38 runners will descend on The Gardens on Friday night for the heats of the $250,000 Ladbrokes 715. Here’s who you should back in each of the preliminaries and why:
Magpie Hector (4) picks himself. He’s a three-time Group 1 winning stayer already this year. He’s fresh off a dominant Association Cup series win and Country Classic placing. And if that wasn’t enough, he ran 28.94 in a 515m trial at The Gardens last week (French Martini’s track record is 28.96). The 715 was one race that eluded champion Palawa King but Jack Smith take it out with Magpie Hector. Goldstar Prada (8) won The Clarence in March and beat home the likes of Tempting Dash, Goldmine Fire and Apache Tiger. Bombed the start in the Newcastle Cup but should improve second up at the track. She’s Peakin’ (7) had a crack at the Country Classic as well and was 4.25 lengths off eventual winner Nangar Polly in the heats. She’s been smashing through the line at The Q over 600m and looks ready to step up in trip. And Power Squeeze (2) is the new kid on the block but is showing immense potential. Will have to come from way back and with only nine starts, he’s probably still a few months away from competing at this level.
Mepunga Lara (7) is my best bet on the card. She won the Group 1 Galaxy in March before running three beauties at Wentworth Park. She ran third to Magpie Hector in the final of the Association Cup (3.5 lengths) but her time of 41.76 would be competitive in any staying feature at the track over the past few years. Plenty of early pace in this heat so I’m hoping she gets into clear air behind them and can zap them late. Vodka And Ice (3) was a deserving and dominant winner of the Newcastle Cup last week. He shot to the front from an inside draw and it was a case of sustained speed. Won’t be able to cross Nangar Polly so might have to work too hard for too long to hold off Mepunga Lara. Ayden’s Warrior (5) ran third in the Newcastle Cup and with he’s been a great chaser for the Lord kennel. Will have to sit behind the early pace but with a Summer Distance Plate win and multiple G1 runner-up finishes to his name over 700m, he’ll stay all day. And Nangar Polly (2) will lead for a long time I reckon. Country Classic winner stretched out over 600m at Dubbo with style but with no starts since, she might get gobbled up by the superior staying cohort behind her.
Zipping Mooney (1) was a bold leader for 700m of the Association Cup before Magpie Hector swooped and took out the Group 1 feature. She went to the Newcastle Cup lastweek and missed the start from a bad draw and it was all over for her. She gets Box 1 on Friday night and if she can bounce out like she did two weeks ago, she could surprise them again. Electrify (2) is the big danger based off his last start effort at Sandown. He ran 41.33 which was about two lengths off Here’s Tears track record set in 2020. For more context, Without A Trace won the G1 Bold Trease in November in 41.50. It was only his second staying start for Greg Doyle and he hasn’t run since so let’s see what he can produce. Texas President (3) also brings interstate formlines to the series after winning the Galaxy Consolation in March and running second to Iron Works in the G3 Miata last start at Cannington. And Fade To Black (8) is a littermate to Late Night News and Vodka And Ice. He won the Gold Cup at The Q in February before finishing second to Magpie Hector in the Zoom Top final nine days later. Finished well down the track in the Association Cup heats but is better than that.
Three months ago, Without A Trace (7) was undoubtedly the best stayer in the country. Now the jury is out after failing in both the Country Classic final and Association Cup heats. I’m forgiving both runs as the Country Classic final postponement might have derailed her campaign. Box 7 in this field is interesting because I’m not sure she can lead Joanne but she could get a cart into the race on the back of that speedster. She’s a star and I think she prevails. Urbanity (2) just needs to jump. She showed what she’s capable of in her Wenty Park effort on April 4 when she sprung to the front and led them for a long time. She did the same in the Galaxy Consolation and is boxed to be prominent early. The Gardens favours on pace runners and I like her chances. Joanne (5) is on trial at the trip but she should lead. Her last few efforts over 600m at Richmond have indicated her future might be over the middle distance or further, but I think she’s still a run or two short for this sort of race. And Soiree (8) ran second in the Newcastle Cup albeit 9.25 lengths off Vodka And Ice. Her form at The Q over 710m has been rock strong and she’s a chance to qualify for the final as well.
Starfire Tears (2) might be the best of the Queenslanders as they try to win this series for the third straight time, but it’s a pretty even bunch. She started in NSW with Micky Ivers before ending up with Tim Britton and has solid form around Soiree and Goldstar Prada. Finished last in a hot edition of the Gold Cup in February (first four were Fade To Black, Without A Trace, Magpie Hector and Zipping Xaden) and will need to hold a spot near the fence early on. Zig Zag Man (4) could be primed for this race…then again he might not be. Syd Swain has always believed he’s a stayer and I’ve lost count of the amount of ‘flashing light’ runs he’s had to back that up. He ran third in the Easter Egg (520m) behind Off The Chart and now he has to jump back up in trip despite having no staying runs since January. If he can sneak into the final, he’ll be better for the run. Pepe Morada (6) was burning around 720m at Wenty Park late last year with two breathtaking wins in 41.60 and 41.77. World was at her paws before spending the last four months off the track. Big opinion of her but how fit is she? And Tempting Dash (5) is a Bogie Leigh Futurity winner and Country Classic finalist, trying to extend her brilliance to 715m for the first time. Was a short-priced favourite for The Clarence in March and could surprise.
The winner of each heat and the three fastest seconds will advance to the $250,000 Ladbrokes 715 final on May 1.
