Blackwood winning the 2015 Burgess Queen Stakes
Expected weather: Showers, possible storm 18 degrees Celsius
Expected track rating: Soft 6
Rail position: 9m
Race 3: 1:44 The Gate Bar Leading Rider 2017/18 Handicap (2,100m) – Bet with TABtouch
5 BLACKWOOD (TABtouch opening price: 7.00)
Blackwood will not have won for 658 days when she jumps from the Belmont Park barriers on Saturday but she was quite unlucky not to go close in a similar race two weeks ago, failing to see daylight for most of the lengthy straight.
Triumphant in the Burgess Queen Stakes before finishing fifth in the 2015 editions of the Sky Racing-WA Guineas and the TABtouch-Kingston Town Classic, Blackwood has not celebrated victory since taking out the aforementioned Listed race over 1,400m at Ascot Racecourse two years ago but she could be about to break her long run of outs.
Watch Blackwood finish fourth over 2,000m at Belmont Park on Saturday 5 August
Race 7: 4:15 WA Bookmakers Association Leading Apprentice 2017/18 Handicap (1,650m) – Bet with TABtouch
8 UNIVERSAL LAW (TABtouch opening price: 7.50)
Universal Law won each of his three races before finishing sixth and seventh respectively in the 2015 runnings of the Fairetha Stakes and the Sky Racing-WA Guineas. Generally a short-priced commodity, he has disappointed many punters over the course of his career but he represents a solid each-way chance in Saturday’s penultimate race.
Sixteen hundred metres may be the key to Universal Law, which explains why he let down his supporters over 1,200m at Belmont Park two weeks ago. He handles rain-affected ground and second up he steps up to his optimum trip.
Watch Universal Law finish seventh over 1,200m at Belmont Park on Saturday 5 August
Race 8: 4:50 Inglis Bloodstock Leading Trainer 2017/18 Handicap (1,300m) – Bet with TABtouch
7 PINZU (TABtouch opening price: 8.00)
Pinzu was too bad to be true on his last competitive outing when he finished a well beaten 14th of 16 behind Material Man over 1,600m at Ascot Racecourse in March. The Durrant and Miller camp advised stewards that it felt that the gelding had come to the end of his preparation, which is trainer speak for he had raced while daydreaming about a lush paddock.
It is probably wiser to judge Pinzu on his Ascot Racecourse runs in January rather than his absolute stinker in March.
Watch Pinzu finish second over 930m at Lark Hill on Monday 31 July