Sketching was 4/2 in the betting at Wyndham last Sunday and looked likely to pay a dividend until a costly check turning in.
The Matt Saunders-trained four-year-old had drawn the ace, led out then trailled, and after being held up turning in, was checked and broke. He goes again today (Sunday) and again has fared well in the draw.
From two behind the arm and with an uninterrupted run, the son of Art Official could be the one to have on the ticket for the first leg of the first quaddie.
Third leg and first of pick six features three nice Canterbury visitors with Terracotta probably the best of them. A filly by Big Jim, she is trained by Ken and Tony Barron and had proved costly at the Riverton meeting a fortnight ago when green and unable to get a clear run in the straight.
Different last week, she was soon in the trail, went up to challenge at the 400 and continued on to stop the clock at 1:57.7 for the mobile mile. She stays in the same class this week over the same trip and even from six in a nine horse field, looks the one to beat.
Third leg of pick six is also the opening leg of the second quaddie and its hard to go past The High Roller. Trained by Brett Gray, The High Roller went close last week after starting from two on the second line. Not rushed early, the son of Christian Cullen was three and four back on the outer, improved across the top, went up five wide turning in and finished rapidly for second.
He has another second line draw this week but the ability to overcome it.
There is only one Canterbury-trained starter in the third leg of the second quaddie and fifth of pick six. Regan Todd, a native of Wyndham, is sending Righteous Brother south in top form.
The three-year-old lines up in a stand start affair, his third in a row. He as started well in the previous two and both times finished in the top three. The first came after a strong finish at Addington and the second at Kaikoura where he fought gamely after trailling and taking the lane. Righteous Brother goes from10 of the 12 front markers this week but looks good enough to cope.
In the final leg of the second quaddie and of pick six, Crime Scene appears capable of improving on his first day third. In that race, when trailling the leader, the Clark Barron-trained and driven three-year-old looked to lose some momentum on the corner before kicking again for third. He has drawn two this week and it would be a surprise if he wasn't able to capitalise.
Mac Henry