BEST BETS
PENWORTHAM (Race 1)
HE WILL BOOM (Race 8)
EACH-WAY PLAYS
GONDOLIER (Race 2)
TATALINA (Race 6)
MULTI
PENWORTHAM (Win, R1) into HE WILL BOOM (Win, R8) at $7
RACE 1 - 1:05PM Sanders Fodder Maiden Plate (1516 METRES)
Looks a perfect race for PENWORTHAM who was good behind Rodeo on debut and then followed with a nice effort behind Totally Discreet at Morphettville. He jumps up in trip, draws a nice barrier and looks the clear top pick. RACE AGAINST TIME was runner-up at Murtoa three starts back and then again run well at Kilmore running 3rd behind Kiss Me If You Can. He comes off a Sandown run when down the track but that’s good form for a maiden here. COVERED CALL was placed at Murray Bridge before going to Pakenham and running OK finishing 4th behind Lal Lal Falls. DIXIE WHISTLER ran a race at big odds last time.
SELECTIONS: 6 PENWORTHAM, 7 Race Against Time, 1 Covered Call, 8 Dixie Whistler
PLAY: Backing Penwortham straight out.
RACE 2 - 1:40PM Coopers Brewery Benchmark 64 Handicap (2121 METRES)
GONDOLIER was unwanted in betting before winning softly at Strathalbyn beating The Red Sea. He drops in weight here and Todd Pannell stays with him which is a good sign. ALL HARD WOOD has been racing well and was placed at Morphettville five runs back. He draws the inside and gets the Ben Price claim. NOT ALONE comes off a good Balaklava win and jumps in distance. He has never been placed in three runs here but hard to ignore his latest. HAPPY ATOM won well at Clare last time and her recent form has been thereabouts in similar races. BELLINI BOY is a former Victorian with Matt Seyers and is a Geelong winner over 2200m. He was OK first-up in SA and shapes an improver. BRONSKI was a Bordertown winner two starts.
SELECTIONS: 2 GONDOLIER, 1 All Hard Wood, 3 Not Alone, 7 Happy Atom
PLAY: GONDOLIER each-way at the $5 he opened.
RACE 3 - 2:15PM TAB Maiden Plate (1100 METRES)
WITNESS GREATNESS has been placed at four of eight starts including his last two behind Star Lyric and Belle Of Yorkes at Murray Bridge before a break. He has jumped out well, draws the inside and gets the Ben Price claim. He won’t get a better chance. THE WEIGHT is a McEvoy filly who comes over on the back of a couple of OK Victorian runs. She was placed at St Arnaud on debut and then 4th at Dunkeld behind Swift Sister. She draws out wide and has gone forward at both her runs. VAMPIRE SLAYER was good running 2nd behind Alpine Flyer at Gawler last time out and her previous run behind Sacred Armour was solid. ROUGE RENARDE was good behind Huntley Lady at Murray Bridge last time out, the drop back in distance is probably against her but she looked good winning a recent Oakbank trial. MAGIC RIDE was OK at Murray Bridge behind Apache Star back in August and then ran well behind Max Fire at Oakbank. LONRODEX is on debut for Matt Seyers and was runner-up in a Murray Bridge trial.
SELECTIONS: 11 WITNESS GREATNESS, 10 The Weight, 8 Vampire Slayer, 6 Rouge Renarde
PLAY: Another open race and WITNESS GREATNESS each-way is worth a ticket.
RACE 4 - 2:50PM LJ Hooker Gawler Colts, Geldings & Entires Benchmark 58 Handicap (1100 METRES)
SECRET WAR is a nice horse with four wins from his eight starts and he’s two wins and two thirds from four starts here on his home track. He led when beaten 2 lengths behind Trygve at Morphettville in May and was draws to make the speed and take some catching. DASKULYA was a good Murray Bridge winner last time out but draws wide here. OLIVE GROVE ran 2nd in the same race making ground form a long way back and does race well here on his home track. OAKFIELD GERONIMO is on debut for Paula Trenwith and wasn’t knocked around in a recent Morphettville jump-out. SANBUCK was a winner here in June and ran well behind Full Probe at a price at Morphettville last time. WICKED ADDICTION was firm in the market winning a Strathalbyn maiden last time out but draws a sticky barrier.
SELECTIONS: 1 SECRET WAR, 7 Daskulya, 3 Oakfield Geronimo, 9 Olive Grove
PLAY: SECERET WAR is short but looks the one.
RACE 5 - 3:25PM Trimboli Services Benchmark 52 Handicap (1516 METRES)
IS THAT SO was a big drifter when he led and was only grabbed late by It’s A Shame at Strathalbyn last time. He was runner-up behind Scarlet River here two starts back, draws a wide gate but should be in the finish. SYLVAN CREST races well this track and trip and should be ready to improve third-up from a spell. His two runs back have been OK and must be given some thought in an open race. ZOUSTORM battled on OK behind Not Alone at Balaklava last time and has claims on his Morphettville Parks effort three starts back when runner-up behind Jaamint. BARTENDER BLUES had support at odds and was OK behind Jive Baby at Balaklava last week. The extra trip here suits.
SELECTIONS: 1 IS THAT SO, 8 Sylvan Crest, 2 Zoustorm, 4 Bartender Blues
PLAY: Open race and not overly keen, SYLVAN CREST the place.
RACE 6 - 4:00PM Bung Fritz Association ‘Fritzmas Day’ – Merry Christmas Benchmark 62 Hcp (TAB Southern Speed Series) (1719 METRES)
TATALINA should be ready to fire. She’s third-up here and her form from last year would take her a long way to winning this. CARRY THE MUSKET was placed at three in succession before jumping favourite and winning by 2.4 lengths at Morphettville last time. He draws a middle gate but looks hard to beat again. SCARLET RIVER was easy in betting but got the job done here last start and should handle the step up in distance. NO STRINGS was runner-up at Balaklava three starts back but only battled behind Masaru Warrior here last time. NATIVE BLUE has handy form for a race like this and gets some weight relief. CALIBURN is a former Victorian now with Bill Williams and won an Oakbank trial last week.
SELECTIONS: 5 TATALINA, 6 Carry The Musket, 7 Scarlet River, 10 No Strings
PLAY: Again, a tricky little race and TATALINA is worth an each-way ticket at $6.50.
RACE 7 - 4:35PM Cornerstone Stud Sir Prancealot Series Benchmark 62 Handicap (Heat 7 Sir Prancealot Series) (1100 METRES)
Race with plenty of depth. LADY PAVLI CHENKO was well backed and won smartly on her home track beating Equichunk who has won there since. She draws to give this a big shake. LADY SIMONE was a good winner here in June beating Nordic Lass and hasn’t raced since running 5th behind Winning Weather. EMERALD COURT was well found by punters and won smartly on debut beating Fields Of Athenry at Morphettville Parks last time. She draws the inside and looks right in this. STAR ESPRESSO was good running 3rd behind Rodeo at Morphettville on the Parks track before going to Clare, jumping a short-priced favourite beating Dazzling Harmony last start. GATSBY'S GIRL is a handy mare who won at Clare on the same day beating Yeelanna and she should be thereabouts in a race like this. SPINOLA BAY is lightly-raced but has talent and was a Murray Bridge winner beating We Will Remember back in June. She does have an Oakbank trial under her belt. DAILY SPIRIT has been runner-up at both runs here and was an Oakbank winner in March. She strips fitter for one run back when down the track behind Chosen Blonde at Morphettville and should be an improver. SHOPSTER was a winner here on her home track in June and could be an improver. GINNY ANN stuck on well behind Free Hand at Strathalbyn second-up for the David Jolly stable but draws a wide gate. Stablemate PHYLA VELL stuck on OK behind Lucy Diamonds first-up and gets some weight relief here with the claim. GOGOLF GURU won well on debut for Debra Quinton and must be respected here despite an awkward barrier.
SELECTIONS: 8 LADY PAVLI CHENKO, 10 Lady Simone, 6 Emerald Court, 7 Gatsby’s Girl
PLAY: Race of the day and not many you could comfortably leave out of quaddies. GATSBY’S GIRL looks over the odds from the barrier.
RACE 8 - 5:10PM Christmas Party at Gawler Races Sat Dec 18th Benchmark 54 Handicap (1200 METRES)
HE WILL BOOM was a winner here two starts back beating Harbouring before another good effort finishing 4th behind Addictions at Morphettville. He draws the inside and looks the one to beat. HARBOURING mixes form but was good behind He Will Boom here four starts back. He only got warm last behind It’s A Shame at Strathalbyn last time. ST JUST was racing well before a break running successive placings at Murray Bridge and Balaklava. She’s jumped out well at Morphettville leading into this. SAND CAT has an OK record here and draws a favourable barrier.
SELECTIONS: 13 HE WILL BOOM, 7 Harbouring, 4 St Just, 8 Sand Cat
PLAY: HE WILL BOOM to win, saver on ST JUST.
