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By Ray Hickson

An in-depth look at the chances of every runner in Saturday's Group 3 $250,000 Arrowfield Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone.

1. Vibrant Sun (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr): Group 1 winning mare whose rating has compressed the weights for this race but she is a fascinating runner. Didn’t come up in two starts in the spring and was spelled and it may have been a good move as she’s found the line quite well in two trials in Sydney in the past month. She did kick off the preparation that took her to the Group 1 win with a close up fourth over 1400m so she is capable of showing up fresh.

Vibrant Sun (Pic: Racing Photos)

2. Arts Object (Kurt Goldman): Raced quite well last preparation before failing on Magic Millions night. Started $101 when she resumed at Eagle Farm three weeks ago and ran up to that price beating a couple home. Her last win was second-up last campaign but this is a tougher ask than that contest was.

3. Queues Likely (Bjorn Baker): Import who hasn’t shown any form in five starts for the stable. Led when resuming in the Sapphire and weakened then on speed again and wound up 10 lengths behind Punch Lane at the finish so she does need to improve. Blinkers go on, she would likely roll forward from the gate but you’d like to see her produce something first.

4. Topanga (Chris Waller): UK import who has failed to beat a horse home in two local starts so she faces a task to turn it all around. Sent out $151 and dropped out to be beaten 16 lengths in the Hawkesbury Crown. Perhaps the heavy ground there wasn’t to her liking and/or she just hasn’t come up this time around. Hard to make any real case for her.

5. Kitty Rose (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr): Intriguing import who makes her local debut, she was initially meant to be targeting races like the Golden Eagle in the spring but lands here first-up. Won her first two starts and performed well at stakes level in Ireland and the UK. She had three jump outs at Cranbourne prior to her official trial at Rosehill last week. It’s hard to predict what she’s going to produce, soft ground would look to suit her and the market is keeping her safe.

6. Love Poem (Kris Lees): Former Kiwi filly who hasn’t reproduced her best form as yet in two runs for the stable. Drew wide in the Hawkesbury Guineas and went back to last and was never a factor in the race beating one home. She was Group 1 placed back in November in NZ so she clearly has some ability, we just haven’t seen it yet. Blinkers going on and a softer draw could well help her find some of the improvement needed.

7. Nunthorpe (Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman): Just the one placing in eight starts since her last win back in September 2023. That was in March last year at 1200m. Started $81 in the Hareeba at Mornington a month ago and failed to beat one home so it’s a little hard to be enthusiastic. Drawn wide is a minus, she does have blinkers on so that could help but win would surprise.

8. Melody Again (Scott Singleton): Local mare who has an honest record and not surprisingly a handy one on her home track. Carried a big weight to win first-up at Dubbo a month ago so the 8kg drop is in her favour and she draws to do no work. Doesn’t really want a wet track if it gets to the deeper slow range but otherwise a placing wouldn’t shock.

9. Written In Code (Annabel & Rob Archibald): Stepped up from a benchmark 78 win to run a gallant fourth in the Hawkesbury Crown which is a race that often proves a good pointer to this one. She’s favoured by the compressed weights, should be right at her top fourth-up and seems to handle all ground. Probably would prefer it in the soft range to be ideal. So long as the inside is holding up she looks hard to beat.

10. Watch My Girl (Ron Quinton): Ran a cheeky race when resuming in the Millie Fox to be beaten two lengths then close up behind Les Vampires two months ago. Clearly this has been a target race and she trialled quite well behind Schwarz earlier this month. The 1400m is her pet distance and while all five wins have come on good ground she’s fine with a soft track. Just needs the right run from the gate to be competitive.

11. Wooloowin (Nathan Doyle): Not much luck at all first-up in the Birthday Card where she was trapped wide and gave ground from the home turn. Freshened back up and had an easy experience in a small field in a trial to reset. Showed she has talent with an impressive soft track win at the Sunshine Coast back in January, draws a lot better and no surprise if she makes a sharp improvement.

12. Countyourblessings (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton): Drew one when resuming in a very strong benchmark 88 at Randwick a month ago and ran up behind them in the straight. Hard to know whether she lost a heap of momentum but only beaten two lengths and certainly didn’t get the chance to sprint when needed. Kept ticking over with a trial win at 1200m. Middle draw is probably ideal for her and a soft track wouldn’t be of concern. Each-way chance.

13. Dark Glitter (Mike Van Gestel): She’s been around the mark since winning at Randwick back in February and has been very competitive in mares stakes races. Attacked the line strongly in the Hawkesbury Crown to run fifth and she just missed a place in that benchmark 88 at Randwick prior. She’ll get back a bit but wouldn’t put it past her to run into the placings at least.

14. Imposant (Kris Lees): She’s raced in great form through the Provincial-Midway Championships series, winning a qualifier and running a nice third in the Final. Kept on the fresh side since then and trialled at home just over a week ago. The barrier probably hurts her but if they are coming down the middle it might not be a bad thing. Another with an each-way hope.

15. Zeitung (James Cummings): Honest filly who has been a bit hit and miss this prep but who definitely has the ability to be a factor if she produces her best. Found something of that best in the Hawkesbury Guineas where she ran on into third on the heavy track and coming back to fillies and mares company is a plus for her. Don’t mind that draw as she gets into a midfield or so position and she has to be considered a chance.

Captain Amelia (Pic: Steve Hart)

16. Anahita (Chris Waller): Appeared to have her chance in the Hawkesbury Crown though she did drift into the three wide line midrace without cover. Was a $51 chance there and weakened late for a just off midfield finish. Fitter for it and barrier one is interesting but her strike rate is becoming a worry and her last win was in July 2023.

17E. Captain Amelia (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton): She might have run tenth when resuming at Randwick but she ran some slick sectionals in a strong form race. Not suited by the heavy ground at Hawkesbury and she was back in a race completely dominated by the first two. A track in the soft range would be fine and she’s drawn to get a better run. Wouldn’t rule her out.

18E. Elba (Anthony & Sam Freedman): She’s coming through the grades pretty well winning at Newcastle two months ago then competitive behind Yankee One at Warwick Farm and she hit the line hard into third behind Memoria at Randwick, a race the winner controlled. Class rise and the outside barrier make this a test so place claims might be best.

19E. Terrestar (Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes): First-up since having her chance in third behind Captain Amelia and Dark Glitter just before Christmas, so her form ties with some of her rivals here. Fitter for two trials but yet to place first-up and has drawn wide, she also tends to prefer a firmer rather than softer track.

20E. Gentileschi (Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich): Handy local mare who resumed with a soft win at Muswellbrook on heavy ground a couple of weeks ago. Drops sharply in weight for the big class rise and while unbeaten in two starts here they were in much lesser company. If she gains a start she’s capable of beating more home than beat her given the upside she has.

SPEED MAP: Not a lot of speed on paper here, Queues Likely probably fires across with the blinkers on and Watch My Girl drawn alongside may use her. There's a lot of second level speed, horses that like to be handy, with Vibrant Sun, Love Poem, Written In Code and Melody Again. Ultimately the track pattern might dictate the amount of pressure.

SELECTIONS:
9 WRITTEN IN CODE
10 Watch My Girl
5 Kitty Rose
15 Zeitung

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Scone meeting