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The energy at Tulloch Lodge is reaching fever pitch as we gear up for one of the most exhilarating weekends on the racing calendar, beginning this afternoon with Bear On The Loose stepping out in the Listed Albury Gold Cup.

Emma Reeves aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend.  Bear On The Loose, Friday 20th March, Albury, Race 7: I’m really excited about a number of our runners this weekend but I’ve gone with one of my favourite themes again this week, the country cups. I wrote about this gelding three weeks ago so I won’t go over his form around the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner again. He’s such a consistent galloper and has now finished in the top four in ten of his twelve starts for us, so he thoroughly deserves another win. With the Sydney Autumn Carnival in full swing, we felt the best way to get that win on the board was to take a slight detour and head to Albury for this $200,000 Listed race. He drops right down in the weights, has form on wet tracks and is rock hard fit third up. From the wide barrier he should roll forward and I think he’ll still have enough sprint left in his legs, which he’ll need as he sticks to the 2000 metres. I think this might just be his day.

THURSDAY 26th MARCH - HAWKESBURYRail Position: +2m 800m-400m, True RemainderNO WOMAN NO CRY, Race 2, 1600m, 1.10pm, T Clark, 58.5kgNo Woman No Cry showed up well for a long way on debut at Newcastle, but now that he is stepping up to a more suitable trip, he needs to be fighting out the finish at this level for us to recommend pressing on with him. He’s taken natural improvement from his debut, both mentally and physically, so he strips fitter here and will have an even better idea of what it’s all about. He’s quite one paced so the step up to the mile can only be a positive, and Hawkesbury should suit him. Tim will be positive from barrier 10 to try and work forward into a more favourable inside position, and if he can enjoy an even run in transit we hope he can take a step forward and be competitive in this grade. MIMI'S, Race 4, 1100m, 2.30pm, A Hyeronimus, 58kgMimi’s is in great order ahead of her first-up run. She has had three trials so she’s as fit as we can get her, and she’s continued to improve since her most recent one so she’s spot on for this. She finished fifth on debut at Kembla back in June, where after doing everything right she just wasn’t quite strong enough to go on with it over the concluding stages of the race. She’s had plenty of time to mature since then and she’s a stronger, more robust filly now who’s ready to go on with the job. Adam has got to know her very well this time in and he will let her flow forward from barrier 5 to try and make her own luck on or close to the speed. There’s some showers forecast so it could be on the soft side of good, but we think she’ll handle this. She’s taking on two older mares which isn’t easy to do, but this is still a nice starting point for her against her own sex and we hope she can fight out the finish to get her preparation off to an encouraging start.FRIDAY 27th MARCH - BENDIGORail Position: True NEPTUNITE, Race 5, 1600m, 3.30pm, W Gordon, 60kgNeptunite is pleasing us ahead of his first-up run. His jumpouts and trials have been a bit hit and miss, but they’ve given him the right fitness grounding. We’re wasting no time by starting him off at 1600 metres because he’d be outpaced over anything shorter, and he should be able to get into a comfortable rhythm over this trip. Will will get him rolling along from barrier 7 to try and control the race from the front and make his own luck accordingly, so if he puts his best foot forward we expect him to be challenging at the finish.