TAB On The Punt: Nathan Exelby previews the meeting at Doomben

Startantes is the best horse in the Mick Dittman Plate but will need to overcome a tough run in transit, says Queensland racing expert Nathan Exelby. BEST BETS, QUADDIE

Startantes has a wide draw to overcome at Doomben. Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography

Sky Racing and Brisbane Racing Club’s turf expert Nathan Exelby runs his eye over Saturday’s meeting at Doomben.

Track: Soft 5. Rail: +5.5m

BEST BETS

Mokolua/Canadian Dancer quinella, R4

Canadian Dancer will get the sweet run and sprint quickly, but wary of the class runner Mokolua getting her down. Think they stand out here.

Delexo, R5 No.16 – $5.50

Too fast over the 1000m at Eagle Farm in good time and based on that, he can now stretch to 1110m here and prove hard to catch again.

Never No More, R9 No.3 – $7.50

Busting to win a race this prep and finds similar class here. Love the booking of Regan Bayliss this time and drawn to be in front of a few.

MONEY TALKS

Race 3: Yiska $2.50-$2.30

Race 4: Mokolua $5-$3.80, Canadian Dancer $5.50-$4.20

Race 5: Night Raid $23-$13, She Can Sing $6-$5

Race 6: More Sundays $16-$6, Shamaton $5-$4.40

Race 7: Prince Of Boom $3.40-$3, Ingratiating $7-$5, Glistening $13-$9

Race 9: Never No More $8-$5.50, Ulysses $4.60-$3.70

THE QUADDIE

R6: BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1200m)

Like most races today, this is tough! Think Stolen Jade ($17) is well over the odds in early markets. The win two starts back rates highly for this and now strikes a better surface. We saw her here 16 months ago winning a good race and feel she’s well placed here. Acrobatic ($19) has form that ties in with a few of these and trialled OK. Already Blessed ($15) gets a nice weight drop and is drawn to get a gun run. Shamaton ($4.40) goes up sharply in weight and might strike some traffic. More Sundays ($6) was enormous at Doomben, but they walked to the line there and he may not be able to concede as much ground this time.

Selections: 14 Stolen Jade, 2 Acrobatic, 18 Already Blessed

R7: MICK DITTMAN PLATE (1110m)

Startantes ($8) is the best horse in the race, but it’s going to look ugly in the run for her. Track pattern all important – if they can run on, she will be rocketing at the end. Stablemate Prince Of Boom ($3) will be rolling on speed but does have tougher opposition around him this time. Think Shaquero ($18) is well over the odds early. Finished alongside Ingratiating in the Coolmore and has had a good spell since. Gets a nice run and will appreciate getting down in grade here. Ingratiating ($5) is good enough but is he going well enough? Easier race suits him too. Glistening ($9) likely gets outside Prince Of Boom and can give a sight too.

Selections: 7 Startantes, 1 Shaquero, 4 Prince Of Boom, 2 Ingratiating, 8 Glistening

The chances of Kukeracha has been boosted after the scratchings of Private Eye and Yonkers. Picture: Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography

R8: TAB TAILS STAKES (1640m)

Value comes out with the scratchings of Private Eye and Yonkers. Kukeracha ($5.50) trialled OK recently and he’s going to appreciate a firmer surface. He also gets in well at the weights as a result of those top ones coming out – would have been 59kg if they didn’t accept. Hail Manhattan ($12) gets a nice weight drop and can be the best of the locals. Maps to get a nice run on-speed and expecting him to give a good kick with 54kg. Quantum Mechanic ($5.50) is another that comes off a wet track in Sydney. She’s been below her best this time in, but this class of race suits and she should enjoy a soft run and have a bit to offer.

Selections: 4 Kukeracha, 7 Hail Manhattan, 6 Quantum Mechanic

R9: BENCHMARK 90 HANDICAP (1350m)

I’ve been with Never No More ($5.50) since he turned in a slashing first-up run this prep and think Matt Dunn has found the right race for him here. He was enormous getting as close as he did last time and has now had another 28 days to stay on the fresh side. Love the booking of Group 1 jockey Regan Bayliss, who can hopefully have him moving forward a touch earlier and poised to strike at the right time. Dr Why Not ($12) was very good on-pace in a backmarker race last time. Baanone ($12) has resumed in superb order based on his big win here a fortnight ago. New Arrangement ($16) is another that will charge from the back.

Selections: 3 Never No More, 12 Baanone, 9 Dr Why Not, 6 New Arrangement

AWAY FROM HOME

Scissor Step (Caulfield, Race 5, $3) showed potential in the spring and resumed in a fashion that suggests he’s going to live up to it this time in. Went back there from the wide gate and was too good. Sits closer here, but the result can be the same. Zarastro (Randwick, Race 5, $4.60) has been disappointing in both runs this prep, but back home to Sydney this time and his two runs last spring make him hard to beat here.