Racing makes long-awaited return to Canberra's Thoroughbred Park on Melbourne Cup day

There he'll see Island Bay Boy, "have a good yarn to him and try to get him on the right leg" before Tuesday's Federal in racing's long-awaited return to Thoroughbred Park.

But right now the veteran trainer jokes he'll have to choose his words carefully, because every time he takes the call to spell out his gelding's chances, he reckons they start to go backwards.

However Tuesday's meeting is about more than the Federal, more than eight horses vying for a share in $34,000 over 1300 metres, and for racing folk in Canberra, perhaps even more than that 3pm standstill when everyone stops to watch the Melbourne Cup on the big screen.

A crowd capped at 1000 marks a step towards normality as the Canberra Racing Club hosts its first meeting in the capital since August, when the city went into lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Sergi has been around the track a few times, so you naturally wonder if he has ever seen anything quite like it.

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"Never, nothing like this," Sergi said.

"We had the equine influenza many years ago but we all got compensated for that. This is a lot different, this is safety for everybody, not for the animals but for the humans, isn't it?

"It's really good to see. It's been a hard and long struggle. Queanbeyan have helped them out as much as we could but it's good to have the races back at Canberra again.

"We've had to travel to different areas to get races, whereas we'd have a fortnightly Canberra meeting where we could take a horse. We've gone to Kembla, we've gone to different places to trial. I haven't really counted [how many kilometres we've travelled] or anything like that. It is what it is and we just took it in our stride.

"A lot of [jockeys] have missed out on rides and money. It's not just me, it's all the trainers around this area. Racing in Canberra has suffered a fair bit because of it, but with any luck, it will just continue going head over heels now and we'll see if we can get it all back."

As for those questions about Island Bay Boy?

"He looks really well. He got battered around a fair bit in the Kosciusko but he has come back really well, he's okay. We'll find out anyway," Sergi said.

"With the Kosciuszko, it really stuffed my whole preparation up, not having races ready when we needed them and so on. It is what it is, and we've got them back now so we'll just make the best of it and hope it keeps going."

Nick Olive's Exotic Deel enters the Federal as favourite, while Matthew Dale will field two mares with Kayla Nisbet getting the ride on Molly Nails while Nick Heywood will be on board Propose to Me.

"I couldn't say which of my two are better placed," Dale said.

"Molly is going to be in front at the turn but after that I think it's just going to come down to luck in running. Her first two runs of the prep were great and she's really well placed here dropping back to country company.

"Propose to Me didn't appreciate the heavy going at Warwick Farm at all. She too is going to enjoy the drop in class and thrives here in Canberra, her win on Canberra Cup Day earlier this year against a great field proves that."

SCORSE'S SAUCE: John Scorse runs his eye over every race at Thoroughbred Park on Tuesday.

RACE 1:

No. 3 Fantini - Good effort at first run for new stable when closing late to be beaten narrowly, has won second up and looks the winner.

No. 1 Winds of War - Placed in provincial grade when first up for new yard, can improve here and placed only run this t/d.

No. 2 Written Statement - Easy maiden winner first up at Queanbeyan, this much harder.

No. 4 Blazing Beau - Place only.

RACE 2:

No. 1 Lights on the Hill - Forgive last start placing when worked hard on unfamiliar track, go on impressive win prior, can take control here and hard to run down.

No. 2 Elegant Carridge - Looks to have come back stronger judging by strong finishing win first up, will get back in running but extra distance will suit.

No. 5 Aftershock - Improving with each run and looking for this distance, has claims in this.

No. 4 Stratum Pride - Will appreciate racing on a bigger track

RACE 3:

No. 5 Miss Capella - Trialled in strong city heats before storming home late to just miss on debut at orange, only needs to reproduce that run to win this.

No. 1 Grand Lusitano - Has run very well in good maidens to place 4/6, resumes here and drawn to get the right run, main danger.

No. 3 Cool Encounter - On debut but he is very well bred, has had four city trials in two preps, watch market

No. 6 Keyne's Time - Next best.

RACE 4:

No. 1 Knuckle Warrior - Resumed from 6 months off and well beaten at Wagga, will take good improvement and extra distance will suit, the best of him can win this.

No. 7 Dancing til Dawn - Resumed in unsuitable race at Cootamundra, will be fitter and drawn to get a nice run.

No. 4 Missile Magic - Better effort when on speed and held on well, never far away in this grade.

No. 3 Miss Barty's Party - Next best.

RACE 5:

No. 6 Larmour - Covered extra ground and weakened late when resuming, much better suited here and gets the right run.

No. 3 Balonne - Can be in and out but is a winner this t/d can make his own luck in this small field.

No. 1 Tobermory - Got back and never in it at Cootamundra but better here on his home track.

No. 9 Dance too Hard - Next best.

RACE 6:

No. 9 Molly Nails - Smart mare who should peak at third run in, boxed on well to place in city bm72, looks good speed here which will suit her pattern.

No. 3 Propose to Me - Nice mare who looks the danger to her stablemate, failed on the heavy first up but will be hard to beat at home.

No 6 Hezredhot - In top form and will be near the action throughout, chance again.

No. 2 Island Bay Boy - Next best.

RACE 7:

No. 3 More Shots Forgive - 1st up run, in top form last prep and well suited coming back in distance, she will finish strongly.

No. 2 Shenandoah - Has good ability but bad racing manners, suited here fresh and drawn away from the fence, watch market.

No. 1 Choccy Gaf - Smart type resuming in a suitable race, would prefer some give in the ground.

No. 4 Rhapsody in Blue - Former NZ mare having first run here, has good fresh form, don't dismiss.

RACE 8:

No. 5 Room Number - Racing in great heart, backs up from strong finishing win 5 days ago, unlucky previous runs this trip, hard to beat.

No. 4 Dolphina - Didn't quite get the 2500 last run but put two wins together with strong finishing runs, good chance here.

No. 3 Timely Shadow - Never in it last time at 1st run for new yard, will be fitter now and placed only run this distance.

No. 1 Clem Fandango - Next best.

RACE 9:

No. 14 Prophets Pride - Trialled well before debut over 1000 at Qbn where she finished off very strongly, will benefit from the run and extra trip ideal.

No. 7 Easier - Unfancied in both runs in stronger grade, stable has a great record with tried mares, watch market.

No. 2 Gambacorta - Placed 2/3 and has raced forward and back, can improve up in distance and on bigger track.

No. 13 Harderthantherest - Next best.

BEST BET: Race 3, No. 5 Miss Capella - Got a long way back on debut and flashed home to just miss at Orange, widely drawn but that might suit her, even luck and she will win this.

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