A recent win in a Group 3 sprint at six furlongs and a consistent style of racing near the front give Snapper an excellent chance to win for the third time in his last four starts in the Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday evening.

Snapper seems to like Moonee Valley, which has short stretch of slightly less than a furlong. Snapper has won 4 of 7 starts at Moonee Valley and 6 of 22 starts in his career.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, 29 January, 2023)

A drop in class after a recent sixth-place finish may help Badda Boom Baby win for the second time in her last three starts in a handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Scone Racecourse in Australia on Thursday evening.

Trained by the high-profile stable of Annabel Neasham, Badda Boom Baby won a maiden race for fillies and mares at 6 3/4 furlongs on the infield Beaumont course at Newcastle on Dec. 26, but was only sixth of 10 in a handicap against males at seven furlongs at Kembla Grange on Jan. 14.

The Instructor, a flashy winner of his first start in a maiden race earlier this month, will be a strong favorite to win his stakes debut in the Blue Diamond Preview Stakes at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday evening, provided he can beat 10 rivals including two well-regarded first-time starters.

The Instructor, trained by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, won a five-furlong maiden race by three lengths at Pakenham Racecourse on Jan. 12 as the 9-10 favorite. The Instructor led throughout and ran the final three furlongs in a sharp 34.20 seconds.

Tom Wood:

R1: 3-5-4-11
R2: 7-2-13-10
R3: 3-12-10-9
R4: 9-6-5-4
R5: 3-4-6-1
R6: 1-13-5-11
R7: 7-11-5-1
R8: 1-7-6-4
R9: 6-1-2-4
R10: 2-4-1-10
R11: 1-6-10-5

BEST: R7 N7 JOYFUL GENIUS (WIN)
VALUE: R4 N9 E RAINBOW (EW)
PLAY: R8 QQP 1,6,7

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Mark McNamara:

Classic Deel was eight races into her career in Australia when she was tried at 1 1/4 miles for the first time in a maiden race on Dec. 26. She won on Dec. 26 then won a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Tuncurry Racecourse on Jan. 14.

Classic Deel’s ability at a distance will be tested when she starts in a handicap at 1 5/8 miles for the first time at Gosford Racecourse on Tuesday evening.

She is not alone. The other seven runners are also starting at 1 5/8 miles for the first time.

The 6-year-old Australian mare Make an Effort has won 5 of 43 starts in her career and continues to show sharp form. She finished first and second in consecutive starts a week apart earlier this month.

Those results leave Make an Effort a leading candidate in a handicap at about 5 1/2 furlongs at Moe Racecourse on Monday evening, provided she can beat the upstart 3-year-old filly Soju Session.

With three wins in her first six starts, there were high hopes for Iconic Dame when she returned to racing after a five-month layoff in Australia last month.

The comeback did not go as planned. Iconic Dame finished ninth and sixth in two handicaps at tracks in the Sydney area.

For her third start back, Iconic Dame has a more reasonable assignment – a modest handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Goulburn Racecourse on Sunday evening.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Tuesday, January 24, 2023)

Master of the Seas returned from a nine-month layoff in fine form, winning the Group 2, $180,000 Zabeel Mile on Friday at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. 

William Buick gave Master of the Seas a good trip in this one-turn turf race, sticking him on the fence in the second flight of runners. Buick and Master of the Seas followed the leader, Modern News, into the homestretch, came inside Modern News with 300 meters to run, took a clear lead and had to work a bit to hold clear runner-up Selir by a half-length.