Top filly Storyville out to upstage boys in Saturday's Raconteur Stakes at Bunbury

Classy filly Storyville is predicted to upstage the boys in Saturday's Listed $125,000 Raconteur Stakes (1400m) at Bunbury and is just one of two from the fairer sex in the line-up.
The $2.35 TABtouch favourite was last into stride and from her wide barrier, settled back last on the fence at her opening preparation run on May 28 at Pinjarra.
For almost the duration of the home straight, she was clambering over heels in front of her but made some noticeable progress through the line, beaten less than three lengths by Luvnwar.
This week, she has fared much better in barrier two and should appreciate both the second-up fitness and rise from 1200m to 1400m.
The only other filly in this weekend's event is $31 outsider Precious God, who had shown lots of talent but must considerably on her seven-length tenth behind Mt Shirataku at Pinjarra two and a half weeks ago.
Storyville's trainers Grant and Alana Williams have shown that girls can beat the boys in this race with their 2021 victor Graceful Girl doing just that.
Their previous winner in the race was the 2013 triumphant Western Blaze when the race was held over 1500m for a 10-year period before reverting to 1400m in 2020.
The nearest challenger in the Raconteur market is Elite Missile ($5.50), who appreciated a freshen-up to salute on May 24 at Belmont when powering home from the second half of the field.
A wide barrier leaves rider Brad Parnham with a conundrum, however, the gelding defeated subsequent winner Pond Master ($8) on that occasion.
Elite Missile's trainer Stephen Miller will be looking for another success in the race to follow Variation's 2017 effort.
With William Pike sticking with Storyville, the door has opened for Lucy Fiore to pick up the ride on Pond Master, with Pike in the saddle for that May 31 win.
Fiore has experienced joy in recent times with pick-up rides and this looms as another prospect, with Pond's Master's recent showing demanding respect.
After bombing the start and settling last, the son of Saxon Warrior revealed a sparkling turn of foot to gather up his rivals and win by a narrow margin.
Wind And The Lion ($9.50) was a positive first-up second at Ascot last month before being beaten by Pond Master in that Pinjarra event last fortnight.
After being unable to find a front-running position, the son of Written By went back to settle three wide with cover before peeling at the top of the straight.
But his run was just fair and Pond Master came around him to beat him by more than a length.
There will undoubtedly be improvement in the gelding and despite drawing poorly in gate 11, he commands attention.
Opportunistic ($9.50) was off the boards to win at his debut on May 28 at Pinjarra when backed from double-figure odds down to $2.90 come start time.
He didn't let the punters down, shooting down the outside to win easily by over a length.
The So You Think bay must elevate again against these opposition, though he remains untapped.
Awesome Boy ($12) was specked and delivered comfortably two starts ago, romping home by three lengths on April 26 at Ascot.
But after going off $1.55 at his next start, he failed to convert, and needs to rebound to his previous form to play a part.
God's Gate ($14) gave a sight at Pinjarra and although he was headed early in the straight by Sunbronzed, he showed fight to hold second after looking in trouble 500m out.
King Hit ($31) grabbed victory in a Bunbury midweek last week and was four and a half lengths behind Elite Missile prior to that, meaning he must lift to threaten.
Patron Express ($31) has found Rally The Troops too strong at his last two and loses the blinkers now. He has more to give but hasn't recaptured that earlier promise just yet.
One-time winners Ripper Farooq ($41) and More Heroic ($41), who has only had one start, round out the assembly.
+ Million-dollar earner Cool Archie ($3.70f) leads the betting for the Group 1 J J Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm and will look to keep an unbeaten preparation in tact after earlier victories in the Darello, Champagne Classic and Sires' Produce.
Prior to that, the son of Cool Aza Beel shed his maiden tag on April 16 at Doomben first-up, breaking his duck at his third racing preparation as a two-year-old.
He was purchased for just $100,000 while second favourite Hidden Achievement ($6) was a $675,000 Ready 2 Run buy.
The son of I Am Invincible has had just three starts since beginning his career on April 21 for one win and earnings of $100,000.
Grafterburners ($8), a son of Graff, was sixth and four and a half lengths behind Cool Archie in the Sires' Produce after being beaten a half-length by him in the Champagne Classic.
Ciaron Maher's Navy Pilot ($9), also a son of I Am Invincible, was ironically passed in for a very similar fee to Hidden Achievement at $670,000.
He was third in the Phoenix at Eagle Farm last week behind Sunrays.
Promising four-year-old War Machine ($3f) leads the call for the time-honoured Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap later on the card adter winning his last two starts.
A cosy win in a benchmark 100 event at Caulfield on May 10 was followed by an even easier two-and-a-half length victory at Doomben two weeks on in the BRC Sprint.
With Blake Shinn out indefinitely after suffering bone bruising in his foot, Tim Clark takes the reins from gate 13.
Golden Mile ($8.50) went down in a thrilling three-way photo finish to Joliestar in the Kingsford Smith Cup last weekend and is the only other runner at single-digit odds.
Fifth in that race was Rise At Dawn ($11) and Kimochi ($13) was fourth, while Private Eye ($15) will take on this race first-up despite having had four trials.
Rothfire ($15) ran one of his greatest ever races in the Doomben 10,000 when chinned by Sunshine In Paris but the hometown hero gets another chance at feature glory as a seven-year-old.
The Instructor and The Inflictor (both $15) are next, while Transatlantic could be a good roughie at $18.
Transatlantic was declared a Stradbroke horse last year by trainer Tony Gollan and shot to form when winning the Spear Chief by a length last Saturday.

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