TAB On The Punt: Nathan Exelby previews the meeting at Eagle Farm

Queensland racing expert Nathan Exelby is having a two-bet play in the Lough Neagh Stakes at Eagle Farm. BEST BETS, QUADDIE

Stampe (right) finished a close second to Tambo's Mate in the Keith Noud Quality two starts back. Picture: Trackside Photography

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

Track: Good 4. Rail: +5m.

BEST BETS

Purroni, R2 No.5 – $5.50

She turned in a ripper first-up last prep and then went on to be competitive against better opposition than these. Just needs to handle this track.

Tamilade, R3 No.5 – $2.20

Showed a lot of talent as a three-year-old and seems to have come back well after finding the line in a good race at Ipswich. Better suited to the bigger track at 1400m here.

Stampe, R8 No.8 – $6

Tumbler Ridge, R8 No.10 – $4.40

If you combine the odds, it works out to be a shade better than $2.50 and I think that’s fair enough. Both are going to get gun runs up near the front and get every possible chance. Happy to back both for a result.

MONEY TALKS

Race 2: Dovetail Diva $8.50-$6.50

Race 3: Tamilaide $2.50-$2.20

Race 4: Humbolt Current $8-$5.50

Race 6: Archer’s Paradox $10-$8, Xerri $3.10-$3.30

Race 7: Release The Beans $21-$16, Jackson On Time $9-$7.50, Rhapsody Rose $3.80-$3.40, Far Too Easy $2.80-$3.10

Race 8: Alligator Blood $18-$14, Countofmontecristo $21-$15, Tricky Gal $5-$4.60

THE QUADDIE

R6: BENCHMARK 85 HANDICAP (1000m)

Plenty of speed on here! Happy to back Archer’s Paradox ($8) coming way back in grade after a solid effort against Totally Charmed and co last week. She was clearly the best of those on speed and won’t have anything of the same class eyeballing her this week. Loves Eagle Farm. Not much between Xerri ($3.30) and Aleysa’s Dream ($4) coming off a very fast race at Caloundra. Queen Sweeper ($6) found the line strongly to win again last time under 60.5kg beating a handy filly. I Did It Again ($6) has a great record and the inside draw. Goodonya Sonja ($10) won a hot trial recently. 1000m is short of her best, but adds to the depth in a tough race.

Selections: 2 Archer’s Paradox, 6 Aleysa’s Dream, 8 Xerri

R7: GOLD EDITION PLATE (1200m)

Rhapsody Rose ($3.40) ran the same time as the boys in winning last start and now gets a little weight pull off them. Importantly, she’s drawn to land where Ryan Maloney wants and she’s going to give a big sight on speed at a track she’s proven to be very good at. Far Too Easy ($3.10) is clearly a huge talent and is entitled to be at the top of the market. Tiger Heart ($8) was favourite over Far Too Easy before he was scratched last time, so seems a little over the odds. Jackson On Time ($7.50) is a very good horse in the making, but gives away a start again. Me Me Lagarde’s ($9) first up win ties in through Putontheredlight.

Selections: 5 Rhapsody Rose, 2 Far Too Easy, 3 Tiger Heart

Rhapsody Rose can beat the boys in the Gold Edition Plate. Picture: Trackside Photography

R8: LOUGH NEAGH STAKES (1400m)

Keen on the chances of both Stampe and Tumbler Ridge. Stampe will cross easily from his wide gate and try to control this. He’s won twice at this track and is coming off two of the best runs of his career at Doomben. Doesn’t need to be chasing Zoustyle this time and he should have plenty to offer. Tumbler Ridge will stalk him the whole way and Eagle Farm also suits. A line through Tambo’s Mate says there’s not much between the two of them. Tipping Alligator Blood ($14) to run a much improved race after finding 1200m too slick. He’s unbeaten at this track. Tricky Gal ($4.40) has to come back from Melbourne and hasn’t won for a long time.

Selections: 8 Stampe, 10 Tumbler Ridge, 1 Alligator Blood

R9: BENCHMARK 72 HANDICAP (1600m)

Tough! Going with Dune Forty Five ($6), who wasn’t far off Smart Meteor (won impressively here last week) at Caloundra. Dune Forty Five is going to be equally suited by the step to 1600m in a pretty thin race. Lethal Warning ($4.80) has plenty of ability but is yet to work out how to harness it. The last start run was okay and up to 1600m should suit. Indian Dreamer ($3.80) had little luck at the Gold Coast, but he’s prone to that getting so far back in the field. He has a booming finish when on song, but it’s getting a while between drinks now. Spokesman ($7) and Tesarc ($8) are others with hopes in an open race.

Selections: 9 Dune Forty Five, 10 Lethal Warning, 8 Indian Dreamer

AWAY FROM HOME

Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted have snuck the big fellow Gee Tee Tee (Randwick, Race 9, $9.50) down to Sydney with four weeks between runs since his good first-up win at Caloundra. The claim brings him in OK and he’s good enough to measure up to these. Further south, Honeycreeper (Flemington, Race 1, $4.80) ran OK without a lot of luck at a vital stage fresh and is now set to get a gun run here in what doesn’t look an overly strong race.

Originally published as TAB On The Punt: Nathan Exelby previews the meeting at Eagle Farm