No doubt in my mind he would have been in the finish. Drops back in grade here to what I feel is an even more suitable 1400 event, and gets in with a kg less than what he went around with in that 66+ a fortnight ago. Maps to get as economical a run here for Derrick leaders back on the fence as he did last start and with the more pressing dangers in this race drawn poorly and likely settling at the rear, just praying he gets some better luck this time around when he needs it because he looks so well placed here.

2 Units WIN

Giant Leap still does a bit wrong clearly off last start but when the penny drops I think he will still be a nice benchmark horse. Didn’t settle for Pike in the run and didn’t let down as expected but may have been lacking a little bit of condition that day being 2nd up and jumping 1000 straight to 1400m, which he will have now. Laqdar goes on with the claim here (concerning) and with the map/draw likely finds himself at the tail again although I have a feeling Laqdar might be a little cheeky here and ride for luck sending him to potentially try find a spot a bit closer as he is far from slow away. Either way, I’m happy to look around and is never a good sign when Pike jumps off a cerise and white. Needs a lot to go right.

Stormy Ruler is going much better than it reads on paper. Last 2 runs have been massive. 1st up this prep missed the kick by 2L, back last and detached from the main group, Ramoly rode for luck up the rail and inevitably found a wall of horses when never ridden out for the entirety of the straight and still finished only 4L off the eventual winner. Will have taken condition out of that and goes much better with a run under his belt, Chris Graham going on from the carpark draw and the horse consistently not stepping are the issues.

Beat The Bro I would have liked a mile for him again, but even with pulling up lame in the equation from last start, this horse is flying. Last start over the mile was absolutely bolting for a run when disgustingly held up in the straight, went to the line still on the bridle yet only 1.3L adrift of the eventual winner No Surrender, with the form out of the race proving to be pretty solid since. From barrier 15 the only option is to go back to the tail, but we know he has a big finish on him and if they can run on out wide on Saturday, he is right in this, just not sure he is going to get the tempo to suit? Big task.

11. Resortman – 5. Beautiful Mind – 9. Weaponson – 4. Captain Kink

Resortman

His best is more than capable to win this and has shown in the past he thrives absorbing a hot tempo and outmuscling them late. Has been given a trial since his failure in the Fitzpatrick a month back, where he missed the kick, mustered hard to find a spot near the speed, and when you take a look at the how the race eventuated, he battled on bravely given the other 2 horses up in front who set the pace with him both dropped out to be a very long way off them, I thought it was still a big run. Should follow Captain Kink across and land in the breeze here, and has defeated that runner at level weights over the 1200m, and now gets a 2.5kg weight swing in his favour on that victory. Expecting a much better performance from him here and think he can go very close.

1.2 Units WIN

Beautiful Mind draws a gate here and I would have been very keen, was a massive return over the short course. Came out of that Captain Kink race, was a touch slow away from the machines but Harvey was happy to drop her out regardless. Allowed to truck up under her own steam at the back of the field, was bolting at the top of the straight when held up until taken out off heels approaching the 150, before she let down powerfully in the fastest L200 split of the race and 2nd fastest of the meeting. The draw is far from ideal out in the carpark, but if they can run on down the middle of the track and she can find a back to follow as they fan, there looks to be a genuine enough tempo for him to be chewing through the ground late if she can find some clear galloping room early enough. Draw hurts, but have to have something small on here.

0.3 Units WIN

Weaponson is absolutely flying. Beaten by a bad gate last Saturday when taken back to the tail over this trip when runner up to Excellent Dream, ripping home hard from the back to miss half a length. Won in this grade 2 starts back when deadheating with Platinum Bullet, now gets a more favourable draw in 6 where he can sit closer to the speed with only 53kgs on his back. Can win.

Race 10 – 5:27PM TABTOUCH – BETTER YOUR BET HANDICAP (1600 METRES)

8. Tollman – 12. Last Of The Line – 9. Luke’s Gold – 7. Montelena

The best race of the day, and probably the race I’ve been most excited about on a Saturday card since the Masters.

Tollman

Really big opinion of Tollman here, and think he can run a massive race at his pet trip. Been given a little 3 week freshen since running 2nd over the 1400m to Last Of The Line when unable to pick up that runner from on his back in transit. Tollman goes much better at the mile than he does at the 1400m, carried 5 extra kgs that day than LOTL for a 1L defeat and now gets a 3.5kg weightswing in his favour on that runner. Maps to land in a lovely trailing position just in behind the speed in a race that on paper lacks genuine tempo. Absolutely no knocks the favourite, but given the suspected price differential I think you are going to see between the 2 horses, I’m firmly in the corner of Tollman and think he can give this an almighty shake at genuine each way odds.

1 Unit EACH WAY

Last Of The Line is once again on the quick back-up again here which has already proven to be a successful formula this prep. Did it really easy last Saturday in defeating Red Publisher (who should have bolted in in the Aus Day Cup, which has formlines that tie into this event) and looked to have plenty more under the bonnet. One of two horses in this field with tremendous upside, this one being the more race-fit and in-form of the two, and tackles the mile here for the 1st time. I really don’t think the mile is going to trouble him given how well he settles into his rhythm in his races, and he maps to land in an equally ideal position here as last start on the back of the pilot Harry Thomas. Being en route to some black type target races at Pinjarra and Bunbury coming up (where I think he will be more than a live chance), it just worries me that on the 7 day back-up for the 2nd time this prep, SJ might just be “heading to the well” here. I could be very, very wrong, but I just didn’t think this was a necessary run to have on the way to those targets coming up. Absolutely no knocks, impossible to knock once again, especially on the minimum.

Montelena is a seriously good horse. Won 4 on the bounce last prep rising in distance each time and did it in stunning fashion. She’d drop out to the tail of fields and rocket home down the middle to win each time, jumping as short as $1.35 and $1.45 at her 2 most recent starts in 72+ and 76+ events, such is her quality. This horse is as progressive as they come and 1st up at the mile has never been an issue for an horse that comes out of the Darren McAuliffe stable. Even from gate 3, I’m certain CP is going to drop her out to the rear and that’s where my concern lies, is she brilliant enough to run past far more forward, better and conditioned horses from near last 1st up at the 1600m? It would be one mighty performance to do so in a field of this depth which on paper looks to also lack genuine tempo, so I’m willing to just sit back and watch here, but it would not surprise me if she is capable of doing so with the right run. The trial was as ominous as they come, she won’t be peaking here but she has much bigger things on her plate on the horizon I think.

She’s Alight comes out of the mares series this prep and showed how much better she is ridden cold, with a barnstorming win in the Aus Day Cup over the 1500m from last. Was gifted that race by Jade McNaught on Red Publisher, who would have won the race with a better ride (as previously discussed). Red Publisher has since gone out and been beaten convincingly by the bottom weight Last Of The Line here, who She’s Alight is going to have to run past giving that runner 2kgs. Winner’s win, but not sure she will get as ideal a set up here in what I think is a much deeper field. Not today.

Luke’s Gold has raced 3 wide without cover at 4 of his last 5 starts and can’t draw a gate to save his life, but he is as tough as they come. Gets the blinkers off here which says to me they maybe plan on riding him colder and are trying to help him settle a bit better in the run? Given he pulled his head off last start. I’m not convinced that the form from the Aus Day Cup is the strongest formline here, and from another sticky draw they either ride him cold or he gets parked deep once again more than likely if they press on. Think he has reached his peak this prep, and rising up to the mile I don’t feel is the move to get him that elusive W that he fully deserves.