First Saturday At The Heath

We kick off late in the day at Caulfield with Big Watch resuming in the Evergreen Turf Handicap (race 8), a BM74 contest over 1000m.

Having his first run since late June, the triple city winning five-year-old resumes off a home-track jumpout fourth and he can race well fresh and has been in the quinella at both of his starts over the 1000m.

"We have decided to claim," Michael Moroney said, "apprentice Jett Stanley claims 2kg and he is in a bit of form. I am pretty sure he will suit Big Watch, he is not a hard horse to ride."

"The question is if the 1000m will be too sharp around the tight track but the will probably go pretty hard in front and he can sit just off them."

"Whatever he does today he will improve on but he is forward enough for the 1000m, I think it will come down to having a bit of luck in running."

In the following race, a 1500m BM100 event, we will be cheering home the classy Buffalo River who has been racing well of late - just not always having the best of luck.

"This certainly looks to be the most winnable race he has been in for a while," Moroney said.

"We are putting a line through his last run, he just didn't handle the heavy going at all. He gets a good track today which is really going to suit and he looks to be the natural leader in a race without any speed in it."

"We will just have to see how he jumps away and how long he takes to get there but there is a nice run to the first corner and Declan Bates should give him a good ride."

"That's Plan A, if he can't cross them quickly he will just have to take a sit, that's Plan B."

"We think he can win this, it looks a great opportunity for him."

The dual Group 3 winner is certainly going to appreciate a drop in class having (despite not relishing the going) finished just behind the placegetters in the Gr.3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes last time out; at his previous start having to do plenty of work from a tricky gate in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.