The strength of the Sydney two-year-old ranks will undergo another stern test at Randwick when two youngsters with strong Melbourne formlines take on the locals.
Godolphin colt Paulele has opened favourite for Saturday’s Precise Air Handicap (1200m) off the back of a commanding debut performance at Moonee Valley when he attacked the line with gusto to score.
The all-conquering Maher and Eustace team is also back in town, a week after claiming the Inglis Nursery with impressive colt Acrobat.
While Acrobat came through their Sydney stable, the Victorian-based training partners have enjoyed success when they have travelled their youngsters, winning last month’s Golden Gift with Sneaky Five following her debut victory in Melbourne.
Their latest raider, The Art Of Flying, has form around his stakes-winning stablemate, finishing runner-up to Sneaky Five at Moonee Valley before a last-start placing in the Merson Cooper Stakes at Sandown.
He is being kept safe in early markets and is on the third line of TAB fixed odds betting at $7.
Hoping to stop the visitors will be Peter and Paul Snowden who saddle up two runners, first starter Forzanini and Belle O’Ballee.
Raced by Torryburn Stud, Forzanini is by the Snowdens’ Group One winner Pride Of Dubai and has placed in her only two barrier trial appearances.
Peter Snowden describes her as a professional youngster and she has drawn to get a cosy run from barrier four.
“She is a very genuine filly and I quite like her,” Snowden said.
“She’s got a good attitude in her work and the Pride Of Dubai stock are going quite OK.
“We will just see how much rain we have. If it’s heavy we wouldn’t run her. But she is a nice little filly.”
Belle O’Ballee has the advantage of race experience, finishing third on debut at Canberra and seventh to Acrobat at Randwick last weekend.
She got back in the field on a day that was favouring on-pace runners and Snowden was satisfied with the performance.
“Her run wasn’t bad the other day, she just got squeezed up a couple of times and got a bit too far back,” he said.
“The extra 200 metres will certainly help her chances. She was good late.”
Belle O’Ballee is a $23 chance with Forzanini the more fancied of the pair at $14.
