Best Bets
- Best Bet: R7 (2) Silver Chaos
- Next Best: R6 (1) The Cosmic One
- Best Value: R8 (1) Flyway
Turf Talk
- The track is rated at a Soft 7 currently and with a forecast for overcast weather but no showers, it is likely the track remains at this rating.
- The rail moves out in sections from the previous meeting and will be +5m 950m – 450m, +2m 1900m – 1600m & True the remainder
- In similar conditions at the previous meeting here, majority of the winners came from positions on speed in the run and there was an even spread of lanes used in the straight (6 winners from lanes 1-6) so expect it will play similar here
Key stats
- Todd Pannell comes to this meeting in the most form of any jockey here in SA, he has ridden 16 winners from his last 100 rides and returned a POT of +14.7% and continues to be booked on stronger chances across the weekend
- Travis Doudle brings a strong team to this meeting, and his stable is going strongly with 20 winners from his previous 100 runners to return a POT of +18.8%
- Michael Hickmott has a strong record on this Balaklava track with a winning strike rate of 24.6% and returning a POT of +24.6%
Race 1
(3) Master Of Ceremony isn’t a prolific winner, but he has looked as close as ever to winning again running into the placings in his last two starts and running a close 3rd last time. He is suited at this distance and handles a wet track so looks ready to break through.
(4) Reciprocal ran midfield when resuming but looks ready to handle a quick rise in distance off the back of that performance. He should be much better suited getting out to a staying trip today.
(5) Valued should be much better suited getting to a track that has some give in it. He maps for a soft run from a low barrier and comes in light at the weights after an apprentice claim so should be strong late in the run and gets his chance to improve.
(2) Irlandais has a moderate record overall but does rarely miss the placings on heavy tracks so should be ideally suited if the track gets to the heavy range
Selections:
(3) Master Of Ceremony
(4) Reciprocal
(5) Valued
(2) Irlandais
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 2
(1) Polunin made a good impression when winning here at Balaklava on debut. That track was sticky as a Soft 7 and he handled it well so similar conditions here won’t prove an issue and this race looks likely to have moderate early speed so he can find a soft lead and prove tough to catch again.
(4) Kahlua Girl was average when making her debut for a new stable recently but her previous form in Queensland rates well enough to be a winner here and she gets a suitable set up to be able to find that form again.
(5) Breakfast ran below what we have seen her produce previously when resuming, the jury is out if it was to do with a wet track or if she was a touch fresh 1st up but given the form she showed through her last prep her best form would go well in this grade if she handles the conditions so giving her another chance.
(6) Maldivica won well recently to break her maiden before running into two handy form races in her next pair of starts, those races rate highly, and she may find this more suitable.
Selections:
(1) Polunin
(4) Kahlua Girl
(5) Breakfast
(6) Maldivica
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 3
(8) Here She Is has hit the line strongly in her last two runs and looks ready to take a step up in distance now. She is drawn a touch wide but has the speed to quickly find cover and should prove tough to hold out with a clear run.
(3) Healthandhappiness ran midfield on debut, but the run was better than his finishing position suggests. He was green in patches in that run so coming into this fresh with a trial in between should set him up to get every chance to improve.
(10) Waterorthecan was moderate when making his debut but that was in a much stronger race, he will find this easier and sets up for a soft run from barrier 1 so expecting sharp improvement.
(2) Vamore is drawn wide but has speed and can cross quickly, looks a type who should appreciate the wet conditions so could surprise.
Selections:
(8) Here She Is
(3) Healthandhappiness
(10) Waterorthecan
(2) Vamore
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 4
(6) Zarubina found it tough last start when getting a tough run from a wide barrier. She has handled genuinely wet ground well previously so could handle the conditions best here and should be stronger late with a better race map.
(5) Karma Queen didn’t see out the 1600m in her last start, she looks much better suited coming back to the 1200m trip and can find her better form again in this set up.
(10) Wings Of Destiny ran into the placings when resuming. She can race on speed and get an ideal run from barrier 3 so expect her to be in this race for a long time.
(7) Goodlookin’ Guru was average when resuming, she needs to improve sharply from that performance but given what she showed in her debut campaign I would be willing to give her one more chance in the conditions.
Selections:
(6) Zarubina
(5) Karma Queen
(10) Wings Of Destiny
(7) Goodlookin’ Guru
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 5
(9) Or Am I maps for a much better run that what she got from a wide barrier last start at Balaklava, so she can be an improver on that performance with a softer run.
(1) Moussaka has been well supported in all of his most recent runs and around the mark in those, his best form looks good enough to breakthrough in maiden grade and the rise to the 1600m may give him that chance
Scratchings in the race likely favour (4) Shamastar as he looks likely to get a softer lead now and that lands him in a strong position for this track.
(7) Mandarin showed improvement last start to run into the placings and has some early speed so given a moderate tempo is expected, she could be in a strong position in the run
Selections
(9) Or Am I
(1) Moussaka
(4) Shamastar
(7) Mandarin
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 6
(1) The Cosmic One made a good impression in his debut preparation when placing 1st up before winning prior to the spell. Resuming in this today, he maps for a softer run out of barrier 2 and with any improvement from last time in work he should go close in this level.
(7) Kiss And Kaboom ran midfield when resuming but has previously taken a few runs to find her best form so could be an improver fitter 2nd up today and she does have a good record here at her home track.
(3) Precipice is a NZ import who is having his 2nd run here in Australia. He was average 1st up but certainly looked in need of the run and will be capable of good improvement fitter now. Expect he will handle the wet conditions with little trouble.
(2) Testing One Two kicks off this prep down in grade from where he finished last time in work so could suprise here, some of his better form came over more ground but he has won at this distance previously
Selections
(1) The Cosmic One
(7) Kiss And Kaboom
(3) Precipice
(2) Testing One Two
Suggested Bet: (1) The Cosmic One (Win)
Race 7
(2) Silver Chaos blew away her rivals when winning by a big margin here at Balaklava last start. This race is no harder and she gets similar conditions where she clearly handled them well last time so expect her to be very hard to beat here again
(6) Prince Kuro has won two in a row and is in strong form now. He handles wet tracks and has won here recently so could repeat that performance if he gets the right run from a wide barrier.
(9) Tahnee Territory was a winner at Gawler when resuming in similar conditions. She got a gun run up the fence and sets up similar again so if conditions are suiting, expect her to go close again as that rails run could prove to be an advantage.
(1) Lunar Module didn’t show a great deal when resuming but she will likely be better suited here today fitter 2nd up and rising in distance to a suitable trip.
Selections
(2) Silver Chaos
(6) Prince Kuro
(9) Tahnee Territory
(1) Lunar Module
Suggested Bet: (2) Silver Chaos (Win)
Race 8
(1) Flyway looks close to a win having run 2nd in his last two starts. This looks no harder than the race he ran in last start but gets a softer race map now so that could see him improve and wet conditions should prove no issues
(8) Suit Of Wands ran well when resuming but couldn’t back that up last time when contesting a stronger race at Murray Bridge. He showed a level of improvement in a recent trial so should be able to bounce back here today coming down in grade again.
(4) Chance Taken wasn’t ideally suited 1st up but will likely improve the deeper he gets into the prep. He is proven on a heavy track so conditions will suit but he needs some luck from the wide barrier.
(7) Harley N Rose is 1st up and will likely have improvement to come later in the prep when over further distances, but he is a 1st up winner previously and kicks the prep off down in grade so may surprise.
Selections
(1) Flyway
(8) Suit Of Wands
(4) Chance Taken
(7) Harley N Rose
Suggested Bet: (1) Flyway (Win)
