RACE COMMENT

OVERVIEW: Awfully hard to oppose THE LAST TRIP (7), who looks a star on the rise since joining the Emma Stewart barn. He won his first two starts for the stable by 25.8m and 48.6m before taking out a heat of this series last weekend by 11.6m in good time once again. He has drawn awkward here in gate seven, but you’d anticipate Taylor Ford working forward and probably finding the front. Looks the horse to beat, but you’ll have to take the shorts. LOUGLE (1) was sensational running third in the other of the qualifiers last Saturday night. He settled towards the rear and came with a sustained three-wide run in the last lap to only miss a neck in a race won by THE NAKED ART (12), who was brilliant from the breeze. LOUGLE (1) has never drawn the front row here in Victoria, so his gate speed is a query, but he’s a nice horse and is sure to run well. PICK UP ELVIS (4) charged from the back to grab second behind THE LAST TRIP (7) and is a winning chance, while TELEMACHUS (3) might be able to run well at odds given his good gate speed and ability to find the fence. Other key runners include THE NAKED ART (12) and LILLY LOTUS (6).