Group 1 chance for Dirty Work
G1 Ladbrokes Manikato S., $1 million, 1200m
Spendthrift Australia's stallion prospect Dirty Work (Written Tycoon) is looking to add a valuable Group 1 win on his resume in Friday night's Ladbrokes Manikato S. at Moonee Valley.
In what looks an even race, the Team Hawkes-trained Dirty Work, who was so impressive in winning the G2 Schillaci S. last time out, looks well positioned to make his presence felt.
His two previous trips to The Valley have not yielded much luck, but that was much earlier in his career, and it is now as a 4-year-old that he seems to have come into his own. Prior to that last start win, he was fourth behind subsequent The TAB Everest winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) and third behind Everest placegetter Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}), so his form measures up very well.
There also looks to be significant pace in the race, which should be suitable. We can expect G1 Moir S. winner Pippie (Written Tycoon) to be at the head of affairs, as she so often is, and while Chris and John Meagher's mare will prove hard to run past, the step to 1200 metres does make her possibly vulnerable late.
Pippie
The Will Clarken-trained Bella Vella (Commands), third behind Pippie in the Moir, is likely to be keeping her company near the front, and her form can't be faulted this campaign, while the horse that split them last month, Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}), backs up from another very good run in The Everest.
The Godolphin 6-year-old was fourth in the Randwick feature, finishing well as he did in the Moir, where his inside barrier helped him get the right run, and allowed him to close late. From barrier seven on Friday, he may have to get to the outside and swoop late, but he is a Group 1 winner over the 1200 metres, so deserves to be near the top of the market.
Tony and Calvin McEvoy's Hey Doc (Duporth) won this race in an upset three years back, and given his tactical speed and love of The Valley track, could be one that figures again in the finish. He improved off his eighth in the Moir to be fourth, beaten less than 1l by Dirty Work last time out.
Clinton McDonald's Diamond Effort (Mossman) was also in the Schillaci, finishing second after just being swamped late by Dirty Work. She was previously fifth in the Moir S. just behind Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner), who boasts a booming late finish and could be the one that pounces later for Jason Warren and Dean Krongold.
