As far as Texcel is concerned, it can rain as much as it likes in the lead-up to Tuesday’s feature meeting at Kembla Grange.
With the recent run of fine weather in and around Sydney seemingly coming to an end, the lightly raced four-year-old is set to bounce back off a disappointing first-up run at Canterbury under lights in late January.
Trainer David Eustace and partner Ciaron Maher will send Texcel out on Tuesday.Credit:Getty
Bred to relish rain-affected ground being by Exceed And Excel out of a Timber Country mare, Texcel failed to finish off that night, although he was parked in the slower part of the track.
Heading south to Kembla for the Maher-Eustace stable with blinkers on for the first time, Texcel drops back to provincial BM 68 grade over 1400m, and despite some worthy rivals, looks well-placed, and good value at around $8 in early markets.
He has only missed a place once from six starts in soft ground and was edged out by a head last winter at his only previous run on a heavy rating. And a switch to a bigger track is also a bonus for a gelding who likes to settle back and run home.
Meanwhile, promising filly Tiempe Passate is out to avenge a luckless and close defeat at Hawkesbury if she faces the starter for just a third time in a Maiden Plate over 1500m.
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The three-year-old daughter of prolific stallion I Am Invincible was a good thing licked two weeks ago when held up most of the way down the straight before finally getting clear and attacking the line to remarkably be beaten under a length.
It was an eye-catching run considering she also suffered severe bruising to a near-fore heel and came a fortnight after she had charged home late on debut at Goulburn when backed from $6 into $5.
Texcel relishing prospect of soft track at Kembla
Source: Philippines Alive
