Summary of Best Bets:
Best Bet: Race 8 No.4 Whinchat
Next Best: Race 6 No.11 Beside The Ocean
Next Best: Race 9 No.3 Know Thyself
Turf Talk:
- True entire. With the dry track and rail true, on-speed horses will have a slight advantage overall.
- Tempo will be key to the overall outcome of races.
- 1300m–1350m races have approximately 400–500m until the first turn.
Race 1
Small two-year-old race to kick off proceedings. I can’t go past the last-start winner ROYAL EXILE. The two-year-old gelding trialled up impressively before beating older horses on debut and a fresh two-year-old, which is impressive. The Waterhouse & Bott-trained PROTON goes in as the danger, with two OK trials but needs to find form on race day. The market watch is GOLD GLOBE, sharp improvement between trials but not from a noted two-year-old camp. AUDIT is next best.
Selections:
(5) Royal Exile
(4) Proton
(3) Gold Globe
(2) Audit
Suggested bet: Royal Exile (Win)
Race 2
Intriguing Highway. Tricky starting point, but I’ll back LADY OLENNA with Braith Nock aboard. I like the drop back to 1100m and the use of the claim. ALL ADORE goes in the mix, really strong on speed but has a wide gate and company on speed to deal with. NIMBLE STAR is next best, a smart fresh winner who should appreciate the 1100m first-up.
Selections:
(10) Lady Olenna
(12) All Adore
(2) Nimble Star
Suggested bet: No bet
Race 3
Solid enough speed expected up front here. Happy to side with the in-form CHARLEROI, three consistent efforts and well suited to Midway grade now. CAPE BYRON needs a touch of luck from the draw, gets in light with the claim and brings back-to-back career peaks. OAKFIELD SATURN and PERFECT JUSTICE round out the numbers.
Selections:
(4) Charleroi
(1) Cape Byron
(7) Oakfield Saturn
(9) Perfect Justice
Suggested bet: No bet
Race 4
Not a whole lot of speed to report. Happy to side with SOUNDS UNUSUAL third-up off two encouraging efforts, with the inside barrier ideal and the rise in trip the only question. UNLIMITED has been heavily backed early, comes off a strong last-start win and ticks the 2000m-plus boxes. LENNOX maps well from barrier five, strong last-start win and the use of the 2kg claim is key. AGE OF SAIL is next best.
Selections:
(8) Sounds Unusual
(4) Unlimited
(6) Lennox
(2) Age Of Sail
Suggested bet: No bet
Race 5
Solid enough speed expected up front. HUON goes in the mix, has been up a while but is well placed here and barrier three is a big tick. SLINKY is intriguing, wet would suit but the Baker camp must be respected. NO DRAMA rounds out the numbers.
Selections:
(5) Huon
(9) Slinky
(6) No Drama
Suggested bet: No bet
Race 6
BESIDE THE OCEAN had 15 days between runs and produced a fresh win over an unsuited 1000m. Straight to 1100m here but may want further. HEAT MISSILE is the market watch, second preparation under Waterhouse & Bott and looked sharp in a 1050m trial. Ultra-consistent PETTICOAT is likely to roll forward and give a sight.
Selections:
(11) Beside The Ocean
(9) Heat Missile
(5) Petticoat
(2) Bremel
Suggested bet: Beside The Ocean (Win)
Race 7
Easily the hardest race on the card. SEQUISTA goes on top, needs a peach of a ride to offset the gate but is in good form and may benefit from a quieter ride. LOVING needs sharp improvement but gets the run of the race up front. LA ROJA was a smart fresh winner last prep, draws out but has the turn of speed to win. BELLA CORAZON gets a nice transit, is two-from-two over 1300m and must be respected.
Selections:
(13) Sequista
(5) Loving
(4) La Roja
(10) Bella Corazon
Suggested bet: No bet
Race 8
Good race. WHINCHAT stuck on speed fresh after a hot tempo, has had 34 days between runs and has been kept sharp with a tick-over trial. The lack of speed up front should give him every chance. ACCREDITED looks to join him on speed and the two should battle it out. THUNDERLIPS is next best.
Selections:
(4) Whinchat
(1) Accredited
(3) Thunderlips
Suggested bet: Whinchat (Win)
Race 9
Cracking race with plenty of winning chances. KNOW THYSELF went to a new career peak first-up with an impressive win, is three-from-three second-up and maps well. AMOR VICTORIOUS should get a smart run from barrier two, has a strong 1600m record and handles the firm. GALLANT STAR needs a touch of luck from the draw, first go at 1600m is a query but he’s fit. SUN GOD and ROBUSTO round out the numbers needing luck.
Selections:
(3) Know Thyself
(2) Amor Victorious
(6) Gallant Star
(12) Sun God
(1) Robusto
Suggested bet: Know Thyself (Win)
Race 10
PUNTIN is the danger, back-to-back quiet trials but has a fresh win on CV and maps well. ALTHOFF peaks third-up and has been well backed early, with the wide gate not an issue. CAPTAIN FURAI is the market watch, with the inside barrier and 3kg claim suiting perfectly.
Selections:
(4) Puntin
(7) Althoff
(5) Captain Furai
Suggested bet: No bet
