Colonel Reeves Preview

Matt Rigby | Metropolitan Racing | Sun 30 October, 2011

The Colonel Reeves is another high quality race this year with several of the usual suspects going around, much like last year. Ma Ma Machine wasn't fancied last year but got the split on the rails to get home over Waratah's Secret and King Kool Kat. The latter two are absent this year, but add Power Princess, All Friared Up and Morant to last year's other runners, Shock Value, Werd and Hadabeclorka, and its a top race on paper.

Werd will take the front as per his usual pattern with Ma Ma Machine coming to the breeze. The 1200m of the Prince of Wales is probably as far as Werd wants to go and with the 58.5kg, he knocked up badly in the final 50m. Back to 1100m and down to 55kg, he'll give a bit more cheek in this. Shock Value should get a good run in the 1x1 and Power Princess will probably be ridden positively and look for luck. She's a danger of being caught wide. All Friared Up is the boom mare. She trounced a decent field in the Beaufine in the winter, which surprised some of us, but not everyone. She is the early favourite here but she'll need luck from barrier 10. Power Princess disappointed a little first up, but last campaign she improved markedly second up, so expect that again. Avante looks out of her class and hard to see her figuring.

Morant was average last start, tracking up on the fence, getting off heels and showing none of the acceleration that got him over Werd at his previous start. Back down to the minimum here, expect him to go much better, but back on the fence may not be the best place to be. Finally, The Entourage takes on his biggest test yet. His first two runs of the campaign were outstanding, getting closer that anyone to Barakey, before speeding from the outside gate to win second up last week. Its a massive test, but expect him to box seat behind Werd and pop through on the rails at some point.

All in all, a great race that should have a relatively wide market.

Shock Value, Werd, Power Princess.