BEST BET
JEAN VALJEAN (Race 4)
AIR ASSAULT (Race 7)
RACE 1 - 12:27PM Dominant Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate (Heat of the Sportsbet Rebel Raider Series) (1000 METRES)
ISLA’S FURY is a $65k Exceedance filly on debut for the Richard and Chantelle Jolly stable and won a Murray Bridge trial recently. OUT OF SQUARE is also on debut for the stable and was runner-up behind Super Lad in a Murray Bridge trial. NEXTONIXS was a $2.50 favourite when she led and was narrowly beaten by Swiss Wish at Mindarie Halidon on debut. KIKKULI is a So You Think colt on debut for the Clarken/O’Shea stable and won a recent Bordertown trial. Stablemate LITTLE PRINCESS has been placed at her past two, the latest behind Duchess Of Sussex which is good form,
SELECTIONS: 9 ISLA’S FURY, 12 Nextonixs, 3 Kikkuli, 10 Little Princess
PLAY: Watching the market.
RACE 2 - 1:03PM SkyCity Handicap (2400 METRES)
CALL ME VEXATIOUS was a good winner two starts back and stuck on strongly behind Lottaroc last week. He draws out but likes to be on speed and should give this a shake. Stablemate EUREKA’S VICTORY was a winner on the outer track two starts back beating DIXIE WHISTLER and has claims despite the wide draw. STORMSARRIVED was $26-$61 before leading throughout to beat Eaglelou on the outer track last time and must be respected. PESTO hasn’t been beaten far in his past couple in Victoria, the blinkers go back on here from a good barrier. CHOSEN MISS was a city winner in July and worked home OK beaten 4.8 lengths in the Lottaroc race here last week.
SELECTIONS: 4 CALL ME VEXATIOUS, 5 Stormsarrived, 1 Pesto, 6 Chosen Miss
PLAY: Backing CALL ME VEXATIOUS.
RACE 3 - 1:38PM Eddie Q BBQ Handicap (1250 METRES)
Richard and Chantelle Jolly have two runners KLABEL won three in succession and his past couple have been OK, MASTER EIGHT ran his best race since coming back to SA first-up when beaten 2.6 lengths behind Press Down in the Wylie. He gets some valuable weight relief from a middle gate. MARBLE ARCH resumes and was a Pakenham and Sandown winner earlier in the year and spelled after running 3rd behind Lady Jones in the Gold Bracelet at Bendigo. She has placed fresh and looks nice suited here. OCEAN REWARD has been racing well placed behind Second To Nun and Lingani, his past couple have been OK and he gets every chance from an inside barrier. HOME RULE was a Moonee valley winner two starts back beating Extratwo before he was beaten 3.89 lengths behind Miss Aria there last time. SNAPPER has a good record and was well beaten first-up behind A Little Deep, he draws a good gate and can regain some form in a race like this.
SELECTIONS: 4 KLABEL, 6 Marble Arch, 5 Ocean Reward, 3 Home Rule
PLAY: Something on OCEAN REWARD at odds.
RACE 4 - 2:13PM Thomas Farms Handicap (1000 METRES)
JEAN VALJEAN should be ready to win after three runs back from a long break. He’s been solid in all three and only beaten 3.8 lengths in 9th behind Sir Sway last time. He draws a sticky gate but is the horse to beat. HOWL was good first-up from a spell when 4th behind Lingani on a heavy track before getting well back and beaten 5.7 lengths behind Sir Sway on the outer track last time. THE GOV is winless from nine starts here but has been placed in five of those runs. She was favourite when beaten 3.2 lengths behind ZUFASTA at Mindarie Halidon but is more than capable. LOTZA BUBBLES hasn’t raced since beating Aggressive Bee at Strathalbyn in April. She draws a middle gate and can run well.
SELECTIONS: 2 JEAN VALJEAN, 1 Howl, 3 The Gov, 4 Lotza Bubbles
PLAY: Keen on JEAN VALJEAN.
RACE 5 - 2:48PM The Fotobase Group Handicap (1950 METRES)
RAW GRUNT was right in the market on the outer track last time when he did things wrong when beaten 8 lengths behind Silent Don, he has the inside gate and can turn things around here. SACRED KENSHI is a former Victorian on debut for Stephen Theodore and was a Mornington winner as an $18 chance last time. The in-form horseman also has SAVSONIC who won at Murray Bridge and Strathalbyn before stepping up in class and making good ground late when beaten 0.7 lengths behind Silent Don. She draws the middle and looks well placed. AUTUMN COLOURS is a lightly-raced Victorian who was OK first-up from a spell beaten 1.7 lengths behind Following Sea at Hamilton. EIGHT ON THE DOT has been racing well and followed a solid 3rd behind Silent Don with a good effort beaten 2.4 lengths behind Eishaa here last week. SIR RANDOLPH has been around the mark and draws a nice barrier. KETCHAKIN has been racing well winning at Port Augusta last time but this is a big step up in class.
SELECTIONS: 11 RAW GRUNT, 6 Savsonic, 9 Autumn Colours, 5 Eight On The Dot
PLAY: Backing RAW GRUNT each-way from the good gate.
RACE 6 - 3:28PM Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1550 METRES)
DALTON DANCER is an interesting runner winning at Terang and Launceston before scoring a Hobart win in March. She came back to the mainland and was beaten 4 lengths in a Colac trial, but is a winner fresh and should give a race like this a shake. HIGH ON SUGAR was a good Murray Bridge winner last time out beating Longer Route and should be in the mix. POWERBOUND is another Victorian who was a Geelong winner two runs back and was then beaten 4.46 lengths at Sale. He draws out but must be respected. SASQUALAH is another coming over the border with a Bendigo win three starts back to her name, she was beaten 2 lengths at Geelong last time behind Arty At Artie’s and should be in the mix again. STRATUM PRIDE has been runner-up his past three in similar grade and deserves to break through.
SELECTIONS: 1 DALTON DANCER, 4 High On Sugar, 2 Powerbound, 3 Sasqualah
PLAY: Something on DALTON DANCER each-way.
RACE 7 - 4:08PM Hahn Handicap (1550 METRES)
AIR ASSAULT comes off a gritty all the way win in the Balaklava Cup last time beating Dubai Poet. He draws an awkward barrier here but makes his own luck and should take some beating again with the aid of a 3kg claim for Taylor Johnstone. SECOND TO NUN has been flying this time around, she was beaten 5.4 lengths in the Balaklava Cup but did win the Leon Macdonald Stakes prior in good style.
JACK THE LAD was impressive winning first-up at a price coming off the speed to run down Klabel. His second-up record is very good and he has an inside barrier. PUDDING is more than capable of improving in a race like this, he was a Sandown winner in May. RIVERPLATE is more than capable in a race like this and draws out but if he runs up to his Murray Bridge win four starts back will be in the mix.
SELECTIONS: 1 AIR ASSAULT, 2 Second To Nun, 4 Jack The Lad, 3 Pudding
PLAY: Keen on AIR ASSAULT.
RACE 8 - 4:48PM Sportsbet Handicap (1400 METRES)
MERCHANT BOSS has been in the money at seven of 11 starts here and was 3rd behind Longer Route on the outer track last time out. BURNING BRIGHT has been racing in good form and was 2nd again behind Longer Route last time and she should be in the mix from a good gate. Stablemate PROVEN CORRECT has been placed at six of nine with one win, that coming at Murray Bridge in March and he has trialled up well for his return. ENCIPHERING was runner-up behind Sir Kingsford on the outer track in May and then down the track behind King’s Capital. He has trialled only fairly and is worth some thought. I CATCHEM FOX was a Warracknabeal winner three starts back. He followed up with a Horsham placing and was good beaten 3.2 lengths in 3rd behind Jilladora here last time.
COLD CASE was won two of four runs here and could be ready to improve after two runs back from a long spell. HASSLEFREE was a good Murray Bridge winner last time out but draws out.
SELECTIONS: 7 MERCHANT BOSS, 10 Burning Bright, 2 Proven Correct, 4 I Catchem Fox
PLAY: Something on MERCHANT BOSS each-way.
RACE 9 - 5:25PM Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (1250 METRES)
HOT OFF was good first-up from a spell when she made good late ground in 5th behind Zufasta at Mindarie Halidon. He won consecutive races here last time in work before running 4th behind Surprise Coming in a good Murray Bridge race and looks hard to beat here. VOLTAGE POINT won consecutive races before a good effort when 2nd behind Sir Sway. He followed up with another good effort when beaten 2.5 lengths behind Everglade at Balaklava and should be giving this a shake. DUCHESS OF SUSSEX is drawn wide but has been racing well and gets in with no weight on her back here. Stablemate FALANGHINA was a good Murray Bridge winner at her SA debut before beating beaten 6.5 lengths on the outer track last time. The Stokes stable go for the blinkers here. EVEN SHARPER was a Balaklava winner before running 2nd behind Jilladora here and has claims despite the wide barrier. Stablemate GUMERACHA CRACKER has been good since returning and was a 1.7 length winner over Swycho here last time and draws a nice barrier. THE BULL MCCABE was placed twice before breaking through to win at Balaklava last time beating Alpha Flight and should be in the mix from a middle gate.
SELECTIONS: 2 HOT OFF, 4 Voltage Point, 14 Duchess Of Sussex, 9 Falanghina
PLAY: Something on HOT OFF each-way.
