A good track to suit Ramornie Handicap favourite Mogador

A good 4 rated track will suit easing favourite Mogador in the Listed $160,000 Crowe Horwath Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton today.

Mogador, above royal blue colours, will appreciate the dry track for the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton. Photo by Photo by Daniel Costello.

Mogador, above royal blue colours, will appreciate the dry track for the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton. Photo by Photo by Daniel Costello.

Mogador stills holds the top spot in the Ramornie Handicap market order with Ladbrokes.com.au at $4.80 after easing slightly from $4.50 early in the week.

The Lonhro three year old has won two races from eleven starts, one on the good and one on the soft, but trainer John O’Shea believes the colt is better suited on the top of the ground.

“He is at his best on a dry track, the firmer the better,” O’Shea said.

Mogador will jump from barrier four in the capacity sixteen horse field with Sydney based jockey Brenton Avdulla taking over from Robbie Fradd who was aboard last start when the three year old ran third to Ramornie Handicap second favourite Into The Red in the Group 3 $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on June 25.

Mogador drew barrier one in the Healy Stakes and was clearly disadvantaged on the inside of the track that was racing much slower than the outside and Fradd was stuck on the worse part of the track, unable to find the better going out wide.

Back to a good track and hopefully an even racing surface, Avdulla should be able to give Mogador every chance.

Mogador has been racing consistently of late and two starts back was beaten a nose when second to Kamacite in the Listed $100,000 Suez Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) at Doomben May 28.

Trainer Kelso Wood thinks that Into The Red should be hard to beat again after coming through his Healy Stakes win in fine order.

“It was a good strong win,” Wood told The Daily Examiner.

“And he’s pulled up good.”

“He’s really good at the moment. He’s ticked over well since the Healy. I’m happy with him.”

“It wasn’t until after he won the Healy that we really considered the Ramornie.”

“It would certainly be a nice race to win.”

Into The Red has won two of his three starts this campaign and as well as winning the Healy Stakes, scored a first up win in the Listed $100,000 Bribie Handicap (1050m) at Doomben on April 20.

At his other recent start the five year old finished fifth to Executed in the Listed $100,000 AMGROW Lightning Handicap (1050m) at Doomben on June 8.

Rookie senior rider Luke Dittman has been aboard Into The Red at his three Winter Carnival starts and is aboard again and will be able to give the gelding the run of the race from barrier two.

Into The Red is holding onto the number two spot in the market order at $5.50 just ahead of Mount Nebo at $7 and the Tony Gollan trained firmer Tina Melina at $8.

Ramornie Handicap market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.80 Mogador, $5.50 Into The Red, $7 Mount Nebo, $8 Tina Melina, $9 Big Money, $10 Executed, $11 Steel Zip, $12 Rock Royalty, $14 Hardline, $18 Office Bearer, $19 Echo Gal, $20 Smart Volatility, $21 Decision Time, $51 Slots, $61 Power Receiver, $101 Finishing Card.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.