Weekend Best Bets: Royal Randwick, Moonee Valley, Caulfield, Sunshine Coast, Morphettville
OUR experts give you an early shot at finding a winner as they look at the major races around the nation this weekend.
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OUR experts give you an early shot at finding a winner as they look at the major races around the nation this weekend.
Last week ... three winners. It was a bit of struggle for most but Ray Thomas carried the team with his best bet (Don’t Give A Damn, $1.65) and value bet (Ace High, $9) landing the money. Brad Davidson was also keen on Don’t Give A Damn, while Nathan Exelby steered punters into Loving Home ($5.50).
THE EARLY OIL: MOONEE VALLEY
RACE WATCH: DAVO’S TIPS FOR RANDWICK
ANALYSIS: INSIDE LINE ON THE EPSOM
FRIDAY NIGHT (AEST times)
MOONEE VALLEY (8 races, start 6.30pm)
SATURDAY MEETINGS
SUNSHINE COAST (10 races, start 11.52am),
ROYAL RANDWICK (9 races, 12.20pm),
MORNINGTON (8 races, 12.35pm),
MORPHETTVILLE (8 races, 1.22pm),
BELMONT (8 races, 3.47pm).
SUNDAY MEETING
CAULFIELD (9 races, start 1pm)
MOONEE VALLEY (Friday night)
MICHAEL MANLEY (Herald Sun). Form: x1615
I AM A STAR (Race 6, No. 7)
Fourth run in last time she easily won the Sunline Stakes this track and distance. She didn’t have a lot of luck last start at Flemington and she should be ready to fire.
TAB Fixed Odds: $3.80
Best value: MADEENATY (Race 4, No. 10)
TAB Fixed Odds: $4.40
GLENN McFARLANE (Herald Sun). Form: First starter
HOUTZEN (Race 3, No. 1)
Flying filly who looks perfectly suited at level weights. Looking for the 1200m and should win.
TAB Fixed Odds: $1.60
Best value: COOL CHAP (Caul Sunday, Race 4, No. 8)
TAB Fixed Odds: $6.50
MARKETS: TAB FIXED ODDS
ROYAL RANDWICK (Saturday)
RAY THOMAS (Daily Telegraph). Form: 31131
I THOUGHT SO (Race 9, No. 10)
Drew wide when he resumed and still looked likely to be in the finish halfway down the straight before he understandably began to tire near the line. Much fitter and hard to beat.
TAB Fixed Odds: $4.20
Value bet: PERFECT THYME (Race 4, No. 10)
TAB Fixed Odds: $7.50
BRAD DAVIDSON (Daily Telegraph). Form: 13171
SAMBRO (Race 3, No. 2)
Clocked the quickest last 600m split of the race (34.48s) at Canterbury last start when second against the older horses and he should sit midfield and be hard to beat here.
TAB Fixed Odds: $4.40
Value bet: CLEARLY INNOCENT (Race 6, No. 2)
TAB Fixed Odds: $7.50
STEPHEN ZAMMIT (Daily Telegraph). Form: 11243
TANGO RAIN (Race 9, No. 4)
Trained by Gerald Ryan, he won well two runs back, then made all the running and just failed to hold on when a narrow second at Rosehill on September 9. Drawn beautifully here and will be right on the pace from the outset. Should take plenty of running down too.
TAB Fixed Odds: $3.80
Value bet: SPECTROSCOPE (Race 4, No. 6)
TAB Fixed Odds: $7
JOHN DAVIS (Daily Telegraph). Form: 23215
LIFE LESS ORDINARY (Race 8, No. 9)
Gets out to the mile and a quarter trip for the first time and every indication suggests he will fully relish it. Only has to shoulder a postage stamp here and should pack too much of a punch for his higher weighted rivals.
TAB Fixed Odds: $5.50
Value bet: NOW OR NEVER (Race 2, No. 13)
TAB Fixed Odds: $9.50
SHAYNE O’CASS (Sportsman). Form: 43442
LANGLEY (Race 3, No. 6)
Superbly bred son of Redoute’s Choice. He does a lot of wrong, but once he gets some racecraft, he is going to be a good horse. That’s why I think the win at the provincials was so vital. It will have a massive effect on his confidence and professionalism as he heads into the Dulcify.
TAB Fixed Odds: $5.50
Value bet: GRUNDERZEIT (Race 9, No. 2)
TAB Fixed Odds: $12
DARREN PRENDERGAST (SuperRacing). Form: 14115
HAPPY CLAPPER (Race 7, No. 1)
Pat Webster’s gelding is due for a big win over the Randwick mile. The seven-year-old followed a first-up win in the Tramaway with a second to Winx. Can’t fault that form.
TAB Fixed Odds: $2.60
Value bet: ISORICH (Race 9, No. 7)
TAB Fixed Odds: $17
MARKETS: TAB FIXED ODDS
MORNINGTON (Saturday)
GILBERT GARDINER (Herald Sun) Form: 11225
BOB OF THE HEAD (Race 4, No. 2)
A tricky race for an even trickier track. Will want to be up with the leaders and doesn’t mind sting out of the ground. Let’s get the day off to a flying start?
TAB Fixed Odds: $10
Value bet: MISS GARDENIA (Race 8, No. 8)
TAB Fixed Odds: $15
MARKETS: TAB FIXED ODDS
CAULFIELD (Sunday)
SIMON MOY (SuperRacing). Form: 97610
CATCHY (Race 5, N o. 1)
Didn’t flick the overdrive switch until late but was far too good for her rivals at Flemington. Extra 200m just perfect and will get the job done again. The running double or all-up into Royal Symphony looks the way to go.
TAB Fixed Odds: $2
Value bet: HEATHERLY (MV Fri night, Race 7, No. 11)
TAB Fixed Odds: $9.50
NICK QUINN (TAB). Form: 21128
ROYAL SYMPHONY (Race 6, No. 3)
Caulfield Guineas favourite who was held up last start at Flemington before finding clear room and shooting to victory. Looks a progressive galloper who is worth sticking with throughout his campaign.
TAB Fixed Odds: $2
Value bet: MALAGUERRA (MV Friday night, Race 7, No. 2)
TAB Fixed Odds: $11
MARKETS: TAB FIXED ODDS
SUNSHINE COAST (Saturday)
NATHAN EXELBY (Courier Mail) Form: 03810
MANIAS (Race 10, No. 5)
The benchmark system is working beautifully for him. Goes up to a BM85 here and gets 0.5kg relief, despite meeting a similar class field. Has been good in solidly run 1350m races his past three, so don’t see 1400m as a problem. Main rivals Impregnable (distance) and Mystic Opal (disappointed on the quick back-up second up) have a couple of queries, so he looks the safe play and suspect he can go further in life than that pair anyway.
TAB Fixed Odds: $3.70
Value bet: RULING FORCE (Race 5, No. 3)
TAB Fixed Odds: $19
MARKETS: TAB FIXED ODDS
MORPHETTVILLE (Saturday)
BEN SCADDEN (The Advertiser) Form: 3720x
I‘M A PRINCESS (Race 8, No. 13)
Looked very sharp first-up on Balaklava Cup Day when she cruised clear to win by two lengths. This is significantly stronger but she’s a mare on the rise and the McEvoy-Kah combination is fast becoming a lethal one. Expect their hot streak to continue in this.
TAB Fixed Odds: $2.80
Best value: WITH HOPE (Race 4, No. 11)
TAB Fixed Odds: $7.50
LINCOLN MOORE (The Advertiser) Form: 61115
ROCK STATUS (Race 3, No. 2)
Solid effort first-up from a break behind Gun Case at Balaklava. Dual winner this track, should get a nice run here and looks hard to beat.
TAB Fixed Odds: $4.60
Value: ARIZONA WILDCAT (Race 4, No. 4)
TAB Fixed Odds: $8
MARKETS: TAB FIXED ODDS
*Note: TAB Fixed Odds prices correct at time of publishing
Originally published as Weekend Best Bets: Royal Randwick, Moonee Valley, Caulfield, Sunshine Coast, Morphettville