Betsy’s Set: Sandown

Race 1

Even race to kick off the card. (8) Coco Jen can run a big race fresh. There’s a bit of intent here: she’s had three good jump-outs and they’ve scratched from a few wide barriers in the last week or so. She was an excellent winner fresh at Benalla last campaign, beating a handy one in Mollify. The long straight and open expanses of Sandown Hillside will suit her.

Like the way (1) Cavity Bay has returned this campaign and she’s more than capable of pulling out a run fresh. Gets the claim for Logan Bates which brings her in OK at the weights. (2) Gold Medallist strikes a dry deck for the first time but she’s building a picket fence, she beat a handy field at Bendigo last start and she maps well here.

Selections:
(8) Coco Jen
(1) Cavity Bay
(2) Gold Medalllist
(3) Hazel Baby

Betting suggestion: Happy to watch.

Race 2

Good speed. (6) Rise To It, (8) Makdane and (1) Al Duca all press forward. Makdane gets back to a dry track – which is potentially against him – but he’s got a bit of upside and should give a sight on speed. Forty-one days between runs but has jumped-out nicely, so that poses no concern. Think he can be competitive in a very open race.

(9) Prince Eric was 28 days between runs last time out at Caulfield and wasn’t suited in a race run to suit the on-speed horses. He gets the visor on and now backs up a week later – both of which look positives. The big key is there appears to be a genuine tempo which will assist his chances.

Selections:
(9) Prince Eric
(8) Makdane
(1) Al Duca
(5) Farhh Flung

Betting suggestion: Tricky race.

Race 3

Flat as a biscuit that Street Artist was scr…..

Back to 1000m probably suits (1) Shining Smile who knocked up late at Flemington, while (6) Odessa will be in it a long way.

Selections:
(1) Shining Smile
(6) Odessa
(4) Aleppo Pine
(10) Olatunde

Betting suggestion:

Race 4

Moderate tempo simply didn’t suit (1) King Zephyr first up at The Valley. He also didn’t get around the track that well, but his straight-line speed the last 170m was excellent. The 1400m onto a big track here is a huge plus. He has a really good rating here over 1300m on his CV and is unbeaten at the track. Short enough but deserves to be favourite – I have him marked about $2.40.

(7) Justadeel is five weeks between runs but has had a tick-over jump-out to keep him up to the mark. Ear muffs come off in the run here and he will only wear them pre-race. Inside gate is a touch sticky but Zahra sticks and with even luck he will charge at them late.

(8) Nostringsattached has been gelded leading into this campaign and I think he has the talent to be winning a race like this. The knock is his most recent jump-out was very plain. (6) Sassy Boom will give a sight on speed.

Selections:
(1) King Zephyr
(7) Justadeel
(8) Nostringsattached
(6) Sassy Boom

Betting suggestion: No edge.

Race 5

Looks good speed here. (3) Bacash and (7) Regal Award roll forward.

That speed should suit (2) Fermoy. He hit the line strongly first up at Rosehill in a ratings race before again working to the line well in an incident-marred Up and Coming last start. Looks like a galloper that takes a while to wind up, so the long straight at Hillside should be ideal. Like Melham riding here and the wider draw is no issue as he’s going to drift back anyway, it just ensures clean air.

(7) Regal Award was dominant in winning last start and now drops to 51kg. I’m sure they’ll look to be really positive on him, probably tracking the likely leader in Bacash, and with the lightweight will be hard to beat.

Loved how (1) Navy Pilot worked to the line fresh in the Poseidon Stakes. He is suited out to 1400m here and may be able to settle a pair or two closer from a good draw. Will need luck at some point getting clean air, but if he gets it then expect him to finish hard.

Nice horse (4) Centu Cavaddi who produced the best last 600/400/200m splits of the meeting to win on debut at Donald. Ultimately going to want further, and might find one or two of these a bit sharp at 1400m, but he’s got a bright future.

Selections:
(2) Fermoy
(7) Regal Award
(1) Navy Pilot
(4) Centu Cavaddi

Betting suggestion: Happy to watch.

Race 6

Far from convinced on the depth of these fillies at this stage. Like a few at odds and think you need to go wide in the quaddie.

Going with the X-Factor of (14) Mating Call, over from SA. Her win on debut at Balaklava was outstanding. She was badly held up until late in the straight before unleashing a really strong sprint on a day it wasn’t easy to make ground. Yes, this is tougher, but she has immense upside and love the booking of Benny Melham here.

(12) Biologics had to switch course which cost her a couple of lengths first up at Flemington but she was strong through the line at 1100m. 1400m here is ideal, like the wide draw and think she’s right in the mix at a price.

At huge odds, (13) Arizona Luck has a hope. At no stage did she look like winning first up at Hamilton, but to her credit she got the job done at 1200m. 1400m is ideal – she will get further again in time – and from gate four she should get a nice run.

(5) Ole Dancer was clearly the run of the race in the Atlantic Jewel, a key lead-up race that many of these fillies come through. She got a mile back, came wide, but hit the line strongly. She was also six weeks between runs there so should have improvement to come. Wide draw no issue from the 1400m start with a long run into the bend.

Selections:
(14) Mating Call
(12) Biologics
(13) Arizona Luck
(5) Ole Dancer

Betting suggestion: Like (14) Mating Call at odds, also having small bets on (12) Biologics and (13) Arizona Luck.

Race 7

Interesting to note that Blake Shinn looks to have chosen (1) Evaporate over (3) Transatlantic.

Speed OK. (6) El Rocko should lead. Transatlantic probably comes across and sits outside the leader, or maybe Zahra looks for the 1×1.

Despite Shinn potentially choosing Evaporate, I am going with Transatlantic. I liked him at Flemington and he just may have peaked on his run the last 50m when nabbed by Café Millenium, having fought off all other on-speed runners. That was a reasonably high-rating race, he has a cracking second-up record and the 1500m is no issue.

Evaporate has jumped-out strongly between runs having had little luck first up in the Lawrence at Caulfield. Not sure he would’ve won that race either way, but it was a great pipe-opener for the campaign. He’s got the barrier blanket in use here to try and get him to jump a bit better, and there are very few jockeys better than B Shinn at getting them out of the stalls. Clear danger.

As the market suggests, think it’s a race in two. Have time for (8) Cote Atlantique who can run well from a good draw.

Selections:
(3) Transatlantic
(1) Evaporate
(8) Cote Atlantique
(7) Von Hauke

Betting suggestion: No bet.

Race 8

If (2) Globe has backed up OK after Flemington last start then he’s clearly the horse to beat. He went far too hard there – 5.5L above standard the first 900m – and did a good job to hold on as long as he did. He’s unbeaten both third up and here at the track/distance. He maps to control the speed again and Blake Shinn has been riding these frontrunners well of late. The only query is the 14-day back-up off a hard-run race last start. That said, he was able to back up out of a reasonably strong run Cranbourne Cup and win the Ballarat Cup 14 days later last campaign – so the precedent is there.

(10) Charterhouse has changed stables from Ciaron Maher to Gavin Bedggood since last seen at the races and it wouldn’t surprise to see him run well. He just seemed to peak on his run the last 200m at Caulfield last time out so no issue back to 1800m here (from 2000m).

Thought (16) Wonder Kid had trialled nicely for this return and he should continue to improve at his second Australian campaign. (11) Hard To Cross is racing well.

Selections:
(2) Globe
(10) Charterhouse
(16) Wonder Kid
(11) Hard To Cross

Betting suggestion: Backing Globe with something small on Charterhouse at odds.