| Leading
interstate trainer John Hawkes gets a great chance to continue to narrow the Lee
Freedman's lead in the Melbourne training premiership race with two meetings over the
weekend. Melbourne has two metropolitan race meetings
on the weekend. Saturday's Grand National Hurdle meeting at Flemington will be followed up
with a Sunday meeting at Caulfield.
Currently Freedman has a three winner break over Hawkes in
the race to become the city's premier trainer. Hawkes has never won the title.
At Flemington on Saturday Hawkes will saddle up five
runners in three races while Freedman has only one representative.
A day later Hawkes has four runners in three races as
compared to Freedman's two in separate events at his home track.
SATURDAY
Flemington
Hawkes
Race 2 - Palais, Bribes
Race 6 - Kepero
Race 7 - Boreale, Lilindeeana
Freedman
Race 8 - Filming
Palais has an undeniable chance of winning
and giving Hawkes a great start to the day. Her last start second at Flemington to the
handy performer Maicostus was a great pointer for a race like this. Bribes won
well out at Werribee in an inferior race last time. In good form but is sure to find this
much tougher. Each way chance.
The grey Kepero impressed with his dashing
win at Sandown last start. Melbourne foreman Wayne Hawkes has a good opinion of this
gelding who gets through any kind of gound. Hard to beat.
In the following race Hawkes' best hope of two runners
looks to be Boreale. A last start winner at Moonee Valley, the Octagonal
gelding looks to be a strong each way chance here. Hawkes' other runner is the Night Shift
mare Lilindeeana. She might find this a bit harder. Place chance at best.
Freedman's only runner for the day is Filming in
the last of eight races. Racing in great form after consecutive city wins, the Newitt
mount looks a huge hope of making it three straight.
SUNDAY
Caulfield
Hawkes
Race 4 - Eulalie, Lady Presance
Race 6 - Less Speed
Race 7 - Padlock
Freedman
Race 3 - Sierra Madre
Race 4 - Danviva
Hawkes' charge on Sunday begins with a pair of runners in
the fourth. Eulalie looks to be a winning chance. She ran a handy fifth
to the flying machine Ruby Slipper last start. There's no Ruby Slipper here. In the same
race is the Rubiton filly Lady Presance. Still a maiden, she her effort
at Werribee last start was handy. But she couldn't really be a winning chance here - could
she?
Less Speed carries the all cerise in the
sixth race. The well bred mare is first up on Sunday. She's only won one race and she will
need this. Wait for her to step up to more ground. Later.
Hawkes' final chance on Sunday rests with Padlock.
This galloper absolutely bolted in with a maiden at Wyong earlier this month and has a
great chance of going right on with it in this very even field.
Freedman will be hoping for big runs from both of his
runners at his home track. Sierre Madre will represent the stable in race
three. The Charnwood Forest filly scored a good win at Moonee Valley recently and has the
chance to go on with it here. Definite hope.
Danviva is Lee's only other runner at the
meeting. Withdrawn from the June sale at Oaklands earlier in the week, she is building up
a reputation lately of a non winner. She showed great early potential, but her form of
late has been a shade disappointing. She's ready to improve now. |
