Hollywood Strip Photo by Club Menangle
An inside draw gives boom colt Hollywood Strip his chance to maintain an unbeaten record and land his first Group 1 win at Menangle on Saturday night.
He looks set to start the shortest priced favourite on Nutrien NSW Breeders Challenge finals night, a program highlighted by four Group 1 deciders for the juveniles and three-year-olds.
Hollywood Strip has looked the standout youngster in the two-year-old colts and geldings series and the number one marble saw his price open at $1.18 on the TAB.
The Brad Hewitt-trained and driven colt stretched his perfect record to four when he worked to the front from a couple of spots wider before dictating and winning his semi-final by more than 7m.
Hollywood Strip doesn't lack for talent and possesses early speed so if he can hold the lead will be very hard to get past.
Message Bank suffered his first defeat in the semis but was far from disgraced when he worked from the same barrier he has on Saturday before pushing to the front and sticking on for a 1.3m second.
He showed his talent in winning the Bathurst Gold Crown last campaign and will be peaking third up so looks the most likely challenger.
Nocturnal cops a tough draw but he is a consistent colt who has yet to miss the top three in five attempts at this circuit and distance, winning twice.
Classic Chip deserves respect after last week's surprise semi-final win while Lexy continued his consistent form when chasing Hollywood Strip last time and can be competitive again.
Ark Sea hasn't enjoyed the same barrier draw fortunes in the two-year-old fillies decider but she is an equally exciting prospect.
She looks a star in the making having been dominant in both rounds of the series when pushing to the front and drawing clear to cruise home.
She has the speed to offset the wide barrier and her lone defeat came when second against the boys in the Group 1 Protostar so she looks very hard to stop against her own sex.
The good draw sees Sparkling Sea as a danger. She too is a talent, her only defeat coming when second in the Bathurst Gold Tiara.
She overcame wide barriers to win both her heat and semi at the circuit and distance and she should enjoy the favours this time.
Degarmea Teale raced greenly and couldn't hold off Sparkling Sea when suffering her first defeat in the semis but she has the speed to be prominent again from the inside draw.
There are plenty of chances in the three-year-old colts and geldings final where Heeza Malteeza could offer some value. He's won two of three starts at Menangle so far this campaign and placed after a tough run in the other.
There was plenty to like about last week's semi-final win when he covered ground from the widest barrier but was very strong late and that should have topped him off nicely.
Path To Greatness has been beaten into the placings as a hot favourite in both rounds of the series but there is no doubting his talent. He led and was run down in the semis but draws to go forward again and will be peaking so could be harder to get past.
Jungle Dragon will relish a lower barrier after drawing wide last week. He won four of his previous five and should get his chance to show that sort of form again.
Sweet On Lexy is reliable and usually competitive in these sort of races. He deserves respect along with Double Lou who draws wider but did well to win last week.
The outside barrier presents a challenge for Sugar Pie Honey in the three-year-old fillies race but she has been terrific in her two wins this time in, both times pushing forward from the second half of the line to find the front before winning in dominant fashion.
She is building an impressive strike rate at the circuit and distance and is unbeaten third-up so will be peaking.
She beat Gunna Reload to win the two-year-old fillies final of this series last year and that same filly presents as the main challenger again.
She was no match for Sugar Pie Honey fresh but has won well in both outings since, one of them from this barrier, so has clearly come on since then.
Smirkin Serene had her winning streak snapped when 5.5m behind Gunna Reload last week but she drew very wide there and can be more competitive from a better barrier.
The four-year-old mares final could decided between a pair of Rickie Alchin stablemates who have each tasted success in this series before, Golly Gee Fellas winning the three-year-old fillies race last year and Lux Aeterna scoring as a juvenile in 2023.
Royal Cruiser shoots for a Menangle hat-trick in the four-year-old entires and geldings race having followed his Stockade victory with a dominant performance in last week's semi but could be challenged by Our Goat and Vite Monet who also performed well last week.
