Overview
- The last meeting here at Wodonga was on June 28 and it was a huge advantage to be on-speed and hard against the rail.
- It’s rarely a disadvantage to be on speed at Wodonga, but it had been racing better than that previously.
- Keep an eye on any pattern and adjust throughout the day.
- Keen to back a few at odds in early markets.
Early Bets:
Race 1 No.5 Hidden Bay ($27) & 15 Yourarenotalone ($5)
Hidden Bay is 4YO gelding makes his debut for Wangaratta trainer Renee Hoysted on the back of three solid jump-outs. He has moved well in each of his pieces of work, displaying above-average ability. Form gate four, he should get a very soft run just off what looks a genuine tempo and I think he represents huge value at $27.
Yourarenotalone was on speed in a fast run race at Pakenham last time out and did a good job to hang on and run third. This is a weaker maiden and having had just one jump-out leading in he should derive good fitness benefit from that outing – he should be shorter in the market.
Race 2 No.8 Lack Of Restraint ($46)
Camp Cable deserves to be favourite and I’ll be sending him around a winner after a great debut at this track over 1100m.
However, the real value in early markets looks Lack Of Restraint. She resumed this time around in the same race as Camp Cable and she just got too far back and came wide on a day you needed to be inside.
She was like a drunken sailor up the home running at Kilmore last start but made solid late ground in a race dominated on speed. The second horse out of that Kilmore race has since won.
With no disrespect to the apprentice, he’s a tricky ride and it’d be advantageous to have a senior on board, but at least Lauren Burke knows the horse.
At $46, Lack Of Restraint is worth an each-way ticket.
Race 6 No.2 Dreamstone ($18)
This bloke flies for jockey Amy O’Driscoll, who is 4-3-0-0 on his back.
Yes, he is first up and he hasn’t trialled, but he’s run well fresh in the past and it’s not like we’re being asked to take even money.
From gate four, he will lob on speed without doing any work at all. His best ratings will see him winning a race like this so the $18 on offer is far too enticing to pass up.
Race 7 No.5 Flycatcher ($5) & Nonshalaant ($12)
The favourite, Do It Now, looks unders for mine.
Flycatcher was a luckless second in a handy BM70 over 1100m fresh at Benalla last campaign and this looks a considerably easier assignment first-up this time in. He has been held together in his trials, but done enough to suggest he’s in good order. Like the map and Jake Duffy riding – think he should be favourite.
Nonshalaant hasn’t been seen for more than a year and has switched to Peter Burgun’s stable at Benalla. He has twice jumped-out like a rocket ahead of this resumption. This bloke has speed to burn which will allow him to cross and lead from the wide draw and provided he’s fit enough expect time to take running down.
