Competitive fields make for tricky markets at Geraldton mid week race meet

It’s a stacked seven-race card at the Geraldton Turf Club this Friday, with winners not easy to spot as strong fields make for a highly competitive meet. The strongest of the bunch looks to be race four, with six of the 11 runners at short odds but none an unbackable favourite. Mombasa is the most recent winner of the field and at $4 is the current favourite, but Sun Chacen has seen plenty of early action to shorten to $5. New Zealand horses Singleton Park and What About Moi have also had success since crossing the ditch, while Barry Newnham’s Brisance has had a poor run of late but has enjoyed Geraldton in the past. Butterflyrock could be good for a place but look elsewhere for a winner. The race one maiden has Gordon Spowart’s Identifer as the almost unbackable favourite but has been upset recently by rank outsiders. Of those, Barry Newnham’s Viking Forever could cause a surprise. Race two looks also set to be tightly run with New Attraction the odds on favourite after two second places but Special Plan and Zero Dawn are shortening behind. There’s not much form to speak of throughout the rest of the field, but Glen Cortes’ Northeast Eagle has been there or thereabouts and could surprise at $11. What A Prince and Honorfic are set to battle it out in race three but should they get in each other’s way, Graeme Hammarquist’s Uni Queen could be set to strike. But What A Prince has the most consistent running form recently and should at the very least place easily. Julia Martin’s Miff Mufferred Moof has the shortest current odds in race five after her impressive maiden win last week. But at $4.60 she is no sure thing, with Tony Scally’s Daiyamondo and Ron Cowl’s Queen’s Sacrifice recent winners. Cowl has another strong chance in Navy Sun with five top-four finishes in his past eight runs. Hammarmill has seen plenty of early backing but the five-year-old mare is without a win from her past 10 starts. Willie Parker’s Patchwork has better form with four wins in his past 10 but was disappointing in his return last week from a lengthy lay-off. Bombay Style at $8 looks to be great value. The final race of the day has no clear favourites, with Tycoon Demon, The Slap and Well Played all floating between the $3-$5 mark. Tycoon Demon has not failed to place in his five race starts and should look to continue that form. Juruena Gold has plenty of experience at Geraldton and at $16 he could spring a surprise late in the dayu. The race one maiden is scheduled to begin at 1.45pm.