Karate Kid ready to show fighting chops

Race 1 (1,200m)

(2) SHINING SUN was a beaten short-priced favourite over 1,400m last time but this shorter trip should be more to his liking. So he can make amends.
(1) FOREVER CANFORD has the form and experience to be competitive, though newcomer (7) BRIEF ENCOUNTER does not have to be special to play a leading role either.

(3) TWO TIGERS is not without claims.

Race 2 (1,200m)

(5) RAFEEF’S QUEEN deserves to get her head in front after recent back-to-back seconds, the latest over this distance at prohibitive odds.
(10) THORN BIRD would have benefited from an encouraging 1,000m introduction and should improve to make her presence felt over this extended trip.
(1) WITHOUT REMORSE and (7) NEW YORK GROOVE have shown enough to be competitive, along with Highveld newcomer (2) GIDDY UP GRACE.

Race 3 (1,000m)

(4) WHATSDAMATTERWITHU is thriving and unbeaten as a gelding. He continues to improve, so a four-point penalty for his last-start success is unlikely to halt his momentum.
However, he is held on recent form by (5) ICE DRAGON who will likely pose more of a threat.
Filly (6) CALADRIUS and hard-knocker (7) TIME WILL TELL can also get into the picture.

Race 4 (1,000m)

(2) IT’S PERSONAL won a similar contest from the front recently and ought to play another leading role under a five-point penalty on the evidence of that performance.
Fellow last-start scorer (6) TROMPE L’OEIL is unbeaten over 1,000m and remains open to improvement so should be competitive, despite a five-point increase.

(3) YAMADORI also has the means to get involved.

(5) TIME IS PRECIOUS contested a 2YO Grade 1 when last seen, so warrants respect on his reappearance, especially with the aid of his rider’s 1.5kg allowance.

Race 5 (1,200m)

(1) WINTER IN AUCKLAND ran well in defeat at this level against male opposition last time and a repeat of that performance off an unchanged mark in same-sex company could suffice in her peak outing.
Last-start maiden scorer (4) JACK’S LEGACY and recent course-and-distance winner (5) ICONIC WINTER will be competitive with improvement expected, though the same could be said of
(6) MOLTEN ROCK who reverts to turf after opening her account on the Polytrack last time.

Race 6 (1,200m)

Top weight (1) RIFLE QUEEN returns from a layoff but is open to improvement with a tongue-tie fitted for the first time.

(6) WINTER RAINFALL can make her presence felt.

(5) BLIZZARD SNOW is a course-and-distance specialist. Better than her recent outings suggest.

(7) SHE’S ALL MINE can also take a hand in this.

Race 7 (1,200m)

Competitive Listed feature.
(1) KARATE KID and (8) UMZINGELI WENYATHI are closely matched on the form of a recent meeting over 1,000m. Both are probably more effective over that shorter trip but could play leading roles over this distance.
(6) THE LAST DUKE and (9) MAX THE MAGICIAN are also genuine contenders on the strength of their recent form.

Race 8 (1,200m)

(3) SOCIAL GRACES confirmed the promise of her debut success with a game-in-defeat third over 1,000m in her last start. Not only did she concede 3kg to the winner but the fourth-placed filly (finished 11 lengths back) has also won since. With any improvement over the extra 100m, she should resume winning ways.
Returning (2) LANZAROTE is also open to improvement, so warrants respect on her reappearance.
Veteran hard-knocker (8) KOTINOS and last-start winner (4) NKANDLA GOLD have the means to trouble the principals.

Race 9 (2,000m)

(5) ART NOUVEAU was beaten by (8) GUERILLA WARFARE over 2,000m in July but carries a penalty for a subsequent victory. The latter is weighted to confirm that form on these terms, and both are distance-suited but Art Nouveau could enjoy the run of the race from gate No 1.
(7) REPETITION and (9) SAMUEL SHARPE are also closely matched on recent form but could be better suited to a sterner test of stamina, so both will need a strong tempo.