Four-Play: Daniel Sankey’s $200 betting strategy, plus Quadzilla, for Flemington on New Year’s Day

Form analyst Daniel Sankey presents his best bets plus quaddie picks for the New Year’s Day card at Flemington, where he thinks a Robbie Griffiths-trained gelding can salute for punters at a nice price.

Enxuto, pictured winning at Echuca in May 2024, is Daniel Sankey's best bet of the day at Flemington on New Year's Day. Picture: Jay Town / Racing Photos

Form analyst Daniel Sankey presents his best bets plus quaddie picks for the New Year’s Day card at Flemington, where he thinks a Robbie Griffiths-trained gelding can salute for punters at a nice price.

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FOUR-PLAY

RACE 2: NO METRO WIN HANDICAP (1600m)
• $50 WIN ENXUTO (3) at $6
Competitive behind the likes of Craig, Rise At Dawn and in much stronger races than this last prep, the Robbie Griffiths-trained ENXUTO (3) was excellent resuming at Geelong when weaving between runners late for third. Perfectly drawn, just needs the breaks late. Respect the short-priced favourite DREAM ALL DAY (6) out to a mile and don’t leave THE NEGOTIATOR (4) out of multiples.

RACE 4: LISTED KENSINGTON STAKES (1400m)
• $50 WIN ROLL ON HIGH (3) at $8.50
Pleasing return to form for this mare in the inaugural Supernova at Pakenham as she took a spot just off the pace and battled on strongly for fifth, beaten less than a length-and-a-half. ROLL ON HIGH (3) drops 2kg on that run and she should get a lovely run in behind the pace from the inside alley. Only needs to reproduce her Supernova effort to be right in the finish here.

RACE 7: BENCHMARK 70 (1800m)
• $25 E/W MOVEFORLEX (3) at $14/$4
If you disregard his second-up run this preparation when given no chance racing wide without cover throughout, his form reads well for a moderate Benchmark 70 like this. Has a win and a third from two starts at Flemington and while he’s again drawn a little deep, he has enough pace for jockey Daniel Stackhouse to get over and find cover before they start to turn.

RACE 8: BENCHMARK 70 (1000m)
• $50 WIN GRAND LARCENY (7) at $4.60
It’s taken a little while for this a half-brother to The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes to work out the racing caper but with two successive wins, he’s finally starting to live up to his $800,000 yearling price tag. The wide draw is an advantage in a race with plenty of early speed – jockey Craig Williams can bide his time in behind the pace before launching late down the outside rail.

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QUADZILLA

LEG 1: RACE 5
BOTH SIDES NOW (6) is a progressive mare who’s up in grade but looks up to the challenge. Looks the obvious leader in a race devoid of pace and can’t imagine jumping an extra 100m to 1700m is an issue. ZAMBEZI KHAN (3) was scratched from a 2000m race at Flemington on Boxing Day in favour of this contest and she’ll be nearing peak fitness third-up from a spell. Respect MISS TARZY (1) despite the big weight and include STEAL THE SUN (5).
FIRST LEG: 1,3,5,6

LEG 2: RACE 6
The stayers square off in the Bagot and I’m happy to follow the handicapper’s lead. MURAMASA (1) was slowly away and got a long way back in the Pakenham Cup before rattling home for third behind GOLDMAN (2), who should again lead and prove tough to run down. INTERPRETATION (3) is back from a spell and on a Wellington Cup path but expect him to be running home late.
SECOND LEG: 1,2,3

LEG 3: RACE 7
THE WESTERN FRONT (9) was too good for COTTON TREE (11) at Geelong last time out and while both have tricky barriers to contend with, they can still be right in the finish. Dundeel son ET TU BRUTE (8) should relish getting out to 1800m for the first time while CYCLONE HARMONY (4) has a good draw and the benefit of a 3kg claim. The one that’s over the odds is MOVEFORLEX (3) … he can bounce back off a total forgive run.
THIRD LEG: 3,4,8,9,11

LEG 4: RACE 8
Should be a fascinating duel between two improving sprinters in BIG ME (4) and GRAND LARCENY (7), both of whom should be winning better races than this as their careers progress. LINKS (8) has had three jumpouts to prepare her for this assignment and can sprint well fresh while BOONIE (2) gets in okay at the weights with the benefit of Jordyn Weatherley’s claim.
FOURTH LEG: 2,4,7,8

FLEMINGTON QUADDIE
Race 5: 1,3,5,6
Race 6: 1,2,3
Race 7: 3,4,8,9,11
Race 8: 2,4,7,8
COST: $100 for 41.67%

SKINNY QUADDIE
Kick things off with BOTH SIDES NOW (6), ZAMBEZI KHAN (3) and STEAL THE SUN (5). In the second leg, bank on the class and race fitness of MURAMASA (1) one-out. Go with MOVEFORLEX (3), THE WESTERN FRONT (9) and COTTON TREE (11) in the third leg and come home with BIG ME (4) and GRAND LARCENY (7).

FLEMINGTON SKINNY QUADDIE
Race 5: 3,5,6
Race 6: 1
Race 7: 3,9,11
Race 8: 4,7
COST: $100 for 556%

Originally published as Four-Play: Daniel Sankey’s $200 betting strategy, plus Quadzilla, for Flemington on New Year’s Day