Gnarley Boy Heads Toward $11,000 In Just 3 Starts
In just his third start promising youngster Gnarley Boy could take his total winnings to $11,000 if he is victorious this Thursday night.
The Mal Dawson-trained performer has drawn box one in the Eric Thomson Memorial Final, after qualifying with a fastest time of 30.10 in his heat.
The Eric Thomson Memorial is a maiden series worth $14,700, including $10,000 to the winner.
Gnarley Boy fired out of box eight last week, posting a first sectional of 5.74 to beat Rugg Him Up by two lengths.
The favourable box draw should see him start as favourite, but it will be a tough dash for the first turn with Rugg Him Up and Perfect Student sure to be hot on his tale.
Rugg Him Up ran an impressive second to Gnarley Boy from box seven last week and Perfect Student showed class when winning in 30.35 in his heat in only his second start on the race track.
Rolling Dice is also one to keep an eye on, showing enough winning form to win his only two starts from box one and eight, respectively. Trained by Ned Snow, Rolling Dice will jump from box five tonight.
Other feature races attracting the top dogs is the Garrards Winter Chase Heats this Thursday night.
The $7,600, 710m Best Eight race will prove a great warm up for contenders of the 2009 Sky Channel Winter Carnival curtain raiser, the Group One Cartwright Property Group Gold Cup on June 4.
Heat One (Race Six) is sure to be a tough battle with Albion Park 600m King, Black Ruler, pushing up to the 710m from box one, proven stayer Smart Choice in box two and blistering speedster Genista Reign in box five.
Black Ruler's last campaign over 710m started well and coming from a series 600m races should mean that he races fresh.
Smart Choice, trained by Robert Giltinan, has shown impressive form and is very hard to run down if he gets to the front early.
Genista Reign returns from a short stint in Melbourne, after running a career best time of 41.90 on April 16 at Albion Park.
Helen Keep's Uno Play Boy will also be one to keep an eye on in this race, showing improving race fitness to increase from 600m to the 710m start.
In Heat Two (Race Seven) in-form Albion Park stayer, Irish Fantasy, will take on the Group contending bitch, Nicely Done.
Irish Fantasty will jump from box two, and has shown impressive form at Albion Park and boasts a best time of 42.27 at the track.
Nicely Done, trained by Robert Giltinan, is sure to be form favourite with experience against some of the country's best stayers, including recent stints at Wentworth Park and Sandown.
An outside chance in this race will be Bikini Beach from box four, showing she has what it takes with a solid best time of 42.26 in Brisbane in March this year.
Earlier in the night, a star-studded FFA will take shape with the Give Me Five at Stud 520m (Race Five).
Bogie Blue, Eskimo Dancer and Black Monty will go head to head in the first leg of the quadrella, which is sure to have punters taking the field.
From box one, Bogie Blue will be one of the biggest threats racing well in previous weeks.
Eskimo Dancer again showed class last week to win by a nose ahead of Bogie Blue from box seven, and tonight will favour the inside box three.
Tom Noble's Black Monty should never be taken lightly in these races, boasting a racing resume of 11 wins in Brisbane over the distance.
Grampian is also sure to contend from box seven, coming off the back of a dominant win in the Rockhampton Cup on Saturday.
Race Two will be a thrilling third and fourth grade 520m race, sponsored by Cartwright Property Group.
One of Christine Robartson's emerging stars Lots Of Moolah will take on Reg Hazelgrove's impeccably-bred, Strong Breeze.
Jumping from box seven, Lots of Moolah has shown winning form in past weeks, totalling three wins from a total of seven starts at the track.
Strong Breeze will benefit from an inside box three in this race, and is sure to be fresh after starting over 366m at Capalaba last Saturday.
In box two, Madam Sash is also sure to run honestly, coming off the back of a three-length win last Friday afternoon at the Creek.
In Race Three, the fifth grade A-Team 520m, High Earner, will be looking to make amends after being outraced by Steven Kavanagh's, Cosmic Rumble.
The Christine Robartson-kennel star is expected to lead into the first turn, and it will take a mammoth task from the rest of the fifth grade field to chase him down.
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Andy Albion's Best Bets :
- Race 3 Number 7 High Earner
- Race 5 Number 1 Bogie Blue
- Race 6 Number 2 Smart Choice
- Race 9 Number 2 Texas Ranger