Royal Rocky plays host to nine races this afternoon in what is the first day of a two day carnival in CQ. The track is a Soft 5 and the rail is in the true position. On what is one of the longest straights in Australia, every horse gets their chance making it a cracking day to have a bet.
The 2YOs make it a tough way to start with a few differing form lines. The top weight and favourite has had just the one trial on the Sunny Coast, so he should be hard to beat in the care of Garnett Taylor, but we are going to back one at a bit of a juicier price. Chester's Angel has had just the one career start at this track and trip and she really knuckled down late behind Attackabeel who is smart. Something each-way at the $10s is a handy bet.
We won't be betting in the second but we are pretty confident the market has it right with the top three looking hardest to beat. Tezoff looked as though he will appreciate the 1600m this time around.
If there was eight runners in race three we would be charging into Takings head first on an each-way basis. The old boy won four straight back in 2019, including wins at Eagle Farm and Ipswich before being put away due to an injury for 700 days. He has had five runs back, he steps up to the 1500m and he is going to get an uncontested lead. He will be ready to go.
A 3YO maiden in the fourth race sees a big field go around, with plenty of southern raiders engaged. Gekko has been looking to breakthrough for a while now and this looks his chance. The top two in the market haven't raced before, so we are backing him to be prominent with race fitness on his side. Inside alley under Baylee Nothdurft is ideal for the Nat McCall galloper. Wonder if Allen Andresz has dreamt of a winner at Rocky....
We are staying out of the fifth to give ourselves time to freshen up, grab a drink, a snack and get comfortable to see one of the best horses in the world race in the sixth (no ownership bias here).
Lloydy has shares in Real Ana so it would be rude not to have a little dapper on the three-year-old filly under young gun KWT. She was a fast finishing third at this track and trip last start and she gets every chance from the inside with only 52.5kg on her back. There's plenty of speed in this which will set it up for her to finish over the top (hopefully). Go get 'em girl.
The feature race of the day is the 2021 Country Cup and a quality field of, well, no namers has been assembled. Plenty of Non-TAB form comes to the fore with Sizzalating looking to go six straight after beating ex-Gollan runner Jerry Zanda by 4L at Barcaldine six days ago. Demurral is another who is shooting for four straight, and we think that is the better bet at $7.50. He has won at Mackay and gets a good jock aboard.
No bet in the eighth, but the favourite Aleysa's Dream looks hardest to beat.
The Get Out Stakes is never easy, but one we are keen to back is last start winner Legal Chance. Trained by Lyle Rowe at Rockhampton, the three-year-old son of Spirit of Boom was really impressive when winning over 1100m here. Up to 1400m is ideal and he should box seat from barrier two. 52.5kg after the claim is a gift. Run with it into the weekend mugs!
#LloydysLock - Race 3 #6 Takings
Selections
Race 1: Chester's Angel
Race 2: No Bet
Race 3: Takings
Race 4: Gekko
Race 5: No Bet
Race 6: Real Ana
Race 7: Demurral
Race 8 : No Bet
Race 9: Legal Chance
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