Richards’ raiders ready to Attack at Happy Valley
RACING at Happy Valley hosts its regular mid-week slot today, with a nine-race card featuring plenty of exciting and competitive handicaps.
The action returns to the C+3 track, where in the past a low draw number and racing prominently has gone a long way in determining winners.
Hopefully that trend will continue, although, finding winners at the city track over the past couple of months has felt like picking a number on a roulette wheel and hoping for the best.
Despite very little rain in the territory, races at Happy Valley continue to produce above average winning times, suggesting the track is riding very slow.
Whether that trend continues is anyone’s guess, but there have been many occasions at the Valley recently where the form book could have been thrown out of the window, with some surprising results.
Back to the action, Jamie Richards looks the trainer to follow with a strong raiding party of seven gallopers, and a number of them appear capable of adding to the stable’s present winning tally of 23 victories this season.
Although the likes of Super Fast Dragon in the Canal Handicap (11.10am) over five furlongs, and last-start winner Courier Magic in division two of the Percival Handicap (1.45pm) over the extended mile, catch the eye, Richards appears to have stronger claims with another couple of contenders on the card.
There is no doubt DAN ATTACK was beaten by the outside draw when finishing strongly behind the smart Beauty Infinity last month, having beaten a subsequent winner in Happy Fat Cat on his previous start.
He gets his chance to atone for that in the Craigengower Cricket Club Challenge Cup (12.40pm), a handicap over six furlongs, with a low draw in four in his favour, which should allow him to sit closer to the early pace.
In the same race, keep an eye on E UNIVERSE who ran much better than his final finishing position suggested earlier this month, and now finds himself one pound below his last winning mark, before taking in-form apprentice Ellis Wong’s 10-pound claim into account.
There is no doubting that jockey Zac Purton would have been quick to contact Richards and secure the ride aboard GALLANT VALOUR when the entries came out for division one of the Percival Handicap (1.10pm) over the extended mile.
The Australian-bred three-year-old produced an eye-catching performance when trying the extended mile trip for the first time and finished strongly in the closing stages after sitting at the back of the field for the majority of the race due to a wide draw.
This time, with an inside gate three in his favour, he should be ideally positioned along the rail just behind the leaders and ready to pounce and go for glory when turning into the home straight.
POINTERS
Dan Attack 12.40pm Happy Valley
E Universe (e/w) 12.40pm Happy Valley
Gallant Valour 1.10pm Happy Valley