Racing: Matamata fields packed with good betting as youngsters step up

Early this week Jim Gibbs had decided to put his two apprentices, Cameron and Buddy Lammas, on his class sprinters Devoted and Vaalu at Matamata today.

They will now be ridden by Leith Innes (Devoted) and Michael Coleman.

"It's no disrespect to the boys, they're doing a wonderful job, but I thought it was the right opportunity to put senior riders on - two of my former apprentices.

"Also, I thought it was the right opportunity to give Leith a ride before he left for Hong Kong."

Gibbs has taken the blinkers off Vaalu.

"I felt they made him over-race in the Telegraph at Trentham. He'll race a lot colder this time."

With 1.5kg less, Devoted gets the nod of the pair. He was only 1 1/2 lengths away from the winner, Keeninsky, in the Telegraph after being flushed out a bit wide as the field came cross the crossing onto the course proper. On his home track and a little on the fresh side he should run a terrific 1200m from an inside barrier.

The Matamata fields are packed with good betting.

Casual Leon (No5, R1) has an awkward barrier draw to overcome in the opener, but he did extremely well after losing his place at New Plymouth on debut, finishing third. He should have benefited from that run.

That's Tops (No14, R2) might be a bit of a risk coming back from the 2400m of the Derby to 1400m here. It took 1600m to land her maiden win, but it's very difficult to ignore her class. It's a big field and if she gets back as she can do, getting home over the top of them could be difficult. Include her, but have a couple of savers. Willy Smith (No9) is a little in the same mould as That's Tops and he can similarly storm home and is also fresh. There is pace in the race and that will help the pair.

Very smart line-up in the 3-year-old Rich Hill 1400m and the strength of several high profile autumn campaigns will become clearer. Sista (No2, R3) should have a magnificent autumn. You always had the impression she was going to be better following a break from her summer programme and trainers Graham Richardson and Mark Donoghue did the right thing not pressing on for the Derby after the Bonecrusher Stakes. She has had a nice break and the 1400m should be ideal first up. Spin 'N Grin (No1) is classy and Savute (No6) should have improved since his first-up run at Te Rapa. Worth squeezing into a trifecta is Rosetti Bay (No7). Her run last week was not her and she could bounce back at at great odds in this field.

How would you like to own a horse that has had seven wins and 19 placings from 30 starts? A horse like Kristov (No1, R4). It's never easy to carry the topweights Kristov has earned through his consistency, but the 57kg today is a maximum of 3kg away from the realistic dangers, so he is not too badly off. Silvaraad (No4) is a treat, as is Desert Flight (No3).

The Breeders Stakes is a great field, as you'd expect for $100,000. The run of the race will decide the winner. If Love Diamonds (No4, R7) gets a comfortable trip after coming across hard from her outside No14 barrier draw, she will prove a tough opponent. Pulcinella (No3) looks guaranteed a good trip under Noel Harris from the No 1 gate and Promethean (No5) needs only an absence of the ill fortune that dogged her last start to be right in the finish. Watch a great race.

The 59605 formline of The Dynamo (No2, R9) is not that stylish, but it is not as bad as that. He was only a touch off a very smart Fooram at Trentham last start and that would be just about good enough to win this. Lenraad (No1) and Western Legacy (No3) look chances in a winnable contest.

Madame Shinko (No2, R10) comes back to a considerably easier race than the one Viz Vitae won at Trentham on Wellington Cup day. She ran a nice even race that day to be only three lengths away. Hatepe (No4), back from Australia, is a sneaky danger and Avegas (No3) is racing solidly.