BEST BET
APACHE STAR (Race 2)
HUMBOLDT (Race 6)
EACH-WAY
EVEN SHARPER (Race 9)
VALUE
ALL BEANS/TOAST THE DEEL (Race 8)
RACE 1 - 12:27PM Northpoint Murraylands Handicap (1400 METRES)
TAPINFORPAR was very good first-up from a short break when placed behind Press Down at Gawler last week. He’s on the seven-day turn around, he draws a gate and looks hard to beat. THE GUAVA comes out of the same race running 5th, the 1400m looks ideal and he’ll be right there in the finish, HEADPHONES hasn’t done a lot wrong recently and ploughed through the testing conditions too beat Humboldt last time on a heavy track at Morphettville. She has a great record here and gets an inside gate. The Frew stable also has LI’L HANK who races well here and more than capable on his best and PIERRE BIZEL who resumes. EXETER was a Pakenham Synthetic winner in September and comes out of some good form races chases home Taunting two back before being beaten 5.2 lengths behind Boldinho at Caulfield.
SELECTIONS: 4 TAPINFORPAR, 5 The Guava, 3 Headphones, 2 Exeter
PLAY: Backing TAPINFORPAR
RACE 2 - 1:02PM SpryCrete Christmas Cup (1600 METRES)
APACHE STAR was ridden confidently and ran rivals ragged at Gawler last week over the 1700m. He’ll roll forward from a good gate and take some running down. MAGNETIC EDGE was back to winning form on the Parks two runs back before an OK effort behind Montign last week at Gawler. He gets some weight relief. MY MATE SONNY ran a big race at Bendigo when narrowly beaten behind Magnupur at Bendigo. CROWN MINT has a new zest for winning and chases three straight here, this is a class rise on his past couple. AITCH D’AMICO will appreciate getting back onto a better surface after never looking comfortable behind Headphones last time. MORTY is another who is capable.
SELECTIONS: 4 APACHE STAR, 2 Magnetic Edge, 7 My Mate Sonny, 6 Crown Mint
PLAY: Staying with APACHE STAR
RACE 3 - 1:37PM New Years Day Races - Book Now Maiden Plate (1000 METRES)
VIPSANIA is a Victorian who was placed at Mornington twice before running 5th at Bairnsdale last time beaten less then a length. She looks well placed here and the horse to beat. OPPORTUNE CHANCE has been placed at three of five starts the latest when 2nd to Pullambi at Gawler. She draws a sticky gate but looks hard to beat. TALKIN’ ITALIAN was placed here back in August and then OK behind Royal Handed at Morphettville in September. He draws a middle gate and should be in the mix.
SELECTIONS: 11 VIPSANIA, 9 Opportune Chance, 3 Talkin’ Italian, 8 Miss Diamantina
PLAY: Happy to stay out.
RACE 4 - 2:12PM Carlton Draught Handicap (1200 METRES)
SOLAR BLAST was good first-up from a break when 2nd behind Shootoose on the Parks, he was a winner here in May beating Platinum Wolf which is good form for this and gets in nicely at the weights compared to the fancied ones at the top. SANDY PRINCE was well backed when narrowly beaten at Ararat last time behind Boldinho, who franked that form to win at Caulfield last weekend. He gets the 3kg claim and is going to give this a shake. LA DEFENSE is chasing four wins in succession here and was too god for Kalasec last time when he dived underneath horses. He has upside and should be fighting out the finish. BULLS ON PARADE is now with the Alexander stable, ANGASTON does race well here.
SELECTIONS: SOLAR BLAST, 1 Sandy Prince, 2 La Defense, 7 Bulls On Parade
PLAY: SOLAR BLAST looks weighted to win.
RACE 5 - 2:47PM Fred Vella Tyre & Crash Repair Handicap (1200 METRES)
ROCKSTAR MEGGSY was solid first-up from a break when she finished hard behind My Riby at Morphettville. The form out of that race is OK, she draws a nice barrier and can regain winning form here. SECOND TO NUN got a mile back behind Starlite Valley last time, she’s a winner here draws out but can be strong late. MORE SUGAR resumes and has ability, she has placed at two of three fresh and was thrown in the deep end last time behind Ironclad in the Balaklava Cup. HUNTLEY LADY come from the back here to win first-up from a break before another good effort when she got a long way back when 4th behind Vintage Star on the Parks. YEELANNA has been OK in two runs back and can run a race at odds with blinkers on for the first time. ROXY BLUE showed plenty of bottom to fight off rivals and beat Rizski last time on a testing track at Morphettville. He makes his own luck but will need some from a sticky barrier. LADY SIMONE should get a good run from a middle gate, HOPE AT HAND has ability.
SELECTIONS: 7 ROCKSTAR MEGGSY, 9 Second To Nun, 5 More Sugar, 4 Huntley Lady
PLAY: Staying with ROCKSTAR MEGGSY.
RACE 6 - 3:22PM Spry Civil Construction Handicap (1600 METRES)
Michael Hickmott has a big hand here with HUMBOLDT who has been solid since coming to SA and was good again when 2nd behind Headphones on a heavy track last time. The mile and his home track give him every chance to break through. RABTAT ran well at Moonee Valley two back before another solid effort behind Missile Star at Gawler last week. The third of the stable STADIUM OF LIGHT wasn’t far away behind Cuban Lord last time. BAMYAN BUDDHA backs up from a return to winning form at Gawler last week. He’s been runner-up at all three runs here but the mile looks ideal. PLAISIR was a Balaklava winner back in class.
SELECTIONS: 3 HUMBOLDT, 5 Rabtat, 2 Bamyan Buddha, 9 Stadium Of Light
PLAY: Keen on HUMBOLDT.
RACE 7 - Thomas Farms Handicap (1000 METRES)
VALIDATED was scratched from the wet track in the Xmas Hcp, his second-up win in the Gytrash was super and he is three from three here. Dropping back to 1000m is the biggest worry and the market has been against him early. HOWL finished off strongly first-up from a spell when 3rd behind Wonderwomen on the Parks. His best is right up to giving this a shake. Stablemate SILVER ON RED has a good record around here in the money at five of eight starts. QEYAADY was good first-up at Moonee Valley when he finished strongly and then got back behind Scuderia there last time. He can run well right down in the weights. TURF DECISION has a good record with five wins from nine starts and resumes here. He’s a dual winner fresh and must be respected. MAGIC MAX comes out of Xmas Hcp when he struggled to make ground. He has placed at both runs here and has halved his opening price. ASTON RAPOVA was never a factor first-up in a hot race at Flemington when he was beaten 15 lengths, he could be an improver, his best would certainly be in the finish and his second-up record is good. THE GOV can run well from an inside gate and the speed should come from LUNAR HERO who is a fast horse who scored first-up down in class at Port Lincoln.
SELECTIONS: 1 VALIATED, 7 Howl, 11 Qeyaady, 3 Turf Decision
PLAY: Something each-way QEYADDY (2/3)
RACE 8 - 4:42PM Mulch 'N' More Handicap (1000 METRES)
ALL BEANS is flying for Justin Pickering and showed plenty of fight beating Zarace at Morphettville, his third win in four runs. He gets in OK after the claim, has come up good odds given how well he’s race and is going to be in this for a long way. TOAST THE DEEL could be a danger down in the weights, she was a Morphettville winner in May and was spelled when placed behind Starsongari on the Parks. SMOOTH SAILING is a watch now with the Stokes stable he was placed in the Canterbury Guineas behind Avebury two runs back and draws a nice gate. MY RUBY was good winning on the Parks first-up beating Rockstar Meggsy. She does race well here. RUSHAWAY LAD has a good fresh record and gets in OK after the claim. He’ll be on speed despite a wide barrier. GRAND HOST ran well at Moonee Valley last time when beaten 2.2 lengths in 4th behind Moon and Back. OLD TIME ROCK is racing well and nicely drawn. BRAVE ACTION is another who can run well down in the weights from an inside barrier. He scored on the Parks on debut and then just missed behind Lapilli last week. EL SALTO is now with Garret Lynch and was a Bendigo winner in April beating Sacred Palace.
SELECTIONS: 1 ALL BEANS, 12 Toast The Deel, 7 Smooth Sailing, 11 My Ruby
PLAY: Something each-way on ALL BEANS and TOAST THE DEEL.
RACE 9 - 5:30PM Dutton’s Easy to do Business With!! Handicap (1400 METRES)
EVEN SHARPER looked good when he bolted in back in class at Strathalbyn last week. The outside gate isn’t ideal, but he been well found since betting opened and might be the horse with the most upside. BILLIE BRONX was placed behind Exalted Dame before she was beaten 3.2 lengths behind Starlite Valley in the Viddora. That’s solid form for this. Stablemate TAHNEE TREASURE can run well with no weight. She took good ground off Costless at Balaklava last time and getting out further looks ideal. BENE MAGIC was a winner here on debut beating Never Surrender and must be respected again. DAWNBURST has been around the mark and draws a nice barrier. SAN LUCIDO can be strong late from a wide gate. TIARA MAGIC is first-up for Matt Seyers and was a Darwin winner in July.
SELECTIONS: 12 EVEN SHARPER, 3 Billie Bronx, 13 Tahnee Treasure, 16 Bene Magic
PLAY: Staying with EVEN SHARPER each-way.
