Summary of best bets:
Next best: Race 2 backing No.3 Airworthy and No.4 Royal Air Force
Best bet: Race 3 No.5 Mareth
Turf talk:
- True Entire. With the dry track and rail True, on speed horses look to be slightly advantaged overall. Do monitor the rain that is forecast also.
Race by race overview
Race 1:
Lacklustre 1900m Maiden to kick off proceedings.
Happy to side with (2) Powerful Prayer for the John Thompson camp, solid debut when running on from an impossible position in transit. 1400m straight to 1900m suits.
(1) Four Candles brings Melbourne form to this event, back-to-back building efforts and looks ready to tackle 1900m now full of fitness.
(6) Blue Blood Prince kept coming at Hawkesbury and is suited up in trip but $3 is very short.
(7) Like Anything is next best.
Selections:
(2) Powerful Prayer
(1) Four Candles
(6) Blue Blood Prince
(7) Like Anything
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 2:
Tricky race here with a couple of these likely to be saved for another day.
I doubt Nash Rawiller will be taking a sit on (4) Royal Air Force second up, the 3yo colt got pocketed fresh and should have probably won if he led. He strips fitter and looks well placed again.
I’ve been impressed with the recent trials of (3) Airworthy, speedy type from the right stable. Look for Clark to push the button early and land up on speed.
(8) Wootten It Be Nice has impressed on two occasions, sticky gate on debut but will be coming late.
Selections:
(4) Royal Air Force
(3) Airworthy
(8) Wootten It Be Nice
(9) Bassett’s Choice
Suggested Bet: Royal Air Force WIN / Airworthy WIN
Race 3:
Cracking contest, clearly the race of the night.
Excited to see what Michael Freedman can do with this talented filly (5) Mareth, she has looked a completely new horse under his guidance with back-to-back impressive trials. She gets the cherry drawing gate 3.
(7) Performance should jump and look to take up the running from barrier 1. The well-bred grey filly has been running slick time at the trials and has been well backed in early markets.
(1) Artgirl will need a touch of luck from the draw but also possesses winning talent. She didn’t have a whole lot of room at a key stage last start and should have no fitness excuses here.
Selections:
(5) Mareth
(7) Performance
(1) Artgirl
(2) Bottles Of Shells
Suggested Bet: Win (5) Mareth
Race 4:
Happy to side with (2) Cassiel here second up, he was game fresh at Kembla Grange in a strong edition of The Warra. He didn’t enjoy the wet deck there and should improve sharply back on top of the ground rising to 1100m.
(7) Shelstein brings a lovely profile, one soft but solid recent trial and maps well enough fresh.
(8) Columbia Blue looks a touch short at $3.90, good fresh but cops a plain barrier.
(10) King Of Dragons is next best.
Selections:
(2) Cassiel
(7) Shelstein
(8) Columbia Blue
(10) King Of Dragons
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 5:
Extremely open event.
(1) Let’s Fly has found form in her past two starts, back to 1900m from a good gate should see Braith Nock push the button and look to lead.
(7) Happiness is another in form and full of fitness, sticky draw the knock.
(2) Oakfield Wallaby should show tactical speed and land on speed, another who has been specked at odds and must go in the mix.
(11) Darn Cute rounds out the numbers from a lovely draw.
Selections:
(1) Let’s Fly
(7) Happiness
(2) Oakfield Wallaby
(6) Darn Cute
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 6:
A couple of key horses have come out now.
(8) Caffe Florian looked impressive last start when winning easily, strong step up but has upside.
(3) Couples Retreat didn’t handle the wet track last start at Kembla, back to dry ground from an inside draw is ideal.
(6) Ragga Ragga will need luck to offset the barrier but has trialled well.
Selections:
(8) Caffe Florian
(3) Couples Retreat
(6) Ragga Ragga
(5) Ellipsis
Suggested Bet: No bet
Race 7:
Another wide-open contest. Stacks of speed which is key.
(5) Verbil should get the run of the race from barrier 5 coming off smart recent form, the claim another big push.
(4) High Blue Sea brings a strong ratings profile, kept ticking over with a trial and should land in a solid spot.
(2) Zaphod may be short of his best trip but has never missed a top-two placing fresh.
(6) Bat Out Of Hell is next best.
Selections:
(5) Verbil
(4) High Blue Sea
(2) Zaphod
(6) Bat Out Of Hell
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 8:
Competitive end to the night.
(10) Agenda Setter goes on top; the gelding lacks a killer punch at times but brings a strong ratings profile and has once again trialled well.
(9) Barbray has been kept very fresh and produced ominous trials when hard held; should enjoy a perfect run from gate 1.
(11) Mother Goose is next best but looks a false favourite currently, if you like her I’d wait till later to bet, she’ll drift.
Selections:
(10) Agenda Setter
(9) Barbray
(11) Mother Goose
(8) Miss Spacegirl
Suggested Bet: No Bet
