Melbourne: Comprehensive preview of every race for Flemington

A COMPREHENSIVE preview of every race for Saturday’s meeting at Flemington with Greg Spletter.

Bold Sniper. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Race 1

Sticking with SO SI BON tomorrow after putting in a good run at Caulfield last weekend. Drew poorly and was always way out off the track in running and was 10-wide rounding the bend in a field of 13. Finished off well enough and the step up to 1400m tomorrow is ideal. Damien Oliver will give him a better run in transit and looks a good bet at the $3.50. LOCH OIR bolted in on debut at Warrnambool, beating a small maiden field easily on the heavy-10. Hard to line up but Craig Williams is winning on anything at the moment and he has to rate a danger. CASTA is also unbeaten having picked up his maiden at Mildura. Drawn well and the extra trip suits. ROCK’N’ROLLROCK isn’t unbeaten but he, too, is looking to go back to back after winning his maiden on the synthetic at Geelong. Drawn awkwardly but has claims.

Race 2

PIN YOUR HOPES has won three of his last four and with only 52kg stepping into open grade looks very hard to go past. Latest nudged out Yulong Baby in a Bm90 at Caulfield and it was a similar result here the run prior when a nose winner in a Bm78. Gets a nice weight pull off the other chances and is well over the odds at $4.20. ZEBRINZ made up good ground in the Winter Final last start running on into sixth spot behind Iggimacool and looks ready for the 1800m here. C Williams takes the ride and has been in rare form. KENJORWOOD looks very layable at $2.40 after missing a place in the Winter Championship Final here two weeks ago. Gets some relief with the claim but still giving away plenty to my top pick and has to get past ONPICALO who beat him home in the Final as well as the previous start at Moonee Valley where he won easily and had more than two lengths on Kenjorwood on the line.

Race 3

NAME THE DAY has finished off his last two in good fashion and everything is pointing to a win here stepping up to the 2000m. Beaten a head third-up at Sale over 1700m before going down in a photo to Pin Your Hopes who has strong claims in open class 35 minutes earlier. Happy to stick with that formline in this and with Craig Williams jumping on there’s a lot to like. I’ve always had time for FIREHOUSE ROCK but he is very inconsistent and rarely wins. Needed luck at Sale last start and should go better on top of the ground at Flemington. Nice effort in a tougher Bm90 here two starts back and could register his first placing at the track in nine attempts tomorrow. TRIPLE GOLD has been thereabouts in easier grade of late and could show up. Drops 4.5kg on his last-start unplaced run at Cranbourne but is better than that and should improve.

Race 4

YULONG BABY was in front a stride after the post at Caulfield last start and can atone for the defeat with a win here. Sat back at the tail of the field and took a while to balance up after rounding the bend wide. Knuckled down over the last 100m or so and although up 6kg this is a much easier assignment. Good value at the $3.10, I’d have her at the top of the market. MA JONES did nothing at Morphettville last start after a cracking run at Moonee Valley and it may pay to overlook the failure. Scored comfortable victories at her only two runs on dry tracks and if she gets conditions to suit will be in the thick of things at the finish. DANIELA ROSA beat an average field of fillies in the Rivette Final here two weeks ago but does drop 5kg stepping up to take on the mares. Found the stakes level a bit rich for her in the autumn but has come back a treat and although unders at $2.70 she still rates a hope.

Race 5

FOUR SISTERS hit the line strongly at Lakeside last start under 59kg, going down narrowly in the Bm64 to Deal With it over 1300m. Suited here and with only 55kg after the claim will be finishing off well again. Nice each way hope at the $5.00. KINSHACHI scored a tough win first-up at Mornington over 1200m carrying 60kg and tried hard at Lakeside last time behind Baby Don’t Cry. Hasn’t missed a place in five starts and likely to keep it going here. SYRAHBEEL has won three of four starts this time in and although up in class has a hope of registering her hat-trick. Easy winner of a Bm64 for the girls at the provincials last time and could provide some value in your multiples at the $14 quote.

Spreadeagled (grey). Picture Slickpix.

Race 6

Darren Weir has VOODOO LAD ticking along very well since transferring to the stable this prep and back to restricted grade should be too good for these. Beat a strong sprint field at Moonee Valley over this trip two runs ago then tried hard up to Listed grade here last start, falling a head short of Ruettiger on the line in the sprint final. Up 3.5kg on that run but this looks a pretty weak Bm90 and the $1.90 on offer looks fair. BON ROCKET finished third to Magnus Lad in a Bm84 before a let-up after an even run at Lakeside and will need every bit of the 4.5kg pull in the weights to hold out the top pick. RICH JACK led them up in the Sprint Final here last start and knocked up, missing a place and finishing a long way behind Voodoo Lad. Some hope of getting a soft lead here which will help his chances, and has drawn well.

Race 7

BOLD SNIPER was no match for Master Of Arts here in the Banjo Patterson a fortnight ago and in his absence gets the chance to go one better tomorrow. Gallant in defeat under the 60kg and with a 4kg weight drop into this will take a power of beating. ARALDO JUNIOR was very disappointing in the same race where he raced prominently the whole way and had nothing to give when asked for an effort. Smashed a very small but handy field the run before but has to be taken on trust and the latest ordinary offering. AU REVOIR hasn’t done a great deal at his three runs back from a year-long break but is about due to show something stepping up to this true staying test.

Race 8

SPREADEAGLED got a long way back at Moonee Valley last start and while he did run on okay he still finished a fair way from Turbo Street. Very handy miler and with the perfect draw and a half kilo under the limit thanks to the claim I’m giving him one more chance to prove himself. JERILDERIE LETTER knocked up winning races in Tasmania last campaign but has found the mainland a little tougher. Disappointed me a little last time in a very winnable race against his own age and has to take on the older horses here. Not without a hope but not interested at the $3.30. REFULGENT was beaten out of sight last start at Bendigo but ran crackers at his previous two at Caulfield and goes very well at this circuit. Has a big weight to contend with but has carried it to victory here before and should go much better on firm footing. Maybe a saver at the $11.

Race 9

ABILITY resumes tomorrow and although easily beaten at his only straight run here he should be in this for a long way. Goes well fresh and with a couple of trials under his belt runs a deserved favourite in this. BADAJOZ has loads of ability but only the very patient were still on him last time when he finally chalked up a win at Randwick. There’s a struck match between this bloke at $4.60 and the top pick at $3.30 on the score of value, but I’m confident we have the winner in two. WORLD OF HOPE lifted her game last start flashing home from the back at Moonee Valley over 1000m. Drops sharply in weight here and if she can reproduce that effort she should be close-up at the end.