Arabica to score for Sham yard

She could be in for another visit in Race 3 at Fairview today, a Conditions Plate for fillies and mares over 1300m on the Polytrack, where she sends out Arabica, to be ridden by Aldo Domeyer.

The four-year-old daughter of Lateral seems to be at her best over this course and distance. She has raced over 1300m on the Polytrack on seven occasions for one victory, two second placings and two fourth placings.

She is reasonably well weighted under the race conditions with the best-weighted runner being stable companion Blackberry Wine. However, much of her rating came from her narrow victory over Wild Dancer at Turffontein and it has slowly started to come down so her current merit rating of 79 could be a little misleading.

Arabica is drawn at No 12 but ironically statistics indicate it is not a bad draw. In fact, a higher percentage of runners win from No 12 draw than from barrier Nos 5, 6, and 7.

Two runs back Arabica ran a 1.25-length second behind Murmering Sky over this track and trip and last time may have found the 1600m a touch too far when finishing a 3.85-length fifth behind Royal Lecture.

Shauntrel stands out as the obvious danger but Alan Greeff’s charge still has to prove she will see out 1300m and that she will handle this course. She has only run on the turf and her last two starts over 1200m were disappointing.