In Brief
- Mare takes good trial form into first-up assignment.
- Kwai has won first-up twice in three preps.
- Gaffney has three in the race.
TALENTED mare Kwai looks set to make a winning return to racing when she takes on a modest field in a benchmark 74 handicap over 1150 metres in Devonport on Sunday.
Kwai has not started since early February when second in a strong benchmark 74 event over 1220m in Launceston, but she goes into Sunday’s assignment on the back of a solid second in a trial behind stablemate Deroche in Devonport just over two weeks ago.
The five-year-old has a great first-up record having won twice at her first attempt from three preparations and she is a three-time winner over the trip.
The Leanne Gaffney-trained mare has drawn barrier eight in a field of nine, but she has enough early brilliance to either find the lead or sit outside of the leader that looks to be GeeGee Trendsetter that has drawn gate one.
Gaffney, who has fired out of the gates in the first month of the new season with nine winners from only 16 starters for a strike rate of 56 per cent, has two other acceptors, Cranbrook and promising mare Miss Excess.
Cranbrook won first-up in a benchmark 74 on 26 July and two weeks ago he was ninth of 10 in an open handicap (1150m) but finished only 2.75 lengths from the winner O’Lonh Star.
The consistent sprinter has been freshened up by a trip to Armidale for four days and must be respected while Miss Excess resumes from an eight-week break and rises sharply in grade.
Miss Excess won first-up for Gaffney from an almost two-year break, taking out a benchmark 60 with authority but this looks a tough an assignment for the seven-year-old daughter of Kaphero.
The Scott Brunton-trained Words of Pride Ran home well to grab third behind Cranbrook five weeks ago at what was her first run since late February and will have benefitted greatly from the outing.
The Team Wells-trained Gee Gee Double Dee is the best credentialed in the race, but she was handicapped accordingly with 63kg, although the seven-year-old mare will be aided by a three-kilogram claim for apprentice Peter Lui.
Watch Kwai finish second in a trial behind Deroche on 12 August.