Quality across the card at The Creek

This Saturday night shapes as a super night of action with eight quality races to be decided, no race with more talent on display than the opening race of the night at 5.42pm.

The Ladbrokes Racing Club Qualifying Pace is one of the strongest qualifiers held at headquarters for some time, with five last start winners, a Group 1 winner and a field full of depth.

Dele Row returned from a spell in fine style last time out, finding the front and running his rivals off their legs with a 1.52.4 mile, the closing half of 54.5 putting the race out of reach for the chasing pack.

Despite that win, Pete McMullen has opted to drive Jamaican Rock, a five-year-old trained by Pat Croghan which will enter the race fresh from his first up win in Queensland back in December.

“Probably the barrier draw was the main factor,” McMullen said when outlining the difficult decision in choosing which runner to drive.

Leading throughout and posting a 15-metre margin in that victory, the A Rocknroll Dance gelding scorched his last half in splits of 26.6 and 27 flat.

Jamaican Rock

Trialing on January 21, the gelding hit the line strongly behind Sheza Bonny Sheila, the last quarter of that hit out run in a slick 26.5 seconds.

“I think he is a horse that is going to go a fair way, he has really good high speed and I think he is on the way up,” McMullen said.

The Mighty Sully has looked to have his share of ability in three starts in Queensland, the past two when sweeping a NR75 heat and final series.

Producing a career PB with his 1.51.2 heat win, the five-year-old held off a fast-finishing Cheer Leader in the final, taking his record to five wins from just 12 career starts.

This will be his biggest test since arriving in the Sunshine State, a test made no easier by drawing awkwardly in gate five.

Throw in Group 1 winner Bronski Zulu, the ever-consistent Luvbite and 13-time winner Betting Origin and this should be one cracking contest.

Miki Magic

The mares open is another race that should be a great contest with five last start winners and a further three that were winners two starts ago.

Again, Pete McMullen had a tough choice to make, with Rylee Rhayne Bow, Thesunandthemoon and Miki Magic all winning last week and all three were driven by McMullen.

With a soft spot for dual Group 1 winner Rylee Rhayne Bow and impressed by stable newcomer Thesunandthemoon, McMullen still decided on Miki Magic as his drive.

“As far as Miki Magic, she has a few tricks which is the reason why I have gone her way.

“I would have loved to be driving either of the other two mares, they are both classy mares and they are both going to be hard to beat this week,” he said.

Sheza Bonny Sheila resumes from a spell for trainer Barb Barry, with that mare prepping for the first up assignment with a slick trial, highlighted by a 26.5 last 400 split.

“I was extremely happy with how she trialled, especially the last quarter and Matty didn’t even turn the whip,” Barry said.

“She came home, knocked all her feed over and running around the yard next day like she hadn’t even been there, so I was very happy with the trial.”

Starting from barrier four, the mare last raced back in September when scoring a dominant win against ‘the boys’ over the 2138 metre trip.

This will be a big test for the classy seven-year-old, but the strength of that trial can be measured earlier in the night, with Jamaican Rock which finished second to Sheza Bonny Sheila contesting race one.

Not As Promised will continue his current campaign when he contests race seven, the Pryde’s Easifeed Trotters Discretionary, with the Graham Dwyer trained five-year-old to start from the front tape and looking the one to beat.

In the Wolf Signs Open, Trent Dawson’s stable star- For Real Life- resumes for his first appearance as a five-year-old.

Shut down following his Triad victory in August, he has been driven off cover in a pair of trials, the moist recent where he was strong to the line chasing Wisper A Secret.

The dual Group 1 winner will start from barrier four and despite being driven conservatively in both trials, looks likely to find the front, with the evergreen Northview Hustler in gate one set to stalk the speed.

Race One is set to jump at 5.42pm.

BEST BETS

Chris Barsby

R6 N5 Cosmic Flyer – Off the back of what he did last week, I see no reason why he can’t win again. He is chasing three in a row, going back-to-back here at Albion Park.”

Darren Clayton

R5 N1 Borsellino – “Too slick last start when sitting behind the leader, the set up of this race looks a carbo copy arrangement. He can tuck in, wait for the gap to open in the stretch and The Postman can deliver.”