Kembla Grange Tips and Best Bets for The Gong 2022

This year's running of 'The Gong' has attracted one of the strongest fields the race has seen, since its inception in 2019.

A large field of 16 will be locked in Saturday morning and there is massive value across the board.

I'm siding with a John Thompson trained gelding who has been a model of consistency and can put the crowning moment on his campaign with a victory.

 

Track Conditions

The Kembla Grange track is currently rated a Good 4 with the rail in the True position for the entire circuit.

Fine conditions are predicted for the remainder of the week in Newcastle and on race day.

Expect the surface to play fair, with both on and off-speed profiles suited.

As always refer to the early races for a good guide on any track bias.

 

Kembla Grange Race 8 - The Gong 1600m (3YO & Up, Quality)

The Map

The 1600m start at Kembla is very fair and will give runners time to find their positions with a 400m lead-in to the first bend.

Surf Dancer (9) and Riodini (8) will both push forward from their middle draws. Look for Surf Dancer to kick clear for the outright lead with Riodini to trail him just behind.

Love Tap (18) under Nash Rawiller, will be ridden aggressively to sit outside Riodini.

The genuine speed early from Love Tap will give Old Flame (19) a cart across the field to potentially slot into the 1/1. Will need luck from the draw and could be caught wide!

Settling just in behind the first 4 will be Purple Sector (1), Steely (10) and Kolding (4) as they tussle for their ideal pace positions with cover.

With the rail in the true, those off speed will be given every chance to run on. Look for Rustic Steel (5), Kirwans Lane (16) and Hope In Your Heart (15) to get lovely runs in transit in the moving line.

Brutality (11) and Sky Lab (3) will drift back to last and be with those coming the widest on the bend.

 

The Favourite

Old Flame ($6.50) is in the best form of his young career and has a case for favouritism.

However, considering he has been previously beaten by Surf Dancer ($20) and Rustic Steel ($10) it is hard to swallow the price.

Furthermore, the barrier gods haven't been kind to him, drawing the carpark and will need a stack of luck from there.

With all these factors against, I am happy to oppose from a price perspective.

 

Best Racing Tips

It's time Purple Sector got rewarded for his consistency this campaign.

His last start effort at Randwick was a beauty under 57kg. He kicked clear at the point of the turn and was only collared late by Diamil in the final 50m. 

He plummets to 54.5kg and draws beautifully in barrier 1 which will allow him to land 3 back the fence in running.

As long as he gets the breaks turning for home, he will be storming home.

 

With the favourites likely to get plenty of attention we could also land a very juicy price for Sky Lab closer to $30 come start time.

I understand the price considering he will settle near last, yet his run in the Hunter last week was a pearler.

In a race that was dominated by on-speed runners, he was one of the only swoopers to make ground.

He now rises to 1600m and is at peak fitness after 2 trials and a first-up run.

Looks in for a huge summer campaign.

 

Old Flame has come back like a serious 5YO talent.

He gets the booking of lead jockey at this meeting Tommy Berry and as long as he can navigate the wide barrier, will be in the finish.

 

Rustic Steel loved getting back on the firm ground last start in the Big Dance.

The rise to 1600m gave him every chance to wind up with his booming finish and he is set to get a similar set up in The Gong.

Could talk anyone out of putting him on top.

 

1^st  Purple Sector

2^nd Sky Lab

3^rd  Old Flame

4^th  Rustic Steel

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