A speed machine returns to the track, a veteran looking to win for the first time in nearly 12 months, and a group 1 winner looking to overcome a horror box – we have an intriguing night of chasing ahead! And don’t forget – early starts at Sandown Park throughout winter, first race tonight at 6.04pm.
1. Eminent Return
Eminent Reality (race 6) returns to the track for the first time since running fourth in the Bill Collins Speed Star tonight. The enormously talented former Western Australian has amassed $133,410 in prize money from just 16 starts (eight wins), but has won just one race from only six appearances in 2017, that coming in an Australian Cup heat on 25/2/17 before running second in the group 1 final. The form guide shows his fastest time at the track as 29.64, but he has trialled 29.23 – twice – ahead of the Bill Collins Speed Star.
2. Jim Red-in-the-black
Despite having just four dogs in his kennel (at the most), Jim Reddenbach has won 24 races at Sandown Park in the last 12 months at the incredible strike rate of 29%. Remarkably, that strike rate is down from its peak – in 2012 he 14 winners from just 34 runners at 41%. He has two runners engaged tonight – he has last winner Shadale in race 8, and Coolan King in race 11.
3. No kidding
Don’t Kid Me (race 6) has complied an impressive record of 22 wins 21 minors from 63 career starts, however he has yet to show his best at Sandown Park where he has just three minor placings from 10 starts at View Road. However, in 10 starts from the red box he has an imposing 4-4-2 record, and ran second in his only start from the red at Sandown Park, beaten three lengths in a Melbourne Cup Prelude by eventual Melbourne Cup finalist Outside Pass. He jumps in a grade 5 tonight.
4. Didn’t need them anyway
Black Mumbo is aiming for a hat trick of wins for the first time in his career in race 8 tonight. He has always been one of the country’s fastest chasers but he has struggled to maintain his form over an extended period of time. That all changed after having his tonsils removed at the start of the year. Prior to the operation, he had a respectable record of 35 starts for 12-6-6. Since, he’s had 7 starts for 3-3-0, including a group 1 Harrison-Dawson win, and second in the listed Easter Gift (1.33 lengths behind Worm Burner) and the group 3 Bill Collins Speed Star (1.86 lengths behind Bewildering).
Prior to the operation he had won $39,185. Since, he’s amassed $133,195. He has a bit of work ahead of him tonight however – he is winless in five starts at FFA level, and run last in both of his prior starts from box 6.
5. Long time between drinks
Dewana Babe, just a month shy of her fifth birthday, will line up for start 97 in tonight’s staying event (race 5). It’s been almost 12 months since she set his 41.98PB (30/6/16), and almost 11 months since his last win (at the Meadows on 20/7/16). She hasn’t recorded a win in 17 starts since that victory and has been placed just 4 times, however she has been in the money in 7 of 16 starts this track and distance.
Around the Australia…
The country’s top stayers have headed north for the heats of the group 1 Gold Cup at Albion Park. Fanta Bale, Dundee Osprey and Dundee Calypso will fly the flag for the Victorians, while the locals will be pinning their hopes on local star Cyndie’s Magic. Click here for your form guide.
… and across the ditch
Speaking of stayers, 2016 National Distance Championship winner Ring The Bell will start favourite in New Zealand’s richest race for stayers, the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar. You can see the NZ$80,000 final on Sky2 at 2.26pm on Sunday afternoon. Click here for your form guide.
The good thing: Black Mumbo (race 8 number 6)
Each way all day: Don’t Kid Me (race 6 number 1)
Click here for your free Watchdog form guide for tonight’s meeting.
Click here for the latest markets from tab.com.au.
Click here for Jason Adams’ Sandown preview, as heard on RSN – Racing and Sport.
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