It’s the biggest day of racing at Scone every year, and we are set for another exciting edition of Dark Jewel Classic Day this weekend.
The rail will be set out three metres 800m-W/Post and true the remainder, while at publish, we’re faced with a track rated in the Soft (5) range.
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Race 1 – 11:05am – Highway Class 3 Handicap (1500m)
Angelical puts an unbeaten record on the line when she resumes in the first on Dark Jewel Classic Day, and she’s the one that I want to be with.
The Real Impact filly stamped herself as one to watch with a smart win on debut at Newcastle and she went to the paddock following wins in BM58 and Class 2 company.
She’s had the benefit of a trial in the lead-up to her return and she looks up to winning something of this quality.
Race 2 – 11:40am – Midway BM72 Handicap (1700m)
Lovetheinvasion takes winning form into this week’s Midway Handicap and she looms as a key winning chance again.
The Time For War mare ended her last prep with a dominant win over 1850m at Newcastle and picked up where she left off with a smart win at Muswellbrook a fortnight ago.
This is harder, but she harbours plenty of upside.
Race 3 – 12:15pm – Pages Event Hire BM78 Handicap (2200m)
Bonny Ezra can record an elusive win at Scone on Saturday.
The Road To Rock gelding needed a couple of starts back this time to tune up, but his two most-recent starts have been eye-catching, and saw him only just miss in Saturday company at Randwick and Gosford.
I like that he is on the quick back-up and this is a very good opportunity for him to strike.
Race 4 – 12:50pm – Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m)
In Secret has only made one appearance at the races so far, but she’s the one that I want to be with in this year’s Woodlands Stakes.
The I Am Invincible filly showed some ability at the trials prior to debuting and put the writing on the wall at Hawkesbury last month with a convincing victory.
I’m confident that she will only improve for that experience, I also like that she has been back to the trials since that race.
Race 5 – 1:25pm – Westpac Rescue Helicopter BM72 Handicap (1300m)
And We Danced will return for her second Australian prep this weekend, and there are plenty of reasons to think that she can win this race.
The Wrote filly showed plenty of ability across the ditch at the beginning of her career, only just missing in two of her three starts in Australia earlier this year.
I thought that there was quite a bit to like about a recent trial at Rosehill and this looks a nice starting point.
Race 6 – 2:00pm – Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m)
I Am Me has recorded three wins from as many starts back this time and the Denise’s Joy Stakes looks a nice bit of black type for her.
The daughter of broke her maiden in a 1000m dash at Canberra first-up and hasn’t looked back, recording wins at Ballarat at Flemington since.
She steps out this week in peak order and she may not strike a softer feature race.
Race 7 – 2:35pm – Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m)
Andermatt boasts a class edge over pretty much all of rivals in the Luskin Star Stakes.
The Godolphin sprinter has hardly put a hoof wrong during his career and he hasn’t this time in: winning a couple of weaker races at Canterbury and Randwick.
Fitter third-up, he’s ready for Listed company and is my best bet on the program.
Race 8 – 3:10pm – Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m)
Some talented mares will contest the feature race, the Dark Jewel Classic, including Flexible.
Flexible hasn’t been seen at the races since September, but she is a previous winner at this point of her preparation and has raced well in some good contests since debuting.
She’s had the benefit of a couple of trials in the lead-up to her return, she gets into the race well, and we can have an each-way play at around the $13 mark.
Race 9 – 3:50pm – Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m)
Eleven Eleven can return a winner in the Ortensia Stakes.
The three-time Magic Millions winner has quite obviously been a standout for the Greg Hickman yard for several seasons now, and particularly since Pierata’s retirement.
He’s picked off plenty of feature races, his fresh record is good and the booking of Hughie Bowman certainly doesn’t hinder his chances of winning something like this.
Race 10 – 4:30pm – Yarraman Park BM78 Handicap (1100m)
It could be a very big Saturday up and down the eastern seaboard for Godolphin, with Athelric well placed to strike in the last on Dark Jewel Classic Day.
The Exceed And Excel gelding finished down the order at Newcastle when resuming but hasn’t looked back since, winning a couple of sprints at Warwick Farm.
He’s drawn a peach, gets some relief in the weights and is just a better horse than a lot of these, in my opinion.