Shine Like It Does performed well in her last race at Wyong, leading most of the way and only getting passed in the final strides after a four-week break. The Churchill mare is likely to improve with a shorter break this time and might prefer the dry conditions. With a good draw and a slight drop in distance, she should be close to her first win soon.
Copacabana seems like a strong bet for Thursday. The Hawkes-trained son of Toronado won his maiden at Newcastle last month, finishing strongly under Reece Jones. They team up again for his third run, and he’s set to get a good ride just behind the pace, with favorable conditions.
Highborn Harry fought hard to place in his last race after staying close to the pace. David Payne’s gelding finished strongly on the outside, stepping up in distance after a 1300m run at Rosehill. Now third-up and fit, he’ll tackle 2000m for the first time with Dylan Gibbons, who is experienced in the saddle. If they can be a bit more patient, they should be in contention.
Explosive Torpido was in good form but had some bad luck in her last race from a wide draw. The Supido mare won her maiden impressively at Newcastle over 900m, showing she had more to offer under Alysha Collett. With a better draw this time, she has a good chance to bounce back by getting a nice run behind the leaders.