Spring Flute a Strong Chance in The Grade 6 Final
The Mister Harlewood at Stud grade 6 final will be one of the highlights for the Thursday night program at Angle Park, with a competitive field brought together.
From the three heats run last week, the fastest qualifier was the improving Springvale Dave who reeled off a slick 30.54 effort and has drawn a treat with box one for the final. The Wendy Sebastyan trained Spring Flute ran second behind Springvale Dave in the heat, which ended a run of three straight wins for the brindle bitch, who is arguably one of the most improved chasers in the state right now.
Since having an indifferent run five starts ago up the straight track, she has not looked back, with some slick wins recently which have included a 19.50 gallop over the 342m trip at Angle Park and super strong 455m win at Murray Bridge where she came from the rear of the field to win in 25.63.
Last week's effort in the heat was terrific as it was the first time that Spring Flute had ever been over the 530m trip and the first time she even been out of the 530m boxes.
It will pose another good challenge for her this Thursday night, as she aims to turn the tables on Springvale Dave. Her co-trainer Bryan Sebastyan will be hoping that from box three she can secure a clear run and get her chance to land another big win.
“Really good! I just put her up the straight then stepped her up to the ‘340’ and she won over that pretty well then went ‘395’ and her run home time was really good, so we stepped her up to the ‘455’ and she won well there. I said to Wendy that I think we should put her in Thursday night in the grade 6 series and she ran 30.60 and got home in 12.64.” said Sebastyan
“That was her first ‘500’ and the first time out of those boxes!”
“She’s ripping her bed apart at home, been doing it for the last couple of weeks and did it again yesterday! She’s just flourishing with the work and her run home times, Greg (Board) also said she would get the ‘500’ and I think she will get ‘600’ no problems later.”
“I am a bit worried about the two because to me it looks like it wants to stay up abit. I watched its replays, and it stayed around the box three or four line the whole way. I’ve either got to clear it and get down behind the one or miss the start and get behind the one. I think if she’s only a couple off the leader down the back then she will run it down.”
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The Steven Brook-trained Memphis Rock had his first start in South Australia last week, after arriving the week prior.
His first start last week doesn’t look overly flash on paper with a distant fifth having run 31.10, but the effort had some merit in it and with a kinder draw this Thursday he will be looking to go a bit better.
Last week's run was the first look at the tricky Angle Park circuit for Memphis Rock and after having no luck at all to the first turn, he was able to balance up and run home in 12.87, which is handy enough.
He has drawn well this Thursday with box three in an even grade 5 field and from the draw he should get his chance to muster up and land closer in the run. With improvement from the look last week, he will have some chance to surprise a few.
“He didn’t trial overly flash before last week. I only got him on the Thursday the week before, then he had a handslip at Gawler and went a tick over ‘13’ from the post to the back. I've had dogs do that in 12.70, I’ve got little puppies that haven’t raced yet that run that!” said Brook.
“You’d think he would improve, he looked like he wanted to get to the fence too, he seemed pretty keen to cross the dog to his inside. I think drawing three is a help.”
“I’ve had a look at the race, it didn’t look impossible, I looked at it and thought that if he can show pace, he can definitely get up there so if he can find a position close to them on the fence then he will run a better race. I’m not looking at launching into him myself!”
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Destiny has always called for San Lorenzo to step up to the middle distance and that is what he has done the last two weeks.
On Thursday he will line up for his third go over the 595m distance and has come up with a better draw with box one, with the main dangers drawn wide.
His effort two weeks ago was terrific, and he should have won after having to work hard out wide, before a poor beginning cost him badly, coupled with some poor luck in the run. His trainer Lauren Harris will be hoping he can get a clear run and show what he can really do over this distance.
“Last week he just copped a bit too much interference, but I felt the run the week before was really good. Our plan had been to step him up and that’s where we think he will do a lot of his racing moving forward, possibly further too. We’ll just monitor how he goes because we’ve got to monitor a couple of injuries week to week. I think he’s stepped up alright so far.” said Harris.
“Touch wood at the moment he’s been good, he may not be sore one week, but we just keep treating him anyway.”
“It’s a corner start from the red and he does like to shift to the middle. I think he does begin a lot better if he is drawn inside, hopefully he can hold a forward position and not be bumped around and get some clear running. Then I think he will put a good race together.
Best Bet: Ragin’ Riot (Race 3, Number 1)
Value Bet: Hojilla Bale (Race 7, Number 2)