Cash N Flow gunning for 11 straight
By Adam Hamilton
Cash N Flow’s quest for a remarkable 11th successive Menangle free-for-all win headlines another big weekend of Aussie action.
The former Kiwi pacer faces much the some company he’s beaten in recent wins, headed by stablemate Replaced Eye and classy Bathurst stayer Atomic Red, and dominates betting as a $1.25 Aussie TAB favourite.
Despite the outside draw, Luke McCarthy likely follow the same winning formula from most recent wins and work forward at the start to take the lead from Replaced Eye.
It’s another stablemate, the emerging Zahven Banner, who adds to more interest to this week’s $30,600 Group 3 Lazarus @ Yirribee Stud Pace (1609m).
But Cash N Flow would have to dip below his recent breathtaking form and/or have plenty of bad luck not to continue on his winning way.
The other key race of interest at Menangle is the fourth event where Anthony Butt’s NSW Metropolitan Region Championship winner Wolf Stride returns from a break.
The rising star has gate two in a handy field, but only needs to return in his best form to make the most of the gun draw and seven wins on end.
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As we continue to wait for the first Ride High and Lochinvar Art stoush, we have to settle for another workout between races this weekend.
Last week it was Ride High and this time Lochinvar Art will work with a galloping pacemaker between the fourth and fifth races at Shepparton.
Trainer-driver David Moran will wait for the workout before locking in where Lochinvar Art will race next.
While there is some chance it could be against Ride High at Terang on Saturday week, it is a lot more likely to be at Bendigo on September 19.
On the race front, the two highlights at Shepparton are races four and fifth.
In the fourth, gifted trotter Wobelee headlines a small seven-horse field and will dominate betting despite the outside draw.
His key rivals look to be classy and speedy mare Red Hot Tooth (gate five), former Kiwi C K Spur (two) and multiple Group 1 winner Big Jack Hammer (six).
The fifth event is the fast-class race of the night and David Aiken’s untapped Reactor Now faces by his biggest test, but has the advantage of gate one.
The son of Auckland Reactor boasts 10 wins from just 14 starts and has already blazed a 1min 52.2sec mile rate, but he’s never faced this calibre of opposition.
Major rivals include Auckland Inter Dominion finalists Sicario (gate 10) and My Kiwi Mate (eight) and Emma Stewart’s brilliant Hurricane Harley (nine).
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Former Kiwi pacer Wildwest, the horse Gary Hall Sr hopes will fill the shoes of Chicago Bull in time, is the star attraction at Gloucester Park tomorrow (Friday) night.
Wildwest made it nine wins from just 11 starts when he resumed with a terrific run, but he jumps straight into free-for-all grade second-up, albeit with the huge help of barrier one.
Stablemate Fake News, arguably the best mare in WA right now, looks a threat from gate five, while proven topliner Galactic Star is the class act, but he has outside the back row (gate 12) to overcome in the 2130m race.
There will also be plenty of interest in Galactic Star’s exciting three-year-old stablemate, Howard Hughes, who will chase his 10th win from just 13 runs from gate seven in race six.
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Another week and some more strong All Stars’ flavour at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Ashley Locaz will be out to improve on his strong first-up third for trainer Vicki Rasmussen when he starts from gate five in a similar race to last week.
He’s sure to be improved by last week’s run when close-up despite sitting parked and being first-up since last December’s Auckland Inter Dominion final.
Amazing Dream, who has a win and a second from her two Queensland runs for trainer Darren Weeks, steps out again in the fourth race.
While she’s easily the best pacer in the race, Amazing Dream has drawn inside the back row (gate eight) and much will depend on where she settles and luck in running over 2138m trip.
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