Oaklawn Park 27 January 2007
Instructions
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It's worth taking a chance here on LEON'S BEST, who hasn't run for more than nine moths. However, he's been seen working well at home and his last two runs ended in wins against tougher company. If he's anywhere near fit, he should prove too good. Will's Wish, the fastest of these over track and trip, and Timetobook, second in similar company last time, look the main dangers.
Vireo is the quickest of these and was a close second last time out but is up in class today. Newcomer Major Allie has the breeding to go well on his debut but may be forced to play second fiddle to SKI RACE, second on all three of her starts to date and open to plenty of improvement.
Bolshoi Ballet is a speedy sort but is looking pretty exposed nowadays. Lisbonvale has not raced for ten months and was well beaten last time but has winning form in better company than this. He can't be ignored but might find one too good in TOUCH OF VICTORY, another speedy sort who has been running in tougher races. Dropped in class last time, he sluiced in and should be able to follow up in this company.
Strong City, Deacon Gray, Qadar and Mr Behrens all won maiden claimers last time out and should be thereabouts in this tougher contest. Plate Licker is a consistent sort but doesn't win often enough and has something to find with THATSTHEWAY, third in a tougher race on turf last time. He has now put in three good efforts on grass in better company but won on dirt on his debut and looks open to plenty of improvement after just five starts.
Quick Blend is a speedy sort with a good strike rate but this may be beyond him while Brother Bobby was a good winner last time but will find this tougher. So Busted is the quickest over this trip and drops in class but hasn't run for seven months and ANTRIM COUNTY may make his fitness tell. Another speedy sort, he's gone close in better company in his last two starts and should prove too good here.
Corporal is the quickest over this trip but seems to be regressing. Wreckout was only beaten by a neck in a similar contest last time and should be thereabouts but some useful newcomers contest this and it could pay to side with one of them. HIGHWAY HUSTLER'S dam has a 100 per cent strike-rate with her offspring and the Kenny Smith gelding has been working well at home. He gets the vote here.
Prom Shoes, Midway Marvel, Harrow Land, The Hitman and Givetheballtorolf all won last time out but need to improve in this company. They may struggle to peg back STORMY ATLANTIS, who was third in a $50k optional claimer last time (L'Grande D'oro 10l back in third). That was only his third start and with further improvement expected, he should be too good for these rivals.
Cohiba Miss landed a $100k race at Turf Paradise, with Kauai Calls a long way back but that was over a mile and, back in a spint, the latter should get a lot closer. Both may find one too good in Devil House, who had Cohiba Miss back in fifth over 6f at River Downs as she completed a hat trick. However, this should go to MISS GOODNIGHT, well beaten in Grade 2 company at Aqueduct last time but a double winner at Delaware, including a 100k race on her penultimate start.
He's only won once in five starts but PEGASUS WIND should prove far too good here. Since that win he's run three times in Grade 1 company - without being disgraced - and looks to have too much class for these rivals. Secret Demand, King A.J. and Continuation face significant step-ups in class after winning last time and Forty Acres, a very impressive winner in a $30k maiden claimer on his second start, could be the one for the exacta.
