Loucasso. Photo by Loveridge Digital
Barrier draws look set to play a key role in each of the feature races at the Bathurst Gold Crown meeting on Saturday night.
The horse drawn on the pegs has opened an early favourite in three of the four Gold finals, with the pole-sitter second favourite in the other.
That comes in the night's feature, the Group 1 Bathurst Gold Crown where Rewatch has the ace draw and is an early $2.70 second favourite with the TAB behind boom Victorian Loucasso ($2.30).
Rewatch is a promising colt who has come from a few spots wider to lead and win both starts to date, impressing in last week's heat when drawing right away late.
He is on the up and has the gate speed to take advantage of the draw so could be hard to catch again.
Unbeaten Victorian Loucasso draws on the inside of the second line again after coming from there in the heats, stalking the leader and unleashing a devastating turn-of-foot along the sprint lane to win impressively.
He draws to employ a similar tactic and looks very dangerous.
The chances of You Gotta Believe were dealt a blow with the second row draw but he was impressive last week, leading and drawing away to make it two from two. He is a player with even luck.
A Buck Ten produced a big effort for fourth from the outside barrier in the Sapling Stakes two back then overcame another wide draw to win his heat. Cops a tricky draw again but expect him to play a role.
Message Bank is open to improvement off the debut win from a similar draw last week.
Several impressive performances in last week's fillies' heats sees the Group 1 Gold Tiara as an open affair but Luke McCarthy's Discernment has been handed an ace card courtesy of the pole draw.
She created a big buzz with an impressive debut win in the heats, showing good gate speed from a couple of spots wider to lead and dominate by 12.5m.
Discernment should only be better for the experience and has the pace to take advantage of the inside draw so could be hard to get past.
Captain Jazz draws on Discernment's back and is two from two at Bathurst, impressing from the front when cruising home by 17m in her heat. Should enjoy a soft run and could prove dangerous late.
Ripples cops the outside barrier but also came from wide when kicking off her career with a dominant win. She looks a big talent so the barrier may not be enough to stop her.
Stablemate Willows Girl cops a second row barrier but she too looks smart having won easily last week while fellow debut winner Sparkling Sea is another that could take the next step after racing parked but proving too strong in the heats.
There is a sense of timing about Its Confidential in the Group 2 Gold Chalice Final having gone through his four-start preparation unbeaten.
He did some work from a wide barrier in his heat but proved too good for an accomplished rival, taking his perfect record at the distance to five. The low draw could see him do it again.
Hesitate has galloped early a couple of times this campaign so the inside draw has the potential to be a headache but he showed what he can do with a dominant performance in the heats. If he gets it right he'll be hard to stop.
Mac Bon did some work from a wide barrier on Monday but drew away late. He is a reliable colt who can make an impact from a good draw.
Fox Dan had to dig deep to win his heat but that made it three from three at Bathurst including last year's Gold Crown. He draws wider but his record is hard to knock while Jacks Ultimate Fury came from a wider barrier on Monday and dropped his rivals late.
Soho Americano gets every chance to add to a winning streak after coming up with the one marble in the Group 2 Gold Bracelet Final.
She is flying having made it five in a row when proving too good in her heat, coming from a wider barrier to get home by 5m after beating several of Saturday's main rivals when she won the G3 Raith Memorial at Menangle two back.
Sugar Pie Honey has really come on since her fresh placing behind Soho Americano in the Raith, beating the boys at Menangle in her next outing before a dominant heat win by close to 19m on Monday. That saw her unbeaten over the distance at Bathurst so rates as a huge threat.
Gunna Reload did a good job to overcame a wide barrier when winning her heat. She draws on the back row but won her only third-up attempt so can progress further.
