Betsy’s Best:
| Race | No. | Horse | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Classic Gem | Wide draw, but gets back anyway. Will be super strong late. Over the odds at $12 Bet365. |
| 2 | 3 | Blacklist | Racing in a rich vein of form. Ready for 2400m now. |
| 4 | 6 | Barbaric Lad | On trial at 1000m but jumped-out super and will hammer the line. |
| 4 | 5 | Trapeze Warrior (smaller) | Flies fresh. Jumped-out well. Makes own luck. |
| 6 | 6 | Comic Hero | Racing well. Dry deck suits. Huge odds |
| 6 | 13 | Eternal | Big win fresh. Maps well. Has plenty of upside. |
Turf Talk:
- The Hillside course is the outer loop at Sandown.
- As a default rule it is more generous to backmarkers than Lakeside.
- The rail goes out to the 9m position, having been 6m last week
- Prediction is those settling off speed will get their chance.
Stats That Matter:
- Grahame Begg and his stable have been airborne for a year now…. the stable is striking at 27% from their last 100 runners.
- Clint McDonald is diligent with his placement, he is going at 24% from his last 100 runners.
- Damian Lane (23% from his last 100 rides) and Ethan Brown (24%) are the ‘hot hoops’ heading to Sandown.
Race 1 – (14) Classic Gem, (17) Engine Of War, (6) Matsuda, (13) Celtic Viva,
Tricky opener with a heap of debutants stretching straight to 1500m – plenty of them look like dour staying types who’ll be better once the distances get longer. The speed map? Messy at best.
(14) Classic Gem has a sticky draw, but she tends to drift back anyway. Both her runs have been electric late and she’ll be hitting the line like a train.
Seymour Race 1 | Yum
We’re underway at Seymour! The 3YO filly asserts herself down the straight to nail a strong maiden victory for @jamieleemott & @RedgumRacing 😤
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/1Cdj9yiW95— Racing.com (@Racing) August 15, 2025
(17) Engine Of War was green as grass on debut in New Zealand, but he’s in the right hands with Price & Kent Jnr – recent trials suggest he’s come on plenty. Respect (6) Matsuda, who attacked the line behind Trapdoor on debut. The extra 300m here looks spot-on for him.
(13) Celtic Viva hit the line in some of the best late splits of the meeting on debut but that was a very suspect form race.
Suggested bet: Small E/W on (14) Classic Gem.
Race 2 – (3) Blacklist, (4) Salsita, (9) Izola, (7) Saxon Beauty
Couple of them want to go forward here. (7) Saxon Beauty and (3) Blacklist push the speed, with Saxon Beauty probably taking it up. (4) Salsita parks in right behind them.
I’m with (3) Blacklist. He burned himself out at Lakeside two back, then last start at Bairnsdale he looked in strife before Jake Noonan found a late split and he let rip to win with a bit up his sleeve. The 2400m is new territory, but if Ethan can get him rolling in rhythm, I’m not worried.
The danger is (4) Salsita. He over-raced and was flushed early two runs back at Sandown, then bumped into a smart one last start. He’ll get his chance if he relaxes in the run.
Suggested bet – Think (3) Blacklist should be favourite – having a small bet at the $3.50 on offer with Bet365.
Race 3 – (1) Humble Trader, (8) She Moves Too, (3) Mongolian Gobi, (6) Vivid
Looks like (4) Undisputable and (5) Torsheen roll forward and make the play.
The one they’ll all have to beat is (1) Humble Trader. He trialled the house down, was crunched in betting on debut, and got the job done despite racing like he’d forgotten what he was there for. Switched off mid-race, Jamie Mott gave him a wake-up call, and suddenly he’s trucking along again at 65km/h. Quality talent.
Sandown Race 1 | Humble Trader
We’re underway at Sandown! The 3YO gelding delivers a ripping debut win for @jamieleemott & @GregEurell 💪
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/uN5cn1c5Zj— Racing.com (@Racing) August 20, 2025
The market gave (8) She Moves Too absolutely none on debut ($61) but she stormed late to just miss. Worth noting the bias that day made her look better than she was, but the extra trip + D Lane = respect.
(3) Mongolian Gobi and (6) Vivid Sun both looked slick winning on debut and haven’t put a foot wrong in their jump-outs since.
Cracking little race – Humble Trader the headline act, but a few sharks circling.
Suggested bet – No bet. Keep a close eye on the race as there could be a couple of very nice horses emerge.
Race 4 – (6) Barbaric Lad, (5) Trapeze Warrior, (7) El Tercero, (3) Gitalong
Over the Sandown 1000m I’m not fussed about barriers, it can be a case of the wider, the better at times. There’s a stack of speed from (5) Trapeze Warrior, (3) Gitalong and (8) Malletier, so they should roll along.
Like (6) Barbaric Lad. First go at the specialist trip, but Sandown’s gentle 1000m isn’t the same hustle as the tighter-turning tracks. He’ll flop out, relax, and then unleash that electric turn of foot. His latest jump-out? Proper wow factor.
Of those up on speed, (5) Trapeze Warrior looks the hardest to beat, unbeaten fresh and trialled up sweetly. (7) El Tercero has always hinted at ability and Daniel Moor knows him inside out.
Keep an eye on (3) Gitalong. Forget Adelaide, he choked down. He’s jumped-out well since, and the crossover noseband goes on to fix that issue.
Suggested Bet: Back (6) Barbaric Lad, save (5) Trapeze Warrior. At around $5 and $6 you can have them both as winning results.
Race 5 – (10) Furosshi, (3) Lovelycut, (4) Starmae, (10) Sun Setting
Tricky old start to the quaddie and it might pay to be wide. Hoping they can make ground out of the chute, because (10) Furosshi looks over the odds. Loved her run against the bias at Bendigo last start, and while she hasn’t cracked it at 1000m, her ratings say she’s more than capable. She’ll flop out and be charging late.
(3) Lovelycut is probably the most talented runner here. If she’s right, she’ll be hard to hold out. The queries? She likely wants further than the short dash, and she was a late scratching on vet’s advice last week – so you’re taking it on trust.
(4) Starmae has shifted from Bjorn Baker to Dwayne Reid and trialled up sweetly – she’s a knockout hope at a price. (10) Sun Setting is deep into her prep but her best ratings this campaign have been over 1000m, while (4) Pocket Size is a genuine 1000m specialist and has to be respected.
Suggested Bet: Quaddie leg one – throw the net wide!
Race 6 – (13) Eternal, (6) Comic Hero, (18) Chest Of Gold, (14) Catahoula
(13) Eternal was simply awesome first-up at Sale. This is a tougher assignment, but she maps a dream for Damian Lane – sitting just off them and ready to launch. The extra 200m is a big tick, and she deserves top billing.
Ex-WA galloper (6) Comic Hero stretches to 1400m for the first time, and his racing pattern screams that it’ll suit. He’s been hitting the line hard at Lakeside, and Hillside’s long run home is perfect. Only knock is if they dawdle in front and turn it into a sit-sprint.
(18) Chest Of Gold had things fall his way last start, but he again maps to get every chance. (14) Catahoula will be storming late and can add spice to exotics.
Suggested Bet: Back (13) Eternal and (6) Comic Hero.
Race 7 – (15) Damehood, (13) Heed The Omens, (2) Al Duca, (18) Teser
Not the strongest BM70 you’ll see.
(15) Damehood was super last start and her record on top of the ground stacks up well. The slight query is stretching to 1500m, but she comes off a genuinely run 1300m and everything in her racing says she’ll handle it. Drawn to get a sweet run and having B Shinn steering is a bonus.
(13) Heed The Omens was heavily backed first-up at Sandown and didn’t get much luck in the straight. Trialled well before that, and he’ll be much better suited up to 1500m on a dry track.
(2) Al Duca will be right there on the speed and give a sight, while (18) Teser is another who can stick on for a long way.
Suggested Bet: If playing, I’d want both (15) Damehood and (13) Heed The Omens running for me.
Race 8 – (17) Silver Magnate, (6) Comanche Miss, (1) Just For Show, (7) Flying Fizz
Cracking race to close out the card.
There’s not much Grahame Begg and his team can’t do – and the training effort to get (17) Silver Magnate back first-up after 380 days was outstanding. He ripped home the day’s best late splits to beat a subsequent winner in Flying Valley. The only query is whether he can hold that rating – or even improve – second-up off such a long break. Deserves favouritism, but you’d want better than even money to get involved.
(6) Comanche Miss will be looking for more ground later in the prep, but her recent jump-out was excellent. If they can run on, expect her to be steaming home – she posted a monster figure over a mile last campaign, and she’s clearly got talent.
(1) Just For Show was brave when rolling forward last start behind his stablemate Justadeel. From the inside alley he’ll be right there on speed again and will give backers a good sight.
Suggested Bet: (17) Silver Magnate is short enough, including (6) Comanche Miss in exotics/quaddie.
