On The Punt: Punters in fast Lane with $2.90 best bet at Geelong on Saturday

With Victoria’s leading jockey on board, James Cummings and Godolphin have a great chance to win one of the feature races at Geelong on Saturday.

Va Via returned in terrific order at Randwick on December 23 and heads to Geelong for Saturday’s Listed Black Pearl Stakes (1200m) for the fillies and mares. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

News Corp Australia’s Editorial Director for Racing and Wagering, Daniel Sankey, takes a closer look at Saturday’s Victorian metropolitan meeting at Geelong.

BEST BET

VA VIA (R9 No.2 – $2.90)

Enormous run first-up at Randwick where she clocked the equal-fastest last 600m of the entire meeting after being forced to go back from a wide alley. Will settle much closer today from the better draw and she gets the services of an in-form jockey. Looks very well-placed.

NEXT BEST

CARBONADOS (R5 No.7 – $2.20)

Heavily-spruiked New Zealand import who couldn’t have been more impressive winning two Flemington jumpouts leading into this first-up assignment. Hayes camp is eyeing off the Group 1 Australian Guineas, so he needs to be winning this impressively … and probably will.

VALUE BETS

LE DERRIERE (R10 No.5 – $15)

Well-supported in the market against the boys at Caulfield last time out but couldn’t get clear galloping room. Should get the run of the race from barrier three and she’ll appreciate racing back against her own sex.

MY BOY BIRMINGHAM (R7 No.1 – $11)

Caught wide and forced to do plenty of work under 63.5kg first up at Caulfield yet still fought them off for a deserved victory. Draws to do no work today and can give a great each-way sight.

THE JOCKEY

DAMIAN LANE

A great book of rides can see him extend his lead in the Victorian jockeys’ premiership. THE NEGOTIATOR (R1 No.10 – $8), ELOUYOU (R3 No.19 – $4.40), NORTHERN BARRAGE (R4 No.9 – $7), RICH FORTUNE (R6 No.6 – $5), DUBAI POET (R7 No.6 – $9), VA VIA (R9 No.2 – $2.90), FLOWER MOON (R10 No.7 – $41).