Sunday Morning’s rapid rise through the grades will be given a stern examination when she contests the Fairplay Print Free To All (530m) at Cannington on Saturday night.
The Greg Martin-trained chaser has won five of her past eight starts and produced her most impressive effort yet last start when he clocked a PB of 30.43 to score.
One of several dogs from a Collison-Kilkenny Lass litter bred by Martin in the kennel, Sunday Morning (pictured with Kristy Shonis and Greg Martin) looked the least likely as a pup but she’s thrived since she hit the track while her littermates are yet to fulfill their promise.
Her prospects this weekend are sound despite being drawn wide.
She jumps from box six but she has a vacant alley on her inside and she beat most of her main rivals, including Saving Bundles and Gomes, last start.
Based on the fact that she finished second in the Perth Cup a few weeks back Saving Bundles should be the favourite here but the erratic chaser hasn’t kicked on.
In her two runs since her appearance in WA’s biggest race Saving Bundles hasn’t been able the salute the judge despite racing against far less competitive company and I’m not overly surprised that she hasn’t capitalized on her Perth Cup form.
Not to say that she isn’t a talented chaser but she profited from interference in the Perth Cup final to grab second place.
Saving Bundles has a wide draw here which will make it tough for her again.
Celtic Coin makes his first appearance since November and if he comes back at his best he’s worth a look on an each-way basis.
Luba Monelli dispelled any doubts about her ability to handle the 642m journey when she captured the Summer Chase with a brilliant all-the-way win last weekend.
She’s now two from two over the trip with slick runs of 37.28 and 37.25.
If she goes close to emulating those times she’ll clean up in the Property Plus Real Estate over 642m (race seven).
I nominated Astronomic as a good thing from box one last week and even though he let me down I’m prepared to give him another chance.
He has the rails again in race six and he surely can’t botch the start as badly as he did last time.
Best Bet: Astronomic (Race 6)
Best Value: She’s Historic (Race 5)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 4, 6, 8
Race 6 - 1
Race 7 - 1, 2
Race 8 - 1, 2, 6
$20 for 111.11%
