BEST BET
HOPON HARRY (Race 5)
EACH-WAY PLAYS
BLERIOT (Race 7)
HEARTY LASS (Race 9)
VALUE
SMOKIN’ VAL (Race 8)
RACE 1 - The Junction Handicap (2500 METRES)
Good opening race. COMFORT GIRL is the horse who has upside and was good winning on the Parks last time. She draws to get a nice run behind the speed and I like her getting up in class/distance and on the bigger track. Victorian DESIGNS has a good record and comes to SA on the back of a Cranbourne 2520m win. That form should stack up for a race like this. He does draw wide but can roll forward in the small field and should give them something to chase. OATH OF OMERTA won three of four in similar class before diving in the deep end in the Adelaide Cup. He draws a nice barrier and will be in the finish. BUSKER’S BALLAD is another who comes out of the Adelaide Cup where he ran super finishing 5th behind Daqiansweet Junior. He’s going to be thereabouts.
SELECTIONS: 6 COMFORT GIRL, 2 Designs, 1 Oath Of Omerta, 3 Busker’s Ballad
PLAY: Staying with COMFORT GIRL.
RACE 2 - Furphy Handicap (1100 METRES)
ALPHA FLIGHT was placed on debut before leading throughout to beat Hope At Hand on the Parks. He draws to lead and the extra 1100m shouldn’t be issue. HOPE IN HAND is the danger on that getting out slightly in trip despite a wide barrier. ZUFASTA resumes here and was runner-up on debut behind Out Of Aflica on debut back in November. ORACLE SON is on debut for the Stokes stable won a Murray Bridge trial beating OUT INCOGNITO. Travis Doudle saddles up two first starters MERCHANT BOSS and MOMENTS IN LIFE who both won recent jump-outs at Morphettville, the latter having hit-out at Morphettville on Tuesday. SPENCER’S SPIRIT had a boom but went bust on debut but has trialled OK and must be respected.
SELECTIONS: 1 ALPHA FLIGHT, 8 Hope In Hand, 3 Merchant Boss, 2 Zufasta
PLAY: Something on HOPE IN HAND up in trip.
RACE 3 - Terry Howe Printing Handicap (1600 METRES)
FEUERMOND is a lightly-raced import with three wins from seven starts who hasn’t raced since last August. He has the benefit of a recent Colac trial, worked home well in a Camperdown jump-out since that and looks a horse with upside. Lindsay Smith electing to go first-up at the mile with a claim is a solid push. TULLY’S GOLD made it two wins on the bounce on Cup Day beating Heir Of Tavistock. He gets some weight relief and must be given plenty of thought again. CROWN MINT shapes an improver. I liked his first-up run when he should have finished a lot closer and was then plain on face value in a leader dominated race on the Parks last time. UNLACED could be the improver second-up she made good ground from well back towards the inside last start and draws the rail. HEIR OF TAVISTOCK beat home all but Tully’s Gold here last time, draws a middle barrier and doesn’t run many bad races. SMART PROMISE is going well.
SELECTIONS: 1 FEUERMOND, 2 Tully’s Gold, 3 Crown Mint, 8 Unlaced
PLAY: Happy to back FEUERMOND each-way.
RACE 4 – Fleurieu Milk Company Maiden Plate (1100 METRES)
Plenty to like about the first-up run of LORD LUKER who made good ground behind Jaazeb. He draws a good barrier is going to be better over further but should give this a big shake. TAVIKAT was racing well before a break in some handy races but draws an awkward barrier here. He has upside. BARBALINE ran well at odds behind Magic Max here last time and looks a horse with some upside. PONTEDERA is on debut for the Michael Hickmott yard and trialled OK at Murray Bridge. COURAGEOUS HEARTS maps well and has ability.
SELECTIONS: 1 LORD LUKER, 6 Tavikat, 11 Barbaline, 5 Pontedera
PLAY: Happy to play LORD LUKER each-way.
RACE 5 - GH Mumm Handicap (1200 METRES)
HOPON HARRY was very good resuming running 2nd behind Mac ‘N’ Cheese here on Cup Day. That form has been franked since he draws a perfect barrier and gets his chance regain winning form here. SOMEWATT FABULOUS is a nice filly who made good ground behind Aston Rapova here last week. She draws out but should go well on the quick back-up. KNIGHTSTOWN stuck on OK behind Mac ‘N’ Cheese on Cup Day, he had good form around some nice 3yo’s last season and draws to get a nice run. Stablemate JAAZEB will get a good run just behind the speed and was a winner here three starts back. EXTREMELY DISCREET was impressive second-up for her new stable at Murray Bridge on the weekend. RISING LEGEND is fitter for a one run back but draws poorly. FONSALETTE has ability but has proven costly, she was scratched on Sunday at Murray Bridge but jumped out well there since.
SELECTIONS: 1 HOPON HARRY, 8 Somewatt Fabulous, 3 Knightstown, 10 Extremely Discreet
PLAY: Keen on HOPON HARRY.
RACE 6 - Adelaide Galvanising Industries Handicap (1050 METRES)
OKAY TO PAY led them up when 4th behind Great Diviner here on Cup Day, she was a Moonee Valley winner three starts back and is sure to run well from an inside gate with the Lachie Neindorf claim. BLERIOT is a nice filly who showed that first-up when she flashed late to dead heat with Larkham on the Parks. She’s fitter but the wide gate is a concern. GAZE GRISE has a good record and she won at Moonee Valley over the 955m last November and just peaked on her run first-up from a freshen there last start. LARKHAM has been in good form winning two in a row on the Parks before chasing home Tanja’s Dream last time. PARIANO is another racing well and was solid behind Great Diviner here last time. She draws a trick barrier but is going to break through at some point. DAMASCUS MOMENT draws a good gate and can run a cheeky race back in trip, she has been in the money at four of six over the 1050m.
SELECTIONS: 1 OKAY TO PLAY, 7 Bleriot, 5 Gaze Grise, 2 Larkham
PLAY: BLERIOT is an each-way play.
RACE 7 - Team Grand - Join a Racing Syndicate Handicap (1800 METRES)
PERFER US could be an Oaks filly. She toyed with rivals in maiden class before winning a recent trial and the McEvoy stable opted to scratch from a wide gate in the Clare Lindop Stakes last week. She should appreciate getting up in trip but draws an awkward barrier. I’ve been waiting to see RAPID RAISER up in trip. All three runs back have been good for a race like this and the jump from the 1550m to the 1800m is ideal, he draws to get a gun run. COYOTE is another 3yo who could be headed down a Derby path. His Guineas effort was OK and he must be respected. CAPRICORN RIDGE is racing well and tried hard behind Lake’s Folly last time. NEVER DOUBT US ran well at a price behind Sanblas last time likewise CASSOWARY comes off a good effort behind Comfort Girl.
SELECTIONS: 7 PREFER US, 5 Rapid Raiser, 6 Coyote, 1 Capricorn Ridge
PLAY: Something each-way on RAPID RAISER.
RACE 8 - 4:33PM Manihi Classic (1100 METRES)
Cracking race and should be some serious tempo. LOMBARDO was a rapid riser in the spring. He came here and beat EXTRA TIME by 5.5 lengths over the 1200m, won a Listed race at Caulfield and was far from disgraced running 5th in the Manikato behind Jonker. He was good first-up and is going to take beating here. DEXELATION enjoyed a brilliant end to his spring winning three straight, that started when he stormed over All Banter here first-up, then won at Moonee Valley and Cranbourne in good company. He’ll get a nice run and can’t be underestimated. ROCK THE RING was flying last time in work and hasn’t raced since chasing home Outlaws Revenge in the Xmas Handicap. He loves this track, makes his own luck and is sure to run well. SMOKIN’ VAL will improve here on a genuine speed and getting on the bigger track. She is way over the odds. SPANISH HEIRLOOM will make the speed and stuck on well behind All Banter last time. This is a harder again. TRIP has been jumping out well ahead of her return and can run a cheeky race down in the weights. Stablemate SILVER ON RED is the interesting one up in class and he was good at Moonee Valley last time, he will love a red-hot speed and maps well. HEKA EXPRESS didn’t do a lot wrong in her first prep in SA. PERFECT ROUTE will get a soft run, BOLD STAR failed to fire a shot last time in work but his best is up to this and he has jumped out OK.
SELECTIONS: 2 LOMBARDO, 1 Dexelation, 11 Smokin’ Val, 6 Rock The Ring
PLAY: Something on SMOKIN’ VAL at the big price.
RACE 9 - Adelaide Racing Carnival - April 30th -May 21st Handicap (1200 METRES)
Looked a good race for DEEP SPEED until the barrier draw. He comes off a good run behind Struck By but is going to have to overcome the outside but gets in OK after the Campbell Rawiller claim. HEARTY LASS ran well beaten just 4.9 lengths at Listed level behind Ironclad in the Matrice last time. She has a good second-up record. AIGUILETTE can improve here on the quick back-up on the bigger track, He draws to get a nice run form the inside. VIEIRA is racing well and maps to get a nice run. KAYSERI has been racing well and should get a good run here. FULTON STREET can run a cheeky race here back in trip.
SELECTIONS: 1 DEEP SPEED, 4 Hearty Lass, 5 Aiguilette, 6 Vieira
PLAY: Something each-way on HEARTY LASS.
