BY JIMMIE, Star Racing Writer
ONE OF THE most competitive events on tomorrow's programme must be the 1400-metre 10th race for older non-winners-of-three, a rematch featuring PRIOR PARK and PECKUS OUT, who were both disqualified after passing the post first and second respectively at 1200 metres on January 6.
Add to the mix HAIL THE I, who got squeezed for space between a weakening RIGMAROLE and PRIOR PARK shades from the wire in the same event, and a heck of a race should be in store.
However, it is POLISH MARKET, drawn at post position 14 in the 15-horse field, who gets the nod.
The Noel Ennevor-trained filly last raced on Christmas eve, finishing five and a quarter lengths seventh behind the sprinters HAFIFA, SAYONARA and old rival ASTRO CRUNCH at 1200 metres, a distance definitely short of her best trip.
In addition, Ennevor had fitted the filly with uncustomary blinkers and removed her figure-eight, without which she had not raced in eight previous starts, winning twice along the way.
With the blinkers off and stretched out at seven furlongs with her figure-eight refitted, POLISH MARKET looks set to confirm her dominance over PECKUS OUT and PRIOR PARK, horses who she had left behind when graduating from non-winners-of-two with an easy win at 1820 metres last October.
Coming in with only 53.0 kilos to PECKUS OUT and PRIOR PARK's 56.0, POLISH MARKET should stalk from her outside draw down the backstretch before making her move from the half-mile.
PECKUS OUT is a strong finisher but could have problems from post position one, especially with the speedsters, RAGING STORM and RIGMAROLE, drawn right alongside him and expected to crowd the rail.
Gary Subratie's HAIL THE I has a good draw but has found the gelding PRIOR PARK, also well drawn, too tough in driving finishes.
However, POLISH MARKET always had PRIOR PARK behind at a mile when beaten by DON'T STAY NAKED last September. He outfinished her by a short head in their next race because Ennevor's filly had a rough trip and had to be taken out wide off the home turn by Paul Francis at 1400 metres.
JACKPOTS AT $1.5M
SHADEKAY at odds of 6-1 and 10-1 shot HARMONICS in the fifth, took out all Pick-9 bets hunting the $1million guaranteed jackpot on Saturday. However, there were two winning Super-6 combinations, each picking up more than $450,000 each, sending that jackpot back to $500,000.
THREE GOOD FRIENDS must be given every chance to outsprint expected favourite HEAD OF STATE in the second event, the Pick-9 opener, after leading LITTLE ANTHONY into the lane and chasing to the final furlong at 1100 metres last time out.
Speedy REJECT and visor-fitted, lasix-treated MARINERO are Pick-9 bankers for the third and fourth races and Super-6 bettors can depend on QUEEN OF MY HEART and down in class KEELER to land the sixth and seventh races respectively.
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