Geelong Harness Preview – Friday, June 5

OVERVIEW: TALKBABYTALK (3) took 26 starts to win his maiden and then went back-to-back with a really strong victory from the chair at Melton last Friday night. The lead time was hot there, he did work to get to the breeze and still managed to fight hard and hold off all comers. It was a top effort and this assignment again looks suitable. Might be really hard to beat if he finds the front. SHIFFRIN (10) is a lightly-raced filly from the Andy Gath stable who dropped out after a hard run last time but has ability, HAPPENSTBEABEACHBOY (11) has hit the line really nicely from well back in a couple of recent runs and will be closing hard, while AVEIRO (1) draws well and his form through April was really strong.

BACK: TALKBABYTALK (3) – 1.5 units (each-way)

OVERVIEW: Very tricky NR 40-45 here where there doesn’t appear a great deal between all nine runners and luck in transit will be crucial. IFYOULOVEMELETMEGO (8) was able to win from three back the pegs here at Geelong last time out, getting clear in just enough time to run down LAZENBY (7) who was sent to the front with a dashing early move by Allan McDonough. Carson Millar has only had the daughter of Shadow Play for two starts and does a great job with horses like this, so there looks to be more success ahead. LAZENBY (7) was runner-up again in a subsequent start at Ballarat and is clearly knocking on the door for a win, THE MOUNTAIN (1) scored in easier grade at Geelong from well back on May 8, has run well since and gets a lovely gate, while KIMCHI (5) heads the other chances in a race where not much would surprise.

OVERVIEW: A good last-start effort and nice barrier draw makes SHES SKY HIGH (1) an appealing runner in this 0/15k-win clash. She showed good gate speed to land three fence in a same class race last weekend at Melton and zipped home up the inside to run second to the handy Johns Boy. She will likely be leader or leader’s back here and from there she might be hard to beat. Another key chance appears to be WITH APLOMB (4), who is flying for trainer Steve Cleave. She collected another win for the stable with a dominant front-running display at Maryborough on Sunday and her best might be too good. JACK SPRAT (8) led and won here at Geelong last time out and might trail through behind the likely early leader, while LEANNE LEEANN (5) is running consistently well of late but keeps finding one or two better.

OVERVIEW: SHEZALOVER (4) backed up her good trial form with a long-odds first-up win at Melton last Friday when she came from well back in the field to score. She beat three rivals that reoppose here and goes on top of those, and also looks to have the measure of the other five runners in the field based on current form. Keen she goes close with a faultless display. KYVALLEY JENNY (6) ran third in that race behind the on-top selection and was only beaten 3.6m, FLING IT RAINBOW (2) has the speed to find the fence and can run well from there, EMILY MEAGAN (5) showed some good signs during April when close-up behind horses like Te Amo and Sammy Haller, and there’s a watch on SIOUX WARRIOR (7) first-up for Jess Tubbs and James Herbertson, but there wasn’t anything to get excited about from the trials.

BACK: SHEZALOVER (4) – 3 units (win)

OVERVIEW: LOOK AT HER (2) was first-up for Sam Baker when she was well backed and ran a good second – albeit beaten more than 20m – by the very smart Ideal Frankie at Bendigo last week. She settled last and ran past most of her rivals into second there and this looks a much more suitable assignment to break her maiden. She’s no star, but nor are her rivals from what we’ve seen on exposed form. The one runner that we haven’t yet witnessed at the races is GOODTIME ORO (5). From what we’ve seen at the trials – including a come-from-behind win over an Emma Stewart-trained pair in a slick enough last half at Melton on May 26 – he looks to have some ability. While SWAYWITHSIERRA (6) has a tricky draw, her last couple from the pegs have been solid, and PONTIAN GIRL (1) beat home GOODTIME ORO (5) at the trials recently and gets a nice gate to improve on her average racetrack form.

BACK: LOOK AT HER (2) – 1 unit (win)

OVERVIEW: REMEMBRANCE TIME (8) has been seen at the trials just once ahead of her debut and scored a very easy victory by a decent margin at Melton on May 26. She looks handy, hails from an astute trotting stable and has found a very suitable assignment to start her career. The barrier draw is a little sticky, but she trails out BIG RAIN (1) who is one of the possible early leaders. This means driver Kate Gath likely has options. BIG RAIN (1) was a brave runner-up to French Missile at Melton first-up from a break on May 29 and looms as a key danger, GYM QUEEN (6) has run a number of recent placings and looks ready to break her maiden, while MISTER DEVEREAUX (4) returns from a spell and did show gate speed as a two-year-old last preparation. He also beat home KICKABARREL (9) in a recent Bacchus Marsh trial.

BACK: REMEMBRANCE TIME (8) – 3 units (win)

OVERVIEW: SOME MAGIC (7) looks like running a very short-priced elect here in the last leg of the main Quaddie. First-up at Terang on the back of a good trial, the Emma Stewart runner made an early break and did a huge job to get so close while beaten into sixth. He was always chasing over the short trip and clear air in the final quarter would have seen him finish even closer. His only other career start resulted in a huge 21.8m win at Melton on debut last year. He looks smart and a faultless display should see class prevail. REIGN EM IN (6) won in this grade at Echuca three starts ago and looks well placed to run into second. He was completely outclassed two runs ago and then didn’t have much luck at all when fifth at Bendigo last time out. TAPPY (5) hasn’t been seen at the races for over a month but has ability and was a good third before his little freshen-up, while ASMILEANDAWINX (2) should find the front early and from there can finish in the trifecta and First 4 numbers.