Brett Honey takes a look at Saturday’s heats of Group 1 Galaxy and Group 1 Perth Cup .
Race 1 – Galaxy Heat 1 (715m)
The first heat of the Galaxy kicks us off where star stayer Ethanol Water will look to pick up where she left off in the Galaxy Prelude. She walked out yet dispatched her rivals with ease, storming home in 11.58 to set a new benchmark of 41.66 over the new 715 metres. $1.50 looks the right price for her considering she normally leads her races. Urbanity is the X factor but has not been seen for a month since stepping up to 601 metres and posting 34.50. She has freakish ability and could make her presence known mid race with the right run. The box concerns me, however. Irish Millie has drawn the red, but I favour the runners who have had a start at Cannington. Flaws And Sins is a local hope who could run a race here. She has no shortage of ability and is strong to the line over this trip. I liked her run in the Prelude and is a must have for exotics.
Race 2 – Galaxy Heat 2 (715m)
Again, leaning towards the east coast dogs in the second heat, where I think Full Of Regrets can surprise despite a lacklustre trial. 34.95 with a 10.06 early in isolation doesn’t exactly scream “back me”, however you simply can’t dismiss a dog who was having their first look at Cannington and the start prior was not all that far off Unreal Speed in a heat of the Fanta Bale. The map is promising with Infra Rock in two who will be pushing up the track. Throw in West On Boonie who was at his moody best last week, the draw is critical in this heat. I will be chopping out on Pass Mark (box 4) who is the class runner and can only improve off what he did last week. The small field will suit and just needs to avoid Infra Rock to the be the one to beat. Heather’s Pick is the best of the locals but box 7 against harder opposition will be the test.
Bet: #1 Full Of Regrets, chop out #4 Pass Mark
Race 3 – Galaxy Heat 3 (715m)
Heat 3 looks the best chance for the locals to salute where form stayers Chloe Ant and Girl Hill will be the lead resistance against NSW chaser Might Have Been. Chloe Ant will be looking to reach her third Galaxy final which would be a monumental feat and importantly has drawn an early race, which has been noted as an advantage for her prior. Boxed inside Miss Ronnie Mac, she looks the likely leader, and I think she can hold on from there. Great to see Girl Hill nominated after falling last week. That can sometimes knock a dog’s confidence about but she’s been the recipient of some early support in betting. Might Have Been (box 6) is an interesting nomination for Melinda Finn. He raced last Friday at Richmond and took a long time to warm up over 622 but did hit the line well once doing so. Drawing a softer heat helps. Happy to go with Chloe Ant, I think she leads and can do enough to hold on.
Bet: #3 Chloe Ant
Race 4 – Galaxy Heat 4 (715m)
The last heat of the Galaxy looks harder to pick then a broken nose, where I found it difficult to split the top three in betting. Max Capacity (box 5) is the leading local hope and ended a frustrating run of placings by thrashing his rivals two weeks ago in a time of 41.86. He’s not quick early but his 29.86 to the mark in that race shows what he has under the bonnet. Groove Bird and Black Silencer make the trip across and reportedly both trialled during the week. Groovebird is reliable early and will need to show that to cross Souljacker (box 2) early. Black Silencer is a classy customer and box 7 in a six-dog field will be no issues. Struggled to make a case for Sunset Comanche, Souljacker and Zipping Luik and struggled to find the winner full stop. Will just be cheering on the locals.
Race 5 – Perth Cup Heat 1 (520m)
The first heat of the Cup sees Miss Envy (box 1 – pictured) return to the track after two months off, with plenty of speculation around her preparation for this series. Whilst you can ponder how ready she is for this assignment, I think it’s hard to argue she needs to be at her top to handle her business in this field. Her best attribute is her racing qualities and from box 1, she only needs an ounce of luck to be making the final. Sunset Hornet is the most likely leader and had a solid tune up going 27.22 at Mandurah last Friday. She has gone 29.71 on the old circuit and last week showed she is somewhere near her top. Bagnaia (box 3), Aston Smokey (box 4) and Dancing Dawn (box 7) would all need to lead to be any chance whilst Bunji Man (box 8) has drawn the wrong side of the track. Hard to steer away from Miss Envy, but don’t be afraid to include Sunset Hornet in a quinella with the favourite to get a result out of the race.
Race 6 – Perth Cup Heat 2 (520m)
Australian Cup Winner Mepunga Tully touches down in WA in sparkling form and has drawn ideally in heat 2 and will go off a good thing’s price. Her early splits at the Meadows were slick and finds a heat with a lack of consistent early speed. Rapido Jedi (box 4) was brilliant last week going 29.51 and his 5.45 early would come in very handy in this. To say he is inconsistent early would be an understatement, but he is a young chaser with no shortage of potential. Shima Dream (box 2) and Kanan Stark (box 7) have been ok without setting the world on fire. This looks a simple case of one of the best in Australia getting the best draw against a typical Grade 4/5 city field.
Race 7 – Perth Cup Heat 3 (520m)
Time to get off the fence and have a bet. I think Morton is just winning this. Morton had box 6 in the prelude last week and crossed Crumble Monelli which is something that has not happened in Crumble’s previous six starts. He’s not always push-button early Morton, but I see him either crossing again or being the first one behind Crumble Monelli and he’d be too goo from there. Transcendent (box 2) has freakish ability but his head gets in his way. The night he switches on we will see something impressive. It’s difficult to make a realistic case for any runners outside those three. Morton’s class should take him to the final.
Bet: #6 Morton
Race 8 – Perth Cup Heat 4 (520m)
The last leg of the quaddie is the only full field on the card and a very competitive betting affair, where the box draw has thrown a spanner in the works. Uncle Tommy (box 7) and Barbeque Man (box 8) are the top two in betting but have drawn horribly outside Fancy That Fred (box 6). Fancy That Fred is the most likely leader of the race and is one of the wider runners in the state. I’ve put a line through Uncle Tommy for that reason and Barbeque Man will need his best box manners to get over. With the form of Pop’s Star (box 1), Show It (box 2) and Wise Move (box 5) hardly jumping off the page, it leaves me with Maximum Kuna and Aston Costello in boxes 3 and 4. Maximum Kuna had put in a pair of great runs behind Boracay Summer and finally got his reward last week after overcoming a poor beginning. He gets plenty of room and the early money has been with him. Aston Costello has no shortage of talent but can be a moody customer. He’s very strong to the line and has a map where he could get some room to get into his work.
Bet: #3 Maximum Kuna save #4 Aston Costello
Race 9 – Perth Cup Heat 5 (520m)
Heat 5 of the Cup on paper looks a match race between Boracay Cummer (box 1) and Smooth Plane (box 8) and both are drawn to produce their best. Boracay Summer has shown she can run the time but may not have the luxury of leading with Another James (box 3) showing his early speed. James isn’t a tight railer however, therefore she can certainly take over at some stage if she was the first one behind him. Smooth Plane was ultra impressive last week in the prelude and his 11.17 run home was brilliant. With Zinc not beginning in 7, he gets room here and I think takes all sorts of stopping should he land close. Siding with the Victorian, just.
Bet: #8 Smooth Plane
Race 10 – Perth Cup Heat 6 (520m)
On the home stretch in the Cup heats and this is where exciting sprinter on the rise Barefoot Zulu (box 2) comes to town fresh of running a track record 29.81 at Ipswich. His draw is suitable as well with Inside Scoop in 1 not known for his early speed and Wise Barra (box 3) hasn’t been jumping her best either. He is a very clumsy customer but has one serious engine. I’m not sure $1.8 is for me, however. I’m certainly not ruling out an upset here with Inside Scoop and Cochise Attitude (box 6) both having decent maps and could capitalise if Barefoot gets it wrong early. Cochise Attitude has been a different dog since Cannington re-opened and I’d be far from shocked if he crossed. Inside Scoop was a shade disappointing two back but at double figures can run a race if there’s trouble in the middle. Rare Speed (box 8) is a wide runner who’s in form as well. There’s value out there if you’re taking on the favourites.
Bet: #6 Cochise Attitude and #1 Inside Scoop (both small)
Race 11 – Perth Cup Heat 7
The penultimate of the night sees Australian Cup placegetter Vincent Bale draw box 1 and he handled the track nicely in his trial, going 29.72. His middle section was very impressive, matching that of Morton’s on the same night (albeit Morton’s was in a field). The last time Action Shot (box 2) draw inside he used plenty of the track will would help Vincent plenty here. He’ll go around a very short favourite. There’s always one surprise packet each year who makes the final and it wouldn’t shock me to see Rippin Moses run a big race here. With Shy Emoji in 3 moving left, Action Shot being far from consistent early in 2, he’ll get plenty of room here and could run a race in front. He’s gone if Vincent is anywhere close to him, but he went 11.29 home when winning two back. There are worse $20 chances on the card. Bezzecchi to many will be carrying WA’s hopes in this. He has an enormous engine but where he gets to from box 7 with Imperial Sash on his outside is anyone’s guess. He will be best off missing it completely.
Bet: #4 Rippin Moses (very small)
Race 12 – Perth Cup Heat 8
The last chance to qualify and Deadly Avenger (box 3) looks extremely well placed. Box 3 in a race full of fair beginners. He should find the front early and be too strong from there. Both Bowers Ace (box 1) arrives after contesting the Richmond Derby. He is a talent but is hardly convincing when finding the front. A small concern for Deadly Avenger is that Biscotti Blast in 4 does want to cut left so he may find trouble if not getting the start right. That could lend itself to a greyhound like Our Benson (box 7) who went really well at Northam over 509m when Cannington was closed. He will need everything to go his way but is a knockout out. That may be clutching at straws however, I think Deadly Avenger will be far too good.
Bet: #3 Deadly Avenger