BEST BET
SHOCK ALERT (Race 4)
EACH-WAY
AIM TO PLEASE (Race 3)
TURF TAPPER (Race 7)
VALUE
SPANGIRL (Race 7)
RACE 1 - 1:40PM Doan Pharmacies Benchmark 72 Handicap (1550 METRES)
DEXTER YOU DEVIL is the best horse in this race by long way, but he has a huge weight, I don’t remember seeing too many horses carry 65kg to victory. He will be fitter for one run back when beaten 7.1 lengths in the Xmas Hcp behind Outlaws Revenge and jump from the 1200m to the 1550m looks ideal. He’ll no doubt run an honest race. I’m tipping SPLASH SOME CASH who stuck to his task gamely behind Fulton Street at Morphettville last time. He draws a good barrier and has been in the money at all three runs here this track and trip. CLEVER MAN has the one run back from a let-up under his belt. His form last time in work was excellent and he gets a 9kg weight swing on the favourite. STAR JAN comes off a good win this track and trip last time out.
SELECTIONS: 2 SPLASH SOME CASH, 1 Dexter You Devil, 4 Clever Man, 5 Star Jan
PLAY: Happy to watch on with the small field.
RACE 2 - 2:15PM Woolshed Inn Maiden Handicap (1100 METRES)
ROUGE RENARDE has been knocking on the door and threatening to dump the maiden tag for a while. She made good ground from a long ay back behind The Trance Factor at Oakbank, the extra trip will suit here and she deserves to win a race. MARACOURT showed speed and looked a nice type running 2nd behind Hasta La Missile in a Naracoorte trial. BIG SUE is on debut for Darryl Dodson and trialled nicely on the same day and wasn’t knocked around running 2nd behind Desert Spirit. These two can run very well here. SMART ACE is another who has been on the cusp of winning a maiden for a while but has been very costly for punters running fav at his past three. He draws a gate and should be in the finish again. VEGAS DESTINY is a former Victorian first-up in SA for Dennis O’Leary and looked OK running 3rd behind They Call Me Alvin in a recent Strathalbyn jump-out.
SELECTIONS: 9 ROUGE RENARDE, 2 Maracourt, 1 Big Sue, 13 Smart Ace
PLAY: Happy to bet around the horses on debut – MARACOURT and BIG SUE.
RACE 3 - 2:50PM Bordertown Pumps & Refrigeration Maiden Plate (1300 METRES)
TEXAN WINDSTORM has been placed at seven of 10, runner-up at his past four, the latest behind Miss Miduki at Morphettville. He draws a nice barrier and should be in the finish. LEON’S SHOUT has been OK in two runs running 4th in the Miss Miduki race on debut before another handy effort when 5th behind Starlite Valley last time. He draws out but should be in the finish. AIM TO PLEASE draws the inside and was held-up into the straight first-up from a break at Morphettville in the Miss Miduki race. TREASURE CHEST was sent out favourite when 4th behind Mavourneen at Penola last time. RUGER ROSE draws a nice barrier and trialled OK behind Desert Spirit at Naracoorte. OAMARU POPPY was placed at her first three starts and was beaten 4.9 lengths behind The Trance Factor at Oakbank last time. She was placed at her only start here on her home track. BOOLCUNDA KING is on debut for Peter Blanch and ran down the track in recent Murray Bridge trial. QUIZZLE debuts for Brett Campbell.
SELECTIONS: 3 TEXAN WINDSTORM, 9 Aim To Please, 5 Leon’s Shout, 13 Treasure Chest
PLAY: Happy to back AIM TO PLEASE at the $7 in opening markets.
RACE 4 - 3:25PM Ray White Bordertown Benchmark 58 Handicap (2000 METRES)
SHOCK ALERT has been brave at his past two ridden in the lead. He was runner-up behind Sebonna here in the Cup two starts back and then was specked at a price when just grabbed by Ichibansan in the Southern Speed Final last time at Morphettville. He gets in well with the Stacey Callow claim and should take some catching. BRIABELLA had no luck in the straight when 4th behind Don’t Dismiss at Strathalbyn last tie out. She draws out but gets in well on the minimum and looks well placed. LEFTRIGHTGOODNITE was a Strathalbyn winner three starts back, MILITARY PRESS is still a maiden but ran well behind Ichibansan at Murray Bridge two starts back.
SELECTIONS: 1 SHOCK ALERT, 7 Briabella, 3 Leftrightgoodnite, 5 Military Press
PLAY: Very keen on SHOCK ALERT.
RACE 5 - 4:00PM Wise Farm Equipment Benchmark 58 Handicap (1550 METRES)
GOOD GIRL BELLA ran much better here last time when 3rd behind Star Jan. Her best is pretty good and she looks to be getting back to the form that saw her racing in better company last time in with the help of the claim. BUBBLERAP has a good record and was a Naracoorte winner two starts back before battling behind stablemate Star Jan last time here, he draws well but has plenty of weight. THANASI has been good his past two in Victoria and finished 4th behind Carak at Horsham last time out. IF YOU LEAVE was a Naracoorte winner two starts back and then solid behind Star Jan last time. He draws to get his chance up in trip. BUT BEAUTIFUL comes off a win here when well specked at a price beating Our Ellie Rose.
SELECTIONS: 2 GOOD GIRL BELLA, 1 Bubblerap, 3 Thanasi, 6 If You Leave
PLAY: Happy to stay with GOOD GIRL BELLA to find winning form.
RACE 6 - 4:35PM McCarthy Transport Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200 METRES)
WONAEAMIRRI is a track specialist with four wins from five starts here and comes off a nice win beating Rhythmatic when a drifter in betting. He maps well with the claim and looks hard to beat. LOVE MAGIC has been very good his past couple when 2nd behind Wild Willy at Naracoorte and then again 2nd behind Lady Dunmore at Morphettville last time. He gets his chance from an inside barrier. FREE OF SIN looks well placed here coming off a nice effort when runner-up behind Lady Simone at Gawler, that’s a solid form line for a race like this. TERRITORY TITAN resumes and was only plain in his two runs last time in work. His best is very good, he ran 4th after leading them up in the Golden Mile at Bendigo behind Ironclad back in March and is capable on his day but has never won first-up in six tries.
SELECTIONS: 3 WONAEAMIRRI, 5 Love Magic, 9 Free Of Sin, 1 Territory Titan
PLAY: No reason WONAEAMIRRI can’t win again.
RACE 7 - 5:10PM Bordertown Stone Supplies Benchmark 58 Handicap (1100 METRES)
Open race. TURF TAPPER is a dual winner here and came off the speed to win at Penola last time. He draws wide but his overall record is solid and he looks well placed again. SPANGIRL was $15 into $7.50 when 3rd behind All Gossip at Naracoorte last time and maps well from a good gate with Todd Pannell to ride. DEFORCE maps well from the good barrier and was a winner here two starts back. LIBERTY POWER has good speed but the 1100m might be a stretch. He led when he tired late behind Dexter Dutton at Oakbank last time. MIGHTY MABEL made ground in the same race to be narrowly beaten. RICHTER was easy in betting before winning on debut before only battling behind Sea Witness at Oakbank last time.
SELECTIONS: 6 TURF TAPPER, 11 Spangirl, 1 Deforce, 9 Mighty Mabel
PLAY: Backing TURF TAPPER ($5.50 in early markets) and SPANGIRL at $7.
