The $3.50 the TAB had up yesterday for Zuccato (No1, R1) looked reasonably generous for a filly that has won two of three and done it well. The slight question is she has yet to try a left-handed track such as Te Rapa, but she looks an adaptable type of filly. She's worth the risk if the price stays steady.
Race 2 is a great betting affair, with loads of value. One of them is The Filly (No9), who resumes following a spell, something she has been successful at previously. She is good when there is just a little give in the footing, so track conditions are unlikely to worry her and Jack Wong takes 3kg off her back, bringing her in on a magical 51kg. Plenty of opposition, though. Spin Doctor (No7), Flower Bomb (No8), So Wotif (No10), Whosyourmaster (No5) and Brave Centaur (No3), all of whom are difficult to leave out of multiples.
Popeye Braggins (No5, R3) looks one of the better bets. He is still underrated as he showed winning when fresh at Trentham last start. He can mount a fabulous finishing run when in form and there is no one around to suit that type of horse better than Noel Harris.
Race 4 is tricky. Difficult to assess 3-year-old Chambord (No8), who is coming back to a sprint distance after proving he doesn't stay during his Derby preparation. He finished second to Bounding at the Cambridge barrier trials, which is good form for this, but he is a 3-year-old giving weight to older horses, in particular Hot In Pink (No10). She looked good last preparation and should have a good campaign this time, which kicks off here. Kevin Leung will reduce her weighting to 54kg. She will be best suited if the previous three races show up a pattern that on-pace horses are suited. Difficult - probably Hot In Pink each way.
Kelly O'Reilly (No11, R6) found the winning post in dashing style at Ellerslie last start and won't mind if the track conditions are a touch worse this time. She will go around with just 53kg and will be difficult to handle. Look for a big run from Jubilate (No3). He finished only 10th in the Easter at Ellerslie, but was only 2.4 length from winner Albany Reunion and it was a sound effort. That is good form for this race.
Orion (No3, R7) is working himself into winning form and is ready to strike. That was a big effort of his to flash home into second behind Swiper The Fox at Ellerslie last start and he will really appreciate the step from 1600m to 2000m. An added advantage is that he is a previous winner at Te Rapa. Delago's Secret (No2) couldn't get warm over an exceptionally sharp 1400m behind Beauty's Beast at Te Aroha last start and is going to love getting up to 2000m here.
The $100,000 Travis Stakes is not as easy as it perhaps looks on paper. On current form Soriano (No1, R8) deserves to be favourite, but the No 14 barrier draw is ugly from the very tricky Te Rapa 2000m starting point. Noel Harris's options are to go forward quickly in the first 150m, which will burn fuel or drop to the back of the field.
Neither are good options and Soriano is going to have to find some luck. If she gets it she is more than capable of winning here, don't forget two starts back she was just 2.9 lengths from Silent Achiever over this distance at Ellerslie.
The danger is possibly Etoile Filante (No7) despite the weight scale being to her disadvantage. She has plenty of class and is a winner on this track.
Abidewithme (No4) was big in the Easter at Ellerslie.
