G’day legends! We are changing it up a bit this weekend for my racing preview. Instead of previewing the whole Sandown card we are giving out my best bets across the Australian racing scene this weekend which means that Victorian, NSW, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australian racing will be covered. Let’s get into it!
SANDOWN HILLSIDE
RACE 5 #4 TORONTO TERRIER – $6 – 0.5U WIN
I am happy to be with this Moroney Gelding who has returned in career-best form. On resumption, he was very impressive when breaking his maiden at Pakenham when winning by 3.5L and he handled the rise in grade last start at the Valley over 1600m. He was trapped three wide and without cover there and looked the winner at the 200m mark before being overrun by Bel Air and Russian Dancer ($6 and $9 here). I think there should be a bigger discrepancy in the price. Our bloke should be at peak fitness third-up, maps to get the run of the race behind the leaders and Sandown will suit him down to the ground. Hard to beat.
RANDWICK
RACE 7 #4 TOM KITTEN – $11 – 0.4U EACH WAY
He is clearly the value in this race. I remember being on him at his first start down the straight at Flemington after some brilliant trials and he just never travelled there. His two starts in Sydney have been for two wins and his most recent victory in the Fernhill was terrific when coming from last to overpower his rivals. He draws better than his two main dangers in this race and I think they’ll settle together which will mean he isn’t at a map disadvantage. I think $2.20 compared to $11 is nuts. Happy to back him each way.
RACE 8 #11 JACQUINOT – $9 – 1U WIN/#4 CASCADIAN – $10 – 0.5U WIN
Happy to be with these two. I think JACQUINOT can settle a touch closer than usual from the good draw (6). Outside of his 2YO season, his two runs in Sydney have been a win in the Golden Rose over this trip at Rosehill when beating In Secret and a luckless fifth in the Everest behind Giga Kick. You could argue that if they switch runs there this bloke wins and we are getting him at $9 off a G1 win this prep compared to Giga Kick who is untried at 1400m and was overrun at 1200m last start. Must be a bet. CASCADIAN is a marvel and I’m giving him a chance coming back from the 2000m. He was brilliant fresh over 1300m behind Imperatriz and Artorius and was then a luckless second to Mr Brightside in the All-Star Mile. He was a dominant winner over the 2000m in the Australian Cup and even though the drop in distance is some query, he has won at 1400m three times before, including in this race last year. He must be a bet at double figures.
MORPHETTVILLE
RACE 4 #2 REMEDIES – $3 – 1.25U WIN
I was shocked to see this Filly and the Hayes Filly as equal favourites here. This Filly beat everything bar Café Millenium in the Pierro Plate on resumption and was then far from disgraced in the Magic Night Stakes behind Steel City and Blanc De Blanc. That is the best 2YO form in the country, she maps perfectly (5) to sit just behind the likely leader who is the equal favourite and I just think she is a better horse. I think she wins and wins rather easily. Have her a fair bit shorter than the $3 on offer.
RACE 8 #1 DREAM HOUR – $6 – 0.75U WIN
I backed this bloke last start after a brilliant return at Flemington over 1400m when he recorded the second-fastest last 200m of the meeting and I think he was just a bit flat second-up in what was a good race. I think he should be nearing his peak fitness-wise third-up and this is a step back in grade compared to what he was racing against last start. His effort over 1800m last preparation at Flemington when 1L away from Lindermann would see him winning this. He will get a nice run behind a genuine tempo and will be powering over them late.
EAGLE FARM
RACE 9 #10 SNEAKY FIVE – $10 – 0.5U EACH WAY
I think this Mare represents good value at double figures. They are going to go quick here with the likes of Zoustyle, Rothfire, Prince of Boom, and Emerald Kingdom engaged and I think from the wide gate (12) Jimmy Byrne will snag her back to the rear and get the last crack at them when the leaders are tiring. He was brilliant fresh over this trip last prep when finishing 0.5L off Le Palmier before winning second-up when beating Shooting for Gold. She has good tactical speed and at double figures, she is a bet each way.
ASCOT
RACE 8 #10 BELLA NIPOTINA – $4 – 0.75U WIN/#1 KEMENTARI – $20 – 0.5U WIN
BELLA NIPOTINA brings the best form lines into this race. She was superb fresh behind Coolangatta and I wish I Win in (subsequent TJ Smith winner) in the Lightning before having excuses in the Newmarket. She bounced back to form in the William Reid at the Valley when she just got too far back and ran on for third behind Imperatriz. She draws perfectly, Melham comes to Perth for the ride and a repeat of her first-up effort wins this. Happy to be with her. KEMENTARI is over the odds. He was terrific at the end of last preparation when luckless in the Gold Rush and he has trialled up brilliantly behind Aft Cabin leading into this race. His rating suggests he does his best racing fresh and he loves a dry deck which he should get here. His best is good enough and at $20 it is worth having something on him.
GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY. THINK ABOUT WHAT ELSE YOU COULD BE BUYING. SET A DEPOSIT LIMIT.