G’day Legends. We had a big weekend last week when tipping four winners on the Australian Cup Day program and ended up plenty in front. The main Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival is over though now and we head out to Bendigo on Saturday for the Bendigo Golden Mile program. Let’s crack into the form and keep the good times rolling.
RACE 1:1400M BENCHMARK 100 HANDICAP
This is a bit of a nothing race here from a punting perspective. ILLATION is a promising horse and deserves favouritism but I can’t launch into him at $2.40 considering the Price and Kent record with these horses who have come back off a horrible run when favourite. He is definitely the most progressive horse in the race and I can’t bet either for or against him. His win in his second start would put 4-5 lengths on this field and there’s nothing saying he cannot repeat that. IMPERIAL LAD is the likely leader from the rails draw (1) and his effort behind She’s All Class last start was solid for this. Sheridan Clarke will be able to dictate the race here and he is double figures. MY WHISPER generally takes a few runs to get going but runs into lesser types here and isn’t without a hope. NONAME LANE should improve.
SUGGESTED BET: NO BET
RACE 2: 1300M BENCHMARK 70 HANDICAP
This is wide-open as is the order with most of the program. I can have something small on KING COUVER who has won two from three. His performance at the Valley at the end of last preparation indicated that he had plenty of ability and I think there will be a fair bit of give in this track which will only enhance his chances. He will roll forward in a race with just an even tempo seemingly engaged and his trials leading into this preparation have been very good in fast time. $9 is a fair price. TREPORTI is the main danger. That Magic Millions form from South Australia looks like one of the best form lines and I think he was arguably the run of the race coming from a long way back off a slow speed. He won’t want it any softer than a 6 though. ELITE ICON and ICE PICK NICK are exposed horses that can run well again.
SUGGESTED BET: 0.3U EACH WAY #14 KING COUVER @$9.
RACE 3: 1000M VOBIS GOLD RUSH
Very hard to have any confidence betting on this race. PICKY was very good in the Blue Diamond Preview and should have finished closer before being out of her depth in the Blue Diamond. Finds a much easier race here and the blinkers go on. She will need some luck from the horror draw (13). CROATIAN BELLE is probably the best suited over 1000m of the main chances. She was a dominant winner at the Valley in her first two starts before finishing down the track in the Magic Millions. She has trialled brilliantly leading into this and gets a much easier race. SHESALLSHENANIGANS was a good winner on the resumption before finishing a neck away from Bossy Nic in South Australia. That form looks fantastic now and she maps beautifully. MAGIC MADONNA might need further but will be strong late.
SUGGESTED BET: NO BET
RACE 4: 2400M BENCHMARK 84 HANDICAP
Relatively even race here. I think the favourite is under the odds. CABOCHE is at his peak fitness now and was the unlucky runner behind Glory Daze over 2000m at Randwick two-back before being outsprinted last start. He draws a good gate (3) to sit either on the speed or just off it and I think the Glory Daze/Almania/Stroke of Luck form is superior and I thought he should be closer to the $4 mark. The Waller and Stackhouse combination is a profitable one. SING FOR PEACE is having just his sixth start and he was fantastic at Pakenham last start over 2000m when winning by 1.75L. He maps to get a lovely run but this is a lot harder than what he has been facing. I’m prepared to risk him at the $2.70 quote. Needs to prove it first. MR FRENCH will lead and may be hard to run down, whilst WAHINE TOA had excuses last start and can bounce back here. Would prefer a rock-hard track though, which he might not get.
SUGGESTED BET: 0.5U WIN #4 CABOCHE @$6.50.
RACE 5: 1400M BENDIGO GOLD BRACELET
Happy to be with BELLE PLAISIR here. Her fresh record reads well winning two from five and her form from the last preparation is clearly the best of any horse in this race. She should have won the two million dollar race The Invitation when she was a luckless fourth behind Promise of Success and Electric Girl and she struck major interference on turning and was far from disgraced in the G1 Empire Rose over a mile at Flemington when finishing 2.5L away. She draws nicely here (6) to camp on the back of the leaders and her two trials leading in have inspired confidence. Any give in the ground is a big positive. LIFE LESSONS is the main danger. She was only 1.25L off Nugget at the end of the last preparation and has been competitive at the G1 level and her wins over Wrote to Arataki and So You See read well for this. She was given no chance fresh when 3WNC the trip and she can be a big improver here. SHOHEI might be the blowout chance at double figures. She was a good winner in lesser grade first-up and seems very progressive. She will get the run of the race. FOXY FRIDA has won at the track before and goes okay fresh. Best of the rest.
SUGGESTED BET: 1U WIN #3 BELLE PLAISIR @$4.25
RACE 6: 2200M BENDIGO ST LEGER TRIAL
Another race where I don’t want to be with or against the favourite. QUEEN AIR was an utterly dominant winner at the Valley when beating a handy type by 4.25L. She was a fast finishing third in the Victorian Oaks and that is clearly the best form of any horse in this race. At even money, I don’t want to be with her, but I concede she will be very hard to beat. NORTHERN BARRAGE drops in grade after running a distant third to Hennessy Lad and then 4L off Pericles who is a $4 chance in a Group One in Sydney on the weekend. He has upside and can run well. PROMISES KEPT has the ability and can run a big race given the right tempo, whilst MADALSA was impressive on debut and can improve off that.
SUGGESTED BET: NO BET
RACE 7: 1600M BENDIGO GUINEAS
I think ELKINGTON ROAD is a good each-way gamble here. His run first-up over 1400m was excellent when he was only 0.5L off Elliptical and Holymanz and he was far from disgraced in the Australian Guineas when 1.7L off Legarto and Attrition. He draws nicely (7) to camp just off the speed and I think he brings in the superior form lines over most of his rivals. He is ready to peak third-up at the mile and I think he is a very good chance at double-figure odds. IS IT ME will have to get back from the horror gate (13) but he was clearly the run of the race over 1400m at Flemington first-up. He was held up for the majority of the straight before bursting into the clear to run a fast finishing second. Bendigo will suit this horse and he can win. SORREL RISING has won two out his last three and maps to get the run of the race. He was an arrogant winner when leading all the way in South Australia and it wouldn’t shock to see him winning. MARBLE ARCH won the Future Stars Series Final last start and can only improve.
SUGGESTED BET: 0.5U EACH WAY #3 ELKINGTON ROAD @$11.
RACE 8: 1600M GOLDEN MILE
Having a two-bet play in the feature. The complexity of the race evolves around Rambler Rebel. Do they go at a breakneck speed again or try and dictate an even tempo? Either way JUST FOLK was terrific on resumption in a similar race over 1400m at Flemington when he was 2L away from Scallopini. He is a horse that improves with racing so I think he will improve off that, he has a terrific record at his home track and I think he will be able to slot in around midfield. If he can replicate his Craven Plate performance when 1.7L off Cascadian he will win this race with ease. $8 is a good price. QUALITY TIME is the other I am happy to be with. He took the Valley bend like a crab and it probably cost him a couple of lengths. He ran on once he steadied up to only finish 2.75L off Munhamek and there is an obvious improvement to come from him whilst that horse is deep into his prep. He draws (5) to get the run of the race and he can turn the tables on the favourite. I am not knocking MUNHAMEK but I think this is a lot harder and a much deeper race than he contested in his last two wins and at $2.60 I can risk him. HERE TO SHOCK is in good form and can measure up again.
SUGGESTED BET: 0.75U WIN #2 JUST FOLK @$8 AND 0.5U WIN #11 QUALITY TIME @$8.
RACE 9: 1100M BENCHMARK 84 HANDICAP
Open race here and I’m happy to be with MONTATHER at big odds. He had excuses behind some handy types last preparation but his first-up run in Australia at Swan Hill was terrific when he flashed home late to finish 0.3L off Bill the Boxer who is $9 here. He has trialled up beautifully and he has a brilliant fresh record only missing the top three once from five tries. He draws well (5) and can measure up here at huge odds. MYNUMEROUNO was fantastic late behind Midwest over 1000m at the Valley and that seems like the A1 form line leading into this. He was terrific second-up last prep and draws (3) to get a lovely run on the speed. MAMARAGAN and BILL THE BOXER can win at their best. Even race to end the day!
SUGGESTED BET: 0.4U EACH WAY #14 MONTATHER @$31.
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