No racing in Queensland over Tuesday and Wednesday sent us a little stir crazy, let's be honest, so up to Cluden Park, Townsville we head!
Our two days on the wagon followed up an abandoned Sunny Coast meeting on Sunday and a Heavy 36 on Monday at DOOM-ben, so it is fair to say we are keen to get our teeth into an eight race card in Chargey's backyard, Townsville.
The track is rated a Soft 5 and the rail is out four metres for the entire circumference of the course. The first will jump at 1:07pm.
Just a small field of six has been assembled in the opener, and we aren't mucking around. Wiggo partners Cracker Essgee from the outside alley who is looking to go one better than last time when second to the talented Princess Rules at Mackay. He rises half a kilo from last time, but this is an easier race and he should get a nice run out the back.
Keys Please has looked impressive winning both of her career starts despite the margin being only half a length both times. She draws well in gate four, should find the front and be too speedy for her rivals first-up. The price isn't anything fancy, but it might be a nice way to build a bank for later on in the day.
The third is a no bet race if ever we have seen one, and the fourth isn't much better with three runners between $2.50 and $4. There's a fair chance those three runners will battle it out and be horses to follow through the North Queensland Carnival later in the year.
Race 5 is another tricky one but one thing we can always bet on is love. Donning the orange silks with the yellow 'H' - yeah, we are talking about you Tyzone and The Harrovian - Roy Chillemi's Bet On Love looks hard to beat in this. She was beaten less than a length to Chevaux last time out, but meets him 1kg better off and has drawn inside him. Nice play at the half way point of the card.
We are keen on Tom Hedley's colours again in the sixth, but it isn't race favourite Higher Realm we are talking about. Top weight, Dunatun was an impressive first-up winner over the 1250m at Cairns and he goes just as well second-up, so we are happy to stick. He should box seat from barrier two under Grubby Day and be putting in the big bounds late.
If you haven't caught on, we don't do form at Townsville.
It's as simple as this:
Step 1. Open form guide
Step 2. Find jockey silks identical to that of Stradbroke winner Tyzone and All-Star Mile runner The Harrovian.
Step 3. Add that runner to betslip.
Step 4. LOAD.
Anyway, back on track. Race 7. Pretty keen on another of Steve Massingham's here who is again partnered by Nathan Day in Rigel. The four-year-old son of Deep Field got all of the favours in the run at Cairns over the 950m course last time out, and while he hasn't won at 1200m in the past, he should get every chance. Drawn seven, Day can give him a soft time early before stoking him up late to finish over the top of them.
It's far from an easy way to end the day, so we might keep the powder dry, call the Armaguard for an escort out of the TAB and get ready to rip in to Rocky on Friday.
#LloydysLock - Race 1 #2 Cracker Essgee
Selections
Race 1: Cracker Essgee
Race 2: Keys Please
Race 3: No Bet
Race 4: No Bet
Race 5: Bet On Love
Race 6: Dunatun
Race 7: Rigel
Race 8: No Bet
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