Bay Of Biscay. Photo by Club Menangle
Eureka runner-up Bay Of Biscay leads an Emma Stewart assault on Saturday’s Group 1 Chariots of Fire at Menangle.
The champion Victorian trainer has half of the 10-strong field of four-year-olds, competing for $250,000 in prizemoney over the Menangle mile.
Bay Of Biscay is the standout of her team with a good draw (starts from barrier three if the emergency comes out) seeing him installed as an early $1.90 in TAB fixed odds betting.
He was a big improver when a second-up winner of the G3 Hondo Grattan Stakes a fortnight ago, taking advantage of his inside draw to hold the lead and win by 2.3m.
That was his first attempt at the mile and he has never missed the top-two in four visits to Menangle, winning twice and finishing runner-up in the NSW Derby and the Eureka where he was a slashing second to subsequent Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo.
He's never been out of the money when third-up so will be hitting peak fitness and driver Cameron Hart can send him forward from this draw. That will see him hard to catch.
Stewart has the first three in the betting with Breeders Crown winner Some American second pick ($5) ahead of Vicbred Super Series victor Miki To Success ($7).
The accomplished pair start side-by-side in the middle of the line and both have the class to push for a Stewart trifecta.
Last-start placegetters War Dan Buddy and Stormryder round out Stewart's team but both have been set a tough task courtesy of wide draws.
Kiwi visitor Better Knuckle Up could be the biggest challenger to a Stewart victory.
The winner of the rich Velocity slot race in New Zealand looks a likely improver as he was first up for almost two months when fourth to Bay of Biscay in the Hondo Grattan in his first Australian appearance.
He has nearly 11m to make up on that rival but will be fitter and has won three of five attempts at the mile.
Queenslander Charge Ahead has been the big improver in the lead-up races, finishing second in both outings at Menangle and missing by just a head from a wider barrier in last week's Paleface Adios Stakes.
He is worth including in exotic bets from a lower draw.
The Chariots of Fire winner will earn a place in next week's Miracle Mile as will the first two home in the night's two feature open class sprints, both run at Group 2 level.
The first of them is the Cordina Group Sprint where Swayzee drops back to the mile and tackles Kiwi stars Dont Stop Dreaming and Its Merlin.
The winning run of Swayzee came to an end when he struggled with tight Albury track last time but he was flying prior including an epic Hunter Cup win.
He is better known over longer distances but has two wins and a placing from only three mile attempts and has only once been beaten in eight tries at Menangle.
Dont Stop Dreaming has been good from some tough barriers since crossing the Tasman.
He worked and was brave when second to Leap To Fame in the Cranbourne Cup before coming from the back row to land the Terang Cup last start. He strikes at 50 per cent at Menangle and he gets his best draw of his Aussie raid so far.
Its Merlin hadn't raced for nearly eight weeks prior to last week's closing second so will have come on. He gets the ace draw again and could be dangerous from there.
Max Delight heads early betting for the Cordina Chicken Farms Sprint having drawn the inside barrier.
He has been in terrific form this campaign, coming from a wider barrier to win at this circuit and distance two back before last week's Newcastle Mile second to Leap To Fame.
It's been a long time since he's drawn even close to the pegs so if he can hold a prominent spot early expect him to be very strong at the end.
Captains Knock continues a run of tough draws but is racing very well, coming from a similar barrier for a 1.6m second to Max Delight last time after beating that rival home in the Hunter Cup. He loves the Menangle mile and with some luck he is a danger.
Don Hugo cops the outside barrier but beat the other two home in the Hunter Cup before last week's win over Kiwi star Its Merlin. He hasn't missed a place at this distance and has won a Eureka and an Inter Dominion Final at Menangle.
Catch A Wave has won three of four attempts at the circuit and distance and they have come in a Miracle Mile, a Chariots of Fire and a Len Smith Mile. That statistic is hard to knock.
Stewart also dominates early betting for Saturday's NSW Derby qualifiers with five runners across the three heats including the favourite in two of them – The Highlight Reel and Go Miki.
Other key Derby hopefuls include Grant Dixon's Dual Group 1 winner Fate Awaits and Luke McCarthy's well accomplished former Victorian Hesitate.
