Winning Post-1200m: Easter returns to the traditional home at Oakbank for racing on Saturday and Monday, with good fields and plenty of interest with Carnival runners resuming or getting into their preps for next month. Blue skies overhead on Thursday were a good sign and hopefully the good weather will continue over the Easter weekend. The track walks in the Good range, with the surface cut on Thursday, ensuring that fast times will be run if a Good track is unaffected by some forecast showers in the next day or two. Although there is some markings and minor wear from track gallops earlier this week, the turf coverage is solid and horses will mark the track throughout, given the shorter cut. Walked a Good 4, heading towards a Good 3.
1200m-800m: Coverage is strong through here with only minor wear spread evenly across the track to the three wide line, from barrier trials at the end of March. Walks into the ‘4’ range and depending on the weather, will be able to take some rain in the next few days if it comes.
800m-400m: This section heads towards and then includes the downhill run from the 600m and around the home turn. The inside two horses, on the fence and one off will hold together for the first few races then will start to mark up, particularly with rain if it comes. By halfway through the program, the inside lanes will deteriorate and you may see jockeys starting to look to the three wide line and wider to make their runs. Walks in the Good 3-4 range.
400m-Winning Post: The track walks evenly in the straight and is expected to race well. Horses that come off the bend may end up towards the crown of the track in the middle, however it won’t surprise to see the fence also produce some winners. It walked a ‘Good 4’ as well but a touch firmer near the winning post, than other sections. Coverage is consistently good in the straight as anywhere else.
Verdict: The weather really holds the key to how the track plays in the next few days, particularly by Monday after a day’s racing on Saturday, with big fields. The track goes into the weekend in good order, with only ninor wear from trials last month and some gallops out wide this week. It is hard to predict a rating for the weekend, but regardless, the fence will chop out during Saturday and cause some jockeys to go searching for better ground. It won’t surprise to see a few win down the outside rail later on Saturday and at Monday’s meeting.
