Hollywood Strip. Photo by Stephen Hunt
An ideal draw gives star colt Hollywood Strip his chance to gain revenge on Brooklyn Dan for his lone defeat when the pair clash again in a highlight of Nutrien Sales Classic finals night at Wagga on Saturday.
The NSW Derby winner has only once beaten in 12 starts and that came when third to Brooklyn Dan in the Gold Chalice Final at Bathurst in March.
On that occasion Hollywood Strip drew wider and raced midfield but a low draw on the front row should see him right up in the action at Wagga.
Both colts looked good in winning their heats of the three-year-old colts and geldings division last week, Hollywood Strip dominating from the inside barrier while Brooklyn Dan worked forward from out wide to find the front and prove too classy.
Hollywood Strip is likely to start from gate three if the emergencies come out so expect Brad Hewitt to be pushing forward again in a bid to put his stamp on the race early.
The hulking colt is three from three at Wagga including an easy win over older rivals in the Wagga Cup two back. If he can dictate in front again he will be very hard to catch.
A wide drawon the back row means Brooklyn Dan may have to do it the hard way but he showed last week his is capable of doing just that.
That win was his third on the trot and he has proven he has the ability to match Hollywood Strip so may prove his Achillies heel again.
Brooklyn Dan is one of five runners on the program for Emma Stewart and while each has copped a wide or second row draw the stable does look a big player in each of the four pacing finals, including Willows Girl in the three-year-old fillies race.
A wide draw on the back row presents a challenge for Willows Girl but her form this time in suggests she is the class filly of the race.
She drew on the outside of the front line in her heat last week but pushed forward to lead and then dug deep when challenged. That was her fifth win in six starts this time in, highlighted by her G2 Gold Bracelet success.
She will be banking on class and a touch of luck to get home again.
Eye Wish continued her good form when just a neck off Willows Girl last week. That was the second time she has placed to that filly this campaign, coming from the back row to finish 3.6m off her in the Gold Bracelet.
She could use her front row draw to turn the tables.
Go Easy On Me drew wide and worked but was too good in the other heat last week. She is another that will need things to go her way from the second line but she hasn't missed the top-three this time in so is hard to knock.
Stewart's Cardigan Jem was surprisingly beaten as a hot favourite in last week's juvenile colts and geldings heats but he went into that with more than three weeks between runs so the hitout should have brought him on.
He carried a boom into that after looking good in winning his first two starts in Victoria and while he may need some luck form the back row he looks to have the talent.
Grant Dixon's Blackjack Sam is an interesting runner as he qualified by winning his debut outing at Albion Park and has trialled well since. He came from the back row to find the front in that first outing so can take advantage of the inside draw.
Smack Bang Bart did a great job to beat Cardigan Jem after racing parked when on debut in the heats. He gets the same draw and is open to improvement so must be a big chance to strike again.
Intemperance led from wider and stuck on for second in the heats to follow his debut win. Expect him to push forward again and be prominent from a favourable draw.
Gocciadoro hasn't fared well at the draw but he has yet to miss the top-two so must be respected.
Expect well-bred filly Kahula to progress off her debut performance in the two-year-old fillies heats where she settled back and warmed up late for second.
She starts from the same draw and may require some luck but she looks to have talent and the Stewart camp can be expected to have her wound up for finals night.
Shes A Delaney had 8m on Kahula when winning that heat but she did take advantage of the ace draw to lead throughout. It's a tougher task from an outside barrier but she is building a handy record having also landed the Pink Bonnet at Menangle two back and she has the pace to push forward from out wide.
Decoupage came from wider to place behind those two in the heat and also drew deep when second to Shes A Delaney on debut in the Pink Bonnet. She'll enjoy the lowest draw she has had in her career so far.
A good draw gives consistent gelding Munny The Munster his chance for a well-deserved feature win in the three-year-old colts and gelding trotters final having finished runner-up in the NSW Derby earlier this month to add to his pair of Group 1 placings in the Breeders Crown and Vicbred finals last season.
The NSW Oaks looks the right form line for the three-year-old trotting fillies race with placegetters Jilliby Aura and Aldebaran Ada doing battle. Manners are a concern for Jilliby Aura after a break allowed her rival to win last week's heat but the former had beaten Aldebaran Ada home in their other two clashes this campaign and gets the right draw.
Verbici starts away from the pegs for the first time when he aims to maintain a perfect record in the juvenile colts and geldings trotting final while a good draw should give impressive debut winner Aldebaran Emjay her chance in the fillies' race.
