Racing: Anabandana in sparkling form

Anabandana. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Two-year-old races are usually great betting options.

Top class juvenile races at set weights even more so.

Which makes class act Anabandana a great prospect for the $200,000 Auckland Diamond Stakes (race 7) at Ellerslie this afternoon.

If this race was a handicap Anabandana would be giving a few of the opposition a significant amount of weight.

With the Cambridge filly on 54.5kg she has a distinct advantage over the males on 56kg. She's also got an element of class over most of the field.

She has only to be in the same form that saw her destroy the opposition in the Matamata Breeders Stakes last start - and trainer Don Sellwood believes she is at least as good - to take an awful lot of beating.

From a nice barrier Savabill deserves plenty of respect as the horse to beat.

It's sometimes possible to bog yourself down with too many statistics. There is though an interesting one around Vonusti (No1, R1) in today's opener.

He had to be ridden upside down when third to Amaryllis at Ellerslie last Saturday. The operative words there are last Saturday. Of his career wins, Vonusti had had leading up to success gaps between races of two months, three weeks, three weeks, one month, five months and three weeks.

The only one close to this seven-day back-up is the six days between races before winning in lesser grade at Hastings in April 2009. He's got 59kg this time, so it's not going to be easy for him, but the small field will allow Noel Harris to sit back on him, a tactic that seems to suit him best.

However, he wouldn't want to get too far off Irish Opera (No2), who threw in a remarkable 1:33.54 1600m in front last start. The race is a puzzler, but it's interesting.

So is the clash between newcomer Fleur De Lune (No9, R2) and horses like Veyron (No6), Justa Kinda Magic (No2) and Gendarme (No10) who have been around a bit longer. Fleur De Lune has won three from four and should be unbeaten.

She has got to R90 very quickly, but the way she's coped with each step-up suggests she isn't finished yet. Justa Kinda Magic looked a rising star in winning five of his nine starts before going amiss in late 2009.

He is making a fresh start and will line up from Richard Collett's stable for the first time.

He's had a trial and if he's close to ready he can win this.

The late finishing effort of Asgoodasitgets (No3, R3) to finish third on this track last start was remarkable.

He should have won and he gets his chance for compensation here. He certainly won't be covering a lot of extra ground from the No 1 gate.

Back to a right-handed track, Miss Sharapova (No2, R4) can shine. Her fourth and sixth on the left-handed Te Rapa and Matamata recently were useful, but she is only at her best the Ellerslie way around as she showed winning here three starts back. Leica Scotch (No8), who must win one eventually, gets 4kg off her, but the mare is very tough as well as talented. Leica Scotch's stablemate Exquisite Choice (No9) didn't get all the breaks last start.

In a fresh state, Magic Briar (No8, R5) was simply too good for the fellow 3-year-olds at Matamata last start and there's no reason to suspect she cannot repeat that today.

She has drawn out a bit wider than you'd like, but you've got Opie Bosson to help you there. Cool Storm (No10) seems just good enough to be beaten each time, but her races have been good and from a decent gate she rates.

It's taken a fair while for Gaston (No2, R6) to get what racing is all about, but there was plenty to admire about the way he easily put them away at Te Rapa last start. He ran past them with ease and stays in the same grade for this race.

Race 8, the special conditions race, is a nightmare with nine last-start winners. Shandream (No8) is smart, but she's drawn out on Ladies' Mile. You might like to take your lucky number, or maybe a cold drink.

At $5 Vosne Romanee (No3, R9) is worth a look compared to Red Ruler's $1.80. That relativity is too wide apart. The key is Vosne Romanee's No 1 barrier, something he's been hanging out for all season and hasn't got until now. The stable has been confident he has been back to his best for some time despite his woeful formline on paper.

Unquestionably Red Ruler (No1) is the horse to beat in a field that overall lacks real weight-for-age depth. Our Ella Belle (No7) is one for the multiples despite her wide gate.

I'm A King (No7, R10) comes in here nice and fresh. He has plenty of ability and from a perfect gate he should take some keeping out. Another Invader (No11) looked good winning at Pukekohe.