Lievore has had two strong races over a mile and seems ready for a longer distance. Two races ago, she showed she might prefer more distance when she placed at Sandown on a heavy track. In her last race, she made a big comeback after a slow start at The Valley. Despite a wide starting position, she’s racing well, and if she starts on time, she should be competitive, especially since she’s racing in a lower class.
Groundrush is a solid each-way chance as he returns to race at BM70 level. Last time out, he struggled in a tough Group 3 race at Randwick, starting from a difficult position.However, he’s capable of running well over this shorter distance and should be more mature as a gelding now. While he’ll likely prefer a longer race, a Top 3 finish is definitely possible.
Varane had some challenges on a heavy track at Seymour after a four-week break. Although starting from a wide gate is a concern, he benefits from a 3kg claim and could improve on a dry track. Both of his career wins have been over 1300m, and if he can settle early and finish strong, he could be a contender in this open race.
Zou Sensation is stepping up significantly to 1400m in his second race back. The Zoustar gelding didn’t perform as expected on a very heavy track at Flemington, but still finished respectably, just 3.5 lengths behind. He’s shown he’s capable at this stage of his prep, and if he can manage the extra 2kgs, this race should be a bit easier for him.