The Beauford – 2022

Track: Good  Weather: Sunny

Eight runners have accepted for the $300,000 The Beauford and there have been no early scratchings.

This is only the second year of this event with Torrens winning the inaugural race last year. U.K import King Frankel ($3.10) heads up the betting following his scratching at the gates last weekend in a much weaker race.

Kukeracha ($4.60) is the leader in the betting when it comes to the Waller runners despite his poor lead-up form. The other Waller runner Chalk Stream ($6.00) will get to run on his first Good track in Australia on Saturday and he will likely relish the prospect.

1. Kukeracha (1)

His form this preparation has been quite poor and he now has to give his rivals weight.

2. Fun Fact (4)

The stable sent him north for a hit-and-run mission two starts ago, taking out the Queensland Cup before backing up a week later and finishing well back in the St Leger Stakes. He has since trialled well and he will appreciate being back on top of the ground. Place chance at best.

3. Chalk Stream (3)

Two races back he was an eight-length fourth in the City Tatt’s Club Cup before finishing 12.8 lengths back in fourth in the St Leger Stakes. This will be his first go in Australia on a good track which is ideal as his best wins overseas were on good surfaces. Back to 2300m suits and he is a solid chance.

4. Sound of Cannons (2)

This is a lot harder than what he is coming out of. Two runs back he was fair when third in a midweek 2400m when on the quick backup before heading to a 2400m benchmark 78 at Rosehill where he was held up near the 400m mark before flying home and narrowly missing. This is harder but he has to be a solid chance on recent form.

5. Our Candidate (8)

He was a brilliant winner of the Cessnock Cup two runs ago before running a bold race behind Pale King last time out. He won’t know himself carrying such little weight over this sort of distance, the last time being in 2019 when he was third in the Newcastle Cup. Dylan Gibbons sticks with him and his record aboard him is quite good, so I am expecting a bold run.

6. Gin Martini (7)

She finished 1.7 lengths behind Pale King last time out which was quite a nice run considering she was well below her peak distance when third up. She is likely to be ridden positively from the wideish draw and no weight on her back as they know she has no problem handling the longer distances. It’s just a matter of whether she can handle this sort of grade.

7. Outlandos (5)

He is coming out of the same race that Gin Martini was coming out of behind Pale King, though his run was a lot better, finishing just over 1.5 lengths back in third, coming from near last. He is back up to a suitable distance now, peaking in fitness and the key is the dry ground. He won’t be far away.

8. King Frankel (6)

Scratched from a race last weekend at the gates. Prior to that he was a nice winner in a benchmark 72 midweek meeting at Warwick Farm over the 2100m. There is no doubt this is much harder though many believe he is the up and comer in this race despite being unproven. Should be thereabouts but you would want a nice price to find out.

The following are the top 4 selections for this year’s race.

The track was rated as Good 4.

Scratchings: 3. Chalk Stream.