Bart Sinclair's Sunshine Coast Preview - Sat 19 Feb, 2022

 
In Italian culture a pentito is not a person held in high regard except by crime authorities.

Pentito is the name given to someone involved in illegal activity who then turns and becomes a police informant. Think the Mafia.

The aptly named racehorse Pentito, by Spill The Beans, will be much more popular with punters if he successfully steps up to the 1600 metres distance of the Global Turf Handicap at the BRC meeting run at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

The $8 price offered by TAB for the three-year-old appears good value judging on his two recent runs after a 14 weeks break.

Pentito resumed at Doomben on January 22 when he finished a very game second to the promising Alf’s Magic over 1200 metres.

A fortnight later he edged up to 1350 metres and had a torrid run out deep all the way while still in contention at the 200 metres.

Trainer Jason Edwards has shown his backing of Pentito’s stamina by going straight to a mile, his longest distance.

The two favorites Naughty Harry ($3.80) and Canadian Dancer ($3.20) have shown promise from limited chances but they are coming off provincial-class Maiden victories over 1350 metres. 

Toowoomba-trained Zuma California will have blinkers added when he resumes in the three-year-old sprint over 1000 metres.

Zuma California was freshened after his gallant second to the talented Far Too Easy over 1200 metres at Doomben on December 4.

Previously Zuma California had bolted in by a combined margin of 9.5 lengths at his only other two starts in Toowoomba.

The highly consistent Roman Aureus will be striving to improve his Sunshine Coast record in the Martin Collins Australia Handicap over 1400 metres. While he has run well on the track three times, he has never finished in the first three placings.

Trainer Brian Wakefield has removed blinkers from Roman Aureus possibly hoping he will relax early and run out a strong 1400 metres on the big track.