Friday formline: A state-by-state guide to the horses, jockeys and trainers to follow this weekend

PODCAST/BEST BETS: OUR experts around the country pinpoint the horses, jockeys and trainers to follow this weekend.

OUR experts around the country pinpoint the horses, jockeys and trainers to follow this weekend.

Saturday meetings: MOONEE VALLEY (10 races, start 12.40pm), RANDWICK (9 races, start 12.55pm), DOOMBEN (8 races, start 1.42pm), MORPHETTVILLE (8 races, start 1.57pm), ASCOT (8 races, 3.55pm). AEDT times.

HOT TIPS: WEEKEND BEST BETS

ANALYSIS: MANIKATO STAKES GUIDE

THE FORM: COX PLATE GUIDE

BIG BETS & POTENTIAL COLLECTS

$9,000 @ $27.60 on Highland Reel (Cox Plate) / Fame Game (Melbourne Cup)

$6,000 @ $5.50 on Winx (taken prior to barrier draw)

$1,300 @ $25.30 on Kermadec (Cox Plate) / Fame Game (Melbourne Cup)

DANNY RUSSELL (Herald Sun)

Moonee Valley

THE BANKERS: Valliano (Race 1, No. 2) and Manageress (Race 10, No. 9). Reckon we can open and close Cox Plate day with a bang. Two-year-old Valliano was desperately unlucky at its first start and didn’t find clear air until about five minutes ago. Can kick us off to a perfect start. Manageress is a wing-sprouter. Second behind La Passe looks great form, and what could be better than a $9 best bet in the get out stakes? Cha-ching.

IN THE FRAME: Looks to be three standout horses in the Cox Plate — Criterion and the imports, Highland Reel and Arod. On that basis Arod (Race 9, No. 8), coming off a Goodwood second to European star Solow, looks great each-way odds at $9.50.

THE RISK: Chautauqua (Tonight, Race 7, No. 8). Before Tuesday there was only one possible thing that could beat the Hawkes star in tonight’s Moonee Valley Group 1 Manikato Stakes — barrier one. Tommy Berry, who replaces the suspended Dwayne Dunn, will need a slice of luck rounding the bend and at $2 that’s too much for the ticker to handle. If Buffering is ever to beat the grey flash, tonight is the night.

MATT STEWART, GLENN MCFARLANE AND DANNY RUSSELL LOOK AHEAD TO A MASSIVE WEEKEND AT MOONEE VALLEY IN THE LATEST SUPERRACING PODCAST

JOCKEY (on fire): Shaping as a big weekend for Craig Williams. Rides Alpha Miss (No. 10) in Friday’s Manikato Stakes and also like his mount Tudor (Race 6, No. 11). Boots off Saturday with smart two-year-old Pearl Congenial (Race 1, No. 11), follows up with improving three-year-old Silent Sedition (Race 3, No. 9) and then on target for Cox Plate No. 3 on Arod.

STABLE (on fire): Typing the names Hayes and Dabernig on autopilot at the moment. They have rated Criterion (Race 9, No. 1) and Sovereign Nation (Race 7, No. 2) as their best for the weekend. Also have chances with Valliano (Race 1, No. 2) and Tawteen (Race 2, No. 6) and Haybah (Race 5, No. 3) and The Queen’s horse Bold Sniper (Race 6, No. 8).

SHAYNE O’CASS (The Sportsman)

Randwick

THE BANKER: Sebrina (Race 9, No. 5) has the two duck eggs beside her name but make no mistake, there has been merit and excuses in both runs. Thankfully this time she has drawn better, she handles the slop and Bjorn Baker has taken her back to the trials after her last start. Huge odds — huge chance!

IN THE FRAME: Excited Prince (Race 1, No. 7) has to make up the best part of 10-lens from his ordinary first-up run but we all have off-days. The son of Excites was spelled after a super run in the Scone Cup and he was trialling rather well before his return. Drops down from 61kgs to 52.5kgs which can’t hurt.

THE RISK: Star Turn (Race 2, No. 1) was very short on debut and finished third here, not that it was a bad run, but was it good enough to make him odds-on again? Not sure.

STABLE (on fire): Jason Coyle has the aforementioned Excited Prince in the opener and the handy Kasiano Lad in Race 4. They can both win.

JOCKEY (on fire): Winona Costin all day. Look at her rides in Race 1 through 7 — they are all chances.

BEN SCADDEN (The Advertiser)

Morphettville

THE BANKER: I Am Gypsy (Race 5, No. 6). is racing in career-best form and looks primed to complete the hat-trick at Morphettville on Saturday. She won’t be fancy odds but expect her to bounce from the barrier and lead them a merry chase.

IN THE FRAME: If you’re prepared to forgive his last-start disaster, October Date (Race 7, No. 3) has the class to bounce back to the winner’s list in the Akeed Mofeed Handicap. Trainer Nick Smart reports the gelding seems in perfect order and expects a big run from this stable star.

THE RISK: Husheen (race 2, No. 3) absolutely smashed them at Murray Bridge last time with the blinkers on for the first time. But the sectional times weren’t mind-blowing and this is a big step up in class. Looks too short at the current quote of $2.50.

THE JOCKEY: Premiership-winning rider Clare Lindop has endured a slow start to the new season but she’s the leading rider on the Morphettville Parks circuit over the past 12 months and has a great book of rides. She’ll partner Rufus (R1), Five To Midnight (R4) and Cavaloce R6) who are all marked favourite, while Counter Spin (R7) and Pepper The Pin (R8) have strong claims in their respective races.

THE TRAINER: David Hayes and Tom Dabernig are enjoying a stunning spring in Melbourne and while they’ve had limited SA runners, Surging Wave looks seriously good value in Race 4 at Morphettville with Joe Bowditch taking the key ride.

NATHAN EXELBY (The Courier-Mail)

Doomben

THE BANKER: Bearskin (Race 4, No. 11) has won on rain affected going, so Thursday night’s showers won’t harm him at all. Two runs back have been good and with a hot speed up front, expecting him to hit the line hard late.

IN THE FRAME: Star Of Pompeii (Race 1, No. 7) has won a trial by a big space and comes up fav for this. Based on the times recorded, the raced division are no stars, given they clocked far inferior times to the girls on the same day, so if Star Of Pompeii has any ability, should have those covered.

THE RISK: Quick Snitzel (Race 2, No. 6) was very good last time against a very much in form horse, but he’s not a reliable conveyance, as he mixes his form and looks short enough in early markets.

THE JOCKEY: Glen Colless is back from a couple of stints in Melbourne with Hopfgarten and gets chances in most races on Saturday, with the likes of Highly Gentle, Bearskin, Casual Choice and Glorious Red all looking top chances.

THE TRAINER: Matt Dunn is recovering from serious facial injuries sustained when he was kicked by a stable horse a few weeks back. Groovy Gal (Race 3, No. 7) gave the trainer a boost with her impressive first up win at Ipswich 19 days back and looks capable of going back to back in a very winnable race here.

FEATURE RACE MARKETS

TAB FIXED ODDS

COX PLATE

Moonee Valley, Saturday

$5 HIGHLAND REEL

$6 CRITERION

$6.50WINX

$7 KERMADEC

$9 AROD

$13 PREFERMENT

$16 FAWKNER

$19 COMPLACENT, HARTNELL

$21+ Others

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

MELBOURNE CUP

Flemington, November 3

$4.40 FAME GAME

$7.50 TRIP TO PARIS

$9MONGOLIAN KHAN

$9.50 PREFERMENT

$13 MAX DYNAMITE, WHO SHOT THEBARMAN

$15 AMRALAH

$17 ALMOONQITH, BONDI BEACH

$18 HOKKO BRAVE, SNOW SKY

$21+ Others

BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS

Note: Prices correct at time of publishing

Originally published as Friday formline: A state-by-state guide to the horses, jockeys and trainers to follow this weekend