21/11/20 Best bets for The Gong at Kembla Grange
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- Author: Joshua ReedNov 19, 2020 12:09 PM
- Photo: AAP
Going Going Gong
Next stop on the $1 million race train is Kembla Grange, where 'The Gong' takes place this Saturday over 1600m.
The premier southern NSW race course hosts its second consecutive Saturday meeting after playing second fiddle to the Hunter Day at Newcastle last weekend.
A nine race card is scheduled, with an array of great betting races supporting the main event.
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Track Conditions
Kembla Grange has nothing but fine weather forecast in the lead-up to Saturday, which will ensure we start on a Good 4.
The rail is in the True position and based on past track bias, being in the front half of the field is beneficial.
Kembla Grange Race 7 - The Gong 1600m
The Map 
There should be plenty of pace in this race, inside and out.
Archdemus (13) will be heading forward from out wide, with Olmedo (8) trailing in behind. Expect both Positive Peace (2) and Think It Over (3) to also apply early pressure from their decent draws.
Dawn Passage (1) will sit just off them along with Purple Sector (5) and Mister Sea Wolf (6).
Look for Al Mah Haha (12) to sit midfield or better from an awkward barrier, alongside Brandenburg (15) and Reloaded (7).
The rest will have to settle in the second half of the field, which will make for a tough assignment based on the racing pattern on this day last year.
The Favourite 
Dawn Passage ($5.00) is the favourite here in a wide open race.
This bloke continues to deliver each preparation and has put in two impressive performances so far this campaign without a win.
His third in the Silver Eagle first-up was good and then he surpassed expectations in the Golden Eagle on the heavy going, after going down by less than a length in third.
From the inside barrier, I really like the set-up he gets for this race.
Expect him to get a nice trail into the race behind the leaders, before either riding for luck or peeling off them in the straight.
Despite never running over the mile, his last run will have him right up for it.
Back on to the dry surface for this suits.
Analysis and Tips 
The two I want to play around are hard in early markets, but both should be very competitive.
Purple Sector ($6.00) was a convincing winner over the mile at Randwick, making a mess of the field to score by 3 lengths.
He then headed down to Melbourne during the carnival and proved too good over the 1800m, despite Craig Williams losing an iron during the race.
He ticks a lot of boxes here dropping back to the mile on a good surface, and is drawn to sit handy and be very competitive.
I love that Rachel King is back on him and if he can get some decent luck, he will be hard to beat.
Dawn Passage ($5.00) is the other who I will definitely be backing.
The Waterhouse/Bott galloper put in a gutsy performance in the Golden Eagle last start, where he stuck on well to finish third on a Heavy deck after being forced out wide with no cover.
I think we can get a better price come race time.
