Miss Ezmae’s star quality was evident from start two when a commanding winner at Bathurst over 520m in mid-May.
The daughter of Barcia Bale, since stepping to a middle distance, has bettered the 618m record at Bathurst and on July 31, lowered the 605m mark at Dubbo to 34.35, shading Don’t Mind Me’s 34.47 mark set in November 2019.
At Dubbo on Saturday, Miss Ezmae steps out for start 14 and will start at Winx-like odds to snare win eight.
Bookmakers will take no risks with Miss Ezmae but she was beaten by kennelmate Midnight Flash when a $1.12 chance at Temora on August 15 over 570m.
The ‘tighter’ Dubbo circuit suits Miss Ezmae’s jump-and-run pattern and, from box two, she's expected to soon head the moderately paced Blackfoot Angel (box one) and hit overdrive.
After holding Miss Ezmae at bay at Temora, Jack Smith ventured back to the Riverina with Midnight Flash on August 22 yet she was edged out by Pyramid Express in a very tight finish, again at 570m.
Midnight Flash strikes Miss Ezmae again while Irinka Molly is Smith’s third trump card in the six-dog line-up.
Outside the Smith trio, the well performed Stanley Keeping must be respected.
He posted a smart 29.80 win at Dubbo on August 21, his fifth on his ‘home’ track but the first over 516m at Dawson Park.
After a run of placings, Jungle Deuce held a gallant Memphis Keeping at bay to score from box eight in a sharp 25.83 at Temora on August 15.
He’s well suited by box two in a small yet select line-up. Oliver Keeping (a personal best of 29.65 at Dubbo), Memphis Keeping (29.55), Irinka Riley (29.35) and Swift Kevin (30.06) have very solid credentials at the track.
The lids fly for Race 1 at Dubbo on Saturday at 5.39pm.
