Greg Polson Preview and top three bets for Port Macquarie

Greg Polson - Friday October 6

The winning strike rate of trainer Tim Martin is hard to ignore when he takes horses to Port Macquarie.

Advertisement

Martin hasn't been a regular visitor to Port Macquarie over the years but with a winning strike rate of 36 percent at the Mid North Coast circuit punters can bet with confidence on Martin-trained gallopers and two of his runners feature in our best bets on Friday with the benchmark handicap ratings giving us a strong pointer in the Cup.

YESTERYEAR (Race 1 No 13)

A fourth at Wyong finishing just over a length from the winner should be a strong form reference for a country maiden and that's the case with the Martin-trained Yesteryear in the Oxyoptia CG&E Maiden Plate (1200m).

After being well beaten at Kembla on debut Yesteryear improved considerably at Wyong finishing his race off nicely over the concluding stages and still has plenty of scope for improvement at his third career start.

Yesteryear gets a positive jockey change with Tye Angland on board and looks set for a maiden career win getting all the favours in running from barrier four.

LADY I AM (Race 2 No 11)

It's another positive jockey change on Yesteryear's stablemate Lady I Am with Andrew Adkins taking the ride in the JR Richards & Sons F&M Maiden Plate (1200m).

Lady I Am has been competitive in each of her three starts to date culminating in a runner-up finish at Goulburn last start after settling back in the field.

Lady I Am led at Taree two runs back before finishing just over two-lengths form the winner so has the early speed to be more forward in the run jumping from barrier two on Friday.

The step up to 1200m gives Lady I Am the chance to go one better.

LOVING HOME (Race 7 No 1)

Chris Waller nominated five runners for the days feature, the $150,000 2017 Carlton Draught Port Macquarie Cup (2000m) and accepted with Loving Home and Alward and with the latter being scratched there is a strong lead for the last start Ipswich winner Loving Home to be ridden by Tye Angland.

At first glance, Loving Home looked disadvantaged at acceptance time with the weights raised 2kg.

With the remainder of the field already on the minimum 54kg Loving Home was the only horse whose weight was raised but still looks well weighted compared to most of the field.

Using the NSW Benchmark Handicap Rating as a guide, early favourite the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Social Element with a 71 rating versus 84 for Loving Home should be receiving 6.5kg from the Waller galloper with only Sofin and Brazen on a level playing field.

Loving Home returned to winning form at Ipswich last start and looks set for back to back wins on Friday.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Third Group 1 Victory For Zoustar’s Sensational Joliestar
Cambridge Stud's outstanding Zoustar mare Joliestar was simply sensational, charging late to win the $1m BRC Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm, her third Group 1 victory.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 7
Here is the full list of 123 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Cosmic Fire a New SW for Cosmic Force
Sunshine Coast trainer Billy Healey was thrilled to have a stakes-winner on a big carnival day at Eagle Farm with his talented Cosmic Force three year-old gelding Cosmic Fire soaring to new heights when taking out the $200,000 Listed BRC Queensland Day Stakes (1200m).
Group 1 Queensland Oaks For So You Think's You Wahng
With form around some of the best 3yo staying fillies in the country, the Kris Lees trained You Wahng was too strong, winning the $700,000 Group 1 BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm.
Kicked out of Australia - Jan Brueghel Wins G1 Coronation
The horse kicked out of Australia last spring as not having suitable scans to race in the Melbourne Cup, Jan Brueghel showed just what we missed out on seeing when taking out the Group I Betfred Coronation Cup (1m4f) at Epsom overnight.
First Group Victory For $3.5m Earner Front Page
Having raced at Flemington, Rosehill and Ascot at his last three starts, the Matthew Dale trained Front Page travelled to his fourth different state in as many starts, winning the $300,000 G2 BRC Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm.
Bold Maison Louis Resolute In Queensland Derby
The training partnership of John O’Shea and Tom Charlton continues to flourish as evidenced by a stable quinella in Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) as Maison Louis defeated King Of Thunder in a perfect result for the Sydney trainers.
Capitalist Colt Records Back To Back Wins
Off the back of an explosive victory last time out at Hawkesbury when breaking his maiden by just shy of four lengths, Nathan Doyle’s Hidden Motive (Capitalist) justifiably jumped the short-priced favourite in the $160,000 Precise Air Handicap (1100m) at Randwick.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.