Group 1 $150,000 4YO Diamond

Harness racings big day (Harness Jewels) is rapidly approaching next Saturday (May 30th) at Ashburton and we thought we would do a runner by runner preview of each division 

Here is our preview of the Group 1 $150,000 4YO Diamond for 4YO mares.

 

1) Lancewood Lizzie  –  (Bettor's Delight – Kamwood Elsie by Falcon Seelster)  

Starts: 28    Wins: 11    Secs: 2    Thirds: 4    Life: $134,986

Smart mare with great gate speed who will lead early from here and then gets to choose who to hand up to.

We are picking there will be plenty of pressure mid race so she will take a trail behind a couple here as she is better saved for one run at them.

Draw makes her a major player.

Include in everything

 

2) Cala  –  (Art Major – Lisistar by Holmes Hanover)

Starts: 41    Wins:10   Secs: 8    Thirds: 2    Life: $244,247

Smart Aussie raider who could make things interesting if she has a serious look for the front.

Has a good all round game so can work in her races and still kick home.

Draw makes her a player here.

Trifecta and first four player for us

 

3) Lucia Bromac  –  (McArdle – Lite Polaris by Badlands Hanover)

Starts: 30    Wins: 7     Secs: 2    Thirds: 1    Life: $31,808

Speedy mare who has done a great job this season for Brent Weaver

However this looks a little tough for her and we struggle to see her being a first four player.

Not for us

 

4) Al Raza  –  (Gotta Go Collect – Al Zahra by Mach Three)

Starts: 24    Wins: 9   Secs: 3    Thirds: 3    Life: $66,236

Very under-rated mare who has had a great season and with nine wins on the board, she deserves a bit of respect.

Hard to see her toppling a couple here but wouldn't surprise us if she snuck into the first four.

Include in trifecta's and first fours

 

5) Gracious Star  –  (Real Desire – Nurseme Pocket by In The Pocket)

Starts: 15    Wins: 4    Secs: 4    Thirds: 1    Life: $23,983

Smart mare in a rich vein of form but this race is a huge step up.

Needs to be driven for one run at them and hope for a bit of luck.

We still struggle to see her in four.

Not for us 

 

6) Leigh Major  –  (Art Major – My Sharona by Badlands Hanover)

Starts: 26    Wins: 4    Secs: 4    Thirds: 5    Life: $27,036

Another mare who has compiled a tidy record this season.

The mile will suit but the strength of the field makes this a tough ask.

We struggle to see her as a first four player.

Not for us. 

 

7) Delightful Dash  –  (Lis Mara – Coming Up Roses by Holmes Hanover)

Starts: 30    Wins: 8     Secs: 8    Thirds: 6    Life: $66,253

Another mare who has tended to sneak under the radar at times but has a wonderful record and not completely out of this race.

If she had drawn in closer we would have had her as a must include in trifectas and first fours.

Draw makes her a rough first four chance for us.

 

8) Sell A Bit –  (Julius Caesar– Nomorenuki by Live Or Die)

Starts: 33    Wins: 9     Secs: 6    Thirds: 6    Life: $63,368

Brent White has done a great job with this mare who has compiled a great record especially over a mile.

Won in 1:54.1 at Winton from the outside of the second row after doing a power of work so not a forlorn chance here.

Another mare who if she had drawn better would have had a huge chance of running in four.

Draw makes her a rough first four player for us

 

9) Change Time  –  (Christian Cullen – Chaangerr by Vance Hanover)

Starts: 32    Wins: 6     Secs: 4    Thirds: 4    Life: $64,582

Went through a purple patch earlier in the season but her form seems to have plateaued in her last few starts.

Hasn't started for nearly two months and has only had one workout last Wednesday at Rangoria to fit her for this.

Draw and lack of racing makes this a tough assignment in our book.

Not for us

                                                   SECOND LINE

 

10) Sweet Art  –  (Art Major – Cruzee Lass by Christen Cullen)

Starts: 44    Wins: 6   Secs: 7    Thirds: 8    Life: $59,284

Talanted sit and sprint mare who has drawn to get a cosy trip on the inner.

A couple here look too smart but if she got a soft enough run she could sneak into the first four.

An outside first four player for us

 

11) C A Penny   –  (Pay Me Christen – Julianne Bromac by Badlands Hanover)  (Emerg 1)

Starts: 17    Wins: 4    Secs: 1    Thirds: 1    Life: $18,719

Has struck a purple patch of form since changing stables in March with four wins and two placings in just six starts.

However they have all been in the Central Districts against fields nothing like this one.

Not for us

 

12) Willow  –  (Bettor's Delight – Listen To The Rhythm by In The Pocket)

Starts: 19    Wins: 9     Secs: 4    Thirds: 3    Life: $208,665

High class mare who is right in the zone at the moment.

Her workout yesterday at Ashburton where she made up a lot of ground on a 25.8 quarter to run third shows she is spot on for next Saturday.

Drawn to follow out Cala so should get a lovely run through.

Big winning chance and include in everything.

 

13) Venus Serena  –  (Mach Three – Inspiring Dash by Falcon Seelster)

Starts: 28    Wins: 16     Secs: 1    Thirds: 3    Life: $764,544

Champion two and three year old who has been given a quiet season at four by Geoff Dunn in the hope she will shine at five and older.

Has had her share of niggles this season as well but looked very much like the Venus Serena of old at last Tuesdays Ashburton trials where she ran the 2400 metres in 2:56.5 with the last quarter in a brisk 26.5 and really pleased her driver John Dunn.

Loves this track and will be put in the race so a huge chance of winning this.

Include in everything.

 

14) Sheeza Shark  –  (Four Starzzz Shark – Altruistic by Il Vicolo)

Starts: 24    Wins: 7     Secs: 5    Thirds: 4    Life: $55,709

Very promising mare who has done a great job this season and deserves her spot here.

Draw is a killer when she has to give an advantage to mares like Willow and Venus Serena.

Would need so much to go her way to be a major player for us.

Outside first four player at best for us.

SELECTIONS

For us class is permanent and that is why we have gone for Venus Serena as our top pick.

She may not have had the stellar season many expected but she has been looked after with a view to the long term and her trial run last Tuesday looked like the real Venus Serana to us.

Willow is the clear second pick for us and a real danger to Venus Serena.

You can't fault her race form and her workout run yesterday was super.

Lancewood Lizzie is a clear third pick for us from the draw and could trouble the two favourites with a run to suit.

To fill out those first fours throw in Cala, Al Raza, Delighful Dash, Sell A Bit and Sheeza Shark.

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