Racing: Fascination Street looks the goods at Tauranga

Sureasyouwereborn (right) is racing at Riccarton today. Photo / Tayler Strong

Don't be afraid to take the short odds around Fascination Street at Tauranga today.

Couple her up in a multi with the even slightly shorter price on offer for class act Rising Romance in Sydney and you won't be far off the mark.

The introduction of blinkers turned Fascination Street from a slightly skittery mare to a total professional at Ellerslie last start and even the $2 looked a decent price about her in a small line-up in Race 2 at Tauranga today.

Regardless of which way you approach the Rising Romance race, it is virtually impossible to predict her being beaten. She has 59kg to cope with, but she races against her own sex in the Hertz Epona Stakes and not one of the opposition could go close to finishing second in a Caulfield Cup. Additionally, she has that Ellerslie group one fitness factor behind her going into this. This pair of high class mares should be the basis of all your multiple bets today.

Roger (No2, R1) at Tauranga thoroughly deserves a winning turn, but watch for a huge effort from debut runner Watch This Space (No4). He lost his place early in his sole barrier trial, but came back to win and looks pretty useful.

You can pretty much forget Fully Funded (No2, R3) went around at Ellerslie last start where a three-wide passage destroyed his chances.

Things should go much better this time. Orange Peel (No5) is not far away from another win.

A quinella result might offer some value in a small field for Race 5.

Imperial Hawk (No4) will start favourite and Tokomutu Judge (No2) looks a real quinella chance. He was right in line with the placegetters in his last Ellerslie race and a bit more pace on here would suit ideally.

Had the effects of last weekend's rain stuck around, Storming The Tower (No1, R6) was going to be ideally suited, but he will still rate highly. If he is going to come back to the extremely good form of a couple of seasons back he will need to show something today. The step up to a middle distance is one of the keys. North Of Sunset (No4) and Guess What (No3) are the stumbling blocks.

Bad luck looks the main danger to Kawi (No5, R7). He did it effortlessly at Taranaki last start and he is going to take plenty of keeping out from the 200m. Recite (No4) and Diademe (No3) also have their levels of class. Sureasyouwereborn is expected to be competitive at Riccarton today, despite operating at a distance short of her best.

The four-year-old hit her straps over ground during a lucrative summer campaign and will return to action in the Listed Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes over a mile. "She's been going well and while it's a bit on the short side she has been freshened," part-owner and co-trainer Barrie Blatch said. "They'll know she's there.

"The big track will be in her favour as she never lets down until she's balanced in the straight."

The stable also has a strong winning prospect with Libetto in the Pat Reardon Family Rating 85.

She also revels in the wide open spaces at Riccarton where she won before Christmas.

The Golden Slipper field at Rosehill underwent a minor change yesterday when Look To The Stars was scratched due to a foot abscess.

Her withdrawal gives the Mike Moroney-trained Serenade a start but she will be a long shot despite getting the services of Craig Williams, the Melbourne jockey who won on Miss Finland in 2006.

Exosphere ($4.20) joins Gai Waterhouse-trained Vancouver ($3) as the only Slipper runner under double figures.

- Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk