Lavender Bay has a sweet smell

SIX of the ten races on the rain softened Winter course at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this afternoon are for the fairer sex, including the two highest-rated races, a pair of Class 4 Handicaps.

- GRAEME HAWKINS

The first of these is the seventh race over 1800m and from pole position the ultra-consistent Lavender Bay could go back-to-back following her victory over the same trip at Hollywoodbets Durbanville back in March.

Lavender Bay now races off a career high of 77 but she is only 1kg worse off with Pentolina who finished third on that occasion, nearly three lengths adrift of Andre Nel’s 4yo daughter of Twice Over.

Pentolina

Given their respective barrier positions - Pentolina has the worst of the draw to overcome - I would expect Lavender Bay to confirm the form with Vaughan Marshall's filly. Pentolina appears to have the beating of Strawberry Thief on the evidence of their recent meeting behind Kleinzee, and therefore by extension Lavender Bay seems to hold Strawberry Thief.

Golden Angel has been given further relief by the handicapper after finishing fourth in each of her last four starts and she could finish closer to Pentolina than she did on 16 April when they met over 1600m.

Lickety Split is very genuine but may find it tough under top weight of 62kgs, having to concede 3,5kgs to Lavender Bay.