Chariots Of Fire to hard to call

Harness racings big day at Menangle Inter Dominion Final day on Sunday is littered with great races all day and one of the hardest races to pick a winner in is the Chariots Of Fire.

Here is our view of the race runner by runner

Form 700 Chariots Of Fire

1) Mister Jay Cee – Starts – 30 – Wins 10 – Seconds 6 – Thirds 3  –  Stakes $86,850

In good form but a yard behind half a dozen horses here.

Couldn't sprint with Our Sky Major in the Paleface Adios on Saturday night and hard to see how he can turn that around in a week.

Not for us even from the draw.

2) Iam Mr Brightside – Starts – 31 – Wins 12 – Seconds 5 – Thirds 6  –  $135,615

Huge run in the Hondo Grattan behind Bling It On and Messini where he had no luck at all in the straight and flashed late for third after starting from barrier nine.

Likes to follow speed and the quicker they go the better for him.

At least three here better than him but right at the top of his game at the moment which makes him a trifecta and first four player.

3) Bling It On – Starts 43 – Wins 31 – Seconds 8 – Thirds 1  –  Stakes $799,422

He is the favourite and he deserves to be so but he has quite a few runners snapping at his heels.

Won the Hondo Grattan but not as dominant as he should have been given the run he got

He has blinding speed coming off a horses back with one run at them and is best driven that way.

Not quite as dominant when he has to work hard during the running and that makes him vunerable for us unless he gets the run to suit.

4) Alta Jerome – Starts 30 – Wins 11 – Seconds 8 – Thirds 5  –  $97,908

Has been thrown in the deepend since arriving from New Zealand and has been exposed a bit at times.

He does have blinding gate speed and loves to lead but to much class in this field for him to be competitive if he trys to lead all the way here.

We are not sure he would settle even if they did try to take a sit which put us off even more.

Not a first four player for us.

5) Our Sky Major – Starts 35 – Wins 12 – Seconds 7 – Thirds 5  –  Stakes $474,579

Very much like Bling It On in a lot of ways.

He has a lethal sprint coming off a horses back with one run at them but not quite as good when he has to do work in the race.

Loves Australia having only missed a place one in nine starts there and always in the best company.

Bonus for punters is driver Zac Butcher is right in the zone at the moment.

Definite winning chance

6) Isaiah – Starts 13 – Wins 13 – Seconds 5 – Thirds 9  –  Stakes $554,868

Of the three favourites for the race, Isaiah is the opposite to the other two main contenders in that he has an allround game.

Not as lethal with one run at them as the other two but can work really hard in his races and make his own luck and still kick on at the finish.

Has been in sublime form in New Zealand prior to heading to Sydney and Natalie is driving superbly at the moment so he ticks every box for us.

Definite winning chance.

7) El Fuego – Starts 29 – Wins 10 – Seconds 8 – Thirds 2  –  Stakes $92,573  (Emerg 2)

Unlikely to get back into the field but would struggle even if he did in our view.

His last two runs in the Hondo Grattan and the Paleface Adios have been just ok and this field is too rich if you are not at the top of your game and he's not.

Not for us

8) Yankee Rockstar – Starts 18 – Wins 14 – Seconds 1 – Thirds 2  –  $111,920

The big question mark in the race for us.

Only out of the money once in 18 starts but a lot of those runs were not against the quality he is facing here.

He has been very competitive against Bling It On in the past.

Stepped up last time but did draw one on that occasion and just held on but it was a quality field.

Will he take the step up on Sunday is the big unknown.

Not a winning chance for us but a must include for trifectas and first fours

9) All Eyes On Us – Starts 16 – Wins 8 – Seconds 4 – Thirds 1  –  Stakes $148,660

Has only had six runs back from 15 months away from the track.

Tracked Bling It On everywhere in the Hondo Grattan and couldn't take ground off him and although held up a touch in the Paleface Adios he didn't flatter once clear.

Needed to draw close in to be a player for us and from barrier eight we can't see him playing a part.

Not for us.

10) Messini – Starts 15 – Wins 15 – Seconds 8 – Thirds 2  –  Stakes $271,916

This is a horse that if he had drawn better would have been right amongst it.

Much bettor on the pace so worst possible draw for him but he will keep going when others are struggling.

Great run in the Bonanza at Melton where he made up a huge amount of ground in a fast run race and then only went under by a neck to Bling It On in the Hondo Grattan after giving that horse the drag into the race.

His only hope is that they go to war up front and if they do he is a chance to get some of it.

11) Alleluia – Starts 31 – Wins 9 – Seconds 10 – Thirds 3  –  Stakes $161,072  (Emerg 1 )

Going near enough in Queensland before coming to Sydney but his two runs since arriving have been below what he is capable of.

First up he finished fifth in the Hondo Grattan before a very average eighth in the Paleface Adios.

First ballot but if he did make it back into the field, we couldn't have him on form or draw.

Not for us

12) Hector JayJay – Starts 34 – Wins 14 – Seconds – 7 – Thirds 5  –  Stakes $118,787

On the surface his last two runs have been excellent with a close second to Yankee Rockstar at Melton in the 4 year old Bonanza and another close second to Sky Major in the Paleface Adios.

However in both runs he got a great sit close to pace from inside draws and that ain't going to happen on Sunday.

If he had drawn in the first two or three he would have been a trifecta and first four player but from out at ten we struggle to see him playing a major role in this race

Selections

Three horses for us look to an edge in class over the rest and we have had great trouble seperating them.

In the end we went for Isaiah by the merest of margins over Bling It On and Our Sky Major who we couldn't seperate.

The run each receives could well determine the outcome of the race there is so little between them.

For trifectas and first fours we would add in Messini, Yankee Rockstar and Iam Mr Brightside

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