Eight races will be run and won at Flemington on Wednesday where it is St Leger Day. The weather is overcast, the track is good (4) and the rail is out ten metres for the entire circuit.
Race 1. (13:00) Flt Lt Peter Armytage Handicap 2530m
4 Sin To Win (Bet Now: $8.00) gets one last chance for me. The way he trialled leading up to his first run for the prep, he looked set for a winning campaign, but he hasn’t delivered on that, running well, but not greeting the judge. He ran over 2400m at Bendigo last time out and was disappointing behind Harrison. I’d love to see Regan have him near the speed, clear air and out of trouble. That’s his best chance of winning.
6 Sherlock Holmes (Bet Now: $2.60) has been quite good in two runs back from a spell for the Williams camp. Both runs have come over 2400m at Sandown, winning first up before being really once paced last time out when second to Corrs. Think the 2500m at Flemington will really suit him and overall, this isn’t a strong race.
10 Zourkhan (Bet Now: $11.00) could be a sharp improver with the blinkers back on. He comes through the race won by Corrs mentioned above and looked as if he’d threaten 300m out but as soon as that thought was had, he dropped back and was poor. Blinkers back on could well bring out the best and a drop of rain wouldn’t hurt.
Race 2. (13:35) Battle of Villers-Bretonneux Handicap 1800m
Keen on 7 Tatoosh (Bet Now: $2.05). Will Clarken is right up there with Darren Weir and Ben Currie in terms of being the best trainers in Australia at improving tried horses and this is a classic example. The horse was battling when trained in Sydney but with Clarken, he’s 4/4 and is a leading chance at Flemington. Awkward draw, but he has overcome that before. Keen.
4 Life Less Ordinary (Bet Now: $5.50) could be on the path towards the Wagga Cup so I suspect this could be a clean out run, but he certainly has the quality to go close. He hasn’t raced since the Easter Cup at Caulfield when looming large to win but just failing to go on with it when third to Shoreham. Has improvement left in him and draws a sweet gate.
2 Mask of Time (Bet Now: $4.80) is the big watch. Numerically, hasn’t done much in two runs this time in, but I thought he was good late in the Golden Mile at Bendigo, warming to the task the final 100m behind Dodging Bullets. His form beyond a mile reads so well, draws well, has upside…could easily blow this field away.
Race 3. (14:10) ANZAC Day Stakes 1400m
Hard to get away from 1 Ocean Knight (Bet Now: $3.80). He looks a potential Group l horse of the future if his debut win at Caulfield is any indicator. He’s bred to be a stayer so the fact he showed an electric turn of foot from the back and won with a fair bit of ease. Very promising colt and quite keen on his chances here, especially up to 1400m.
3 Hawkshot (Bet Now: $3.50) is a lovely colt for the Darren Weir team who debuted with a strong win at Ballarat before going to the Sandown midweeks where he put up an enormous effort. Got stuck in a tough spot, did plenty wrong, and really, in the end it was a bob of the head separating him from victory. Flemington 1400m looks perfect.
6 Osmium (Bet Now: $8.00) is a Busuttin/Young trained filly who was hard in the market when debuting at Ballarat and her win was one of the best of the meeting. Wide throughout, niggled at all the way by Olly but once she put her mind to the task, she knuckled down like a good horse. The 1400m looks ideal, has enormous upside and is in the right stable.
Race 4. (14:45) Battle of Coral-Balmoral Handicap 1620m
Siding with 14 Winklemann (Bet Now: $5.00). Danny O’Brien trains this mare, who was solid in betting when resuming at the Sandown midweeks where she sat up near the speed throughout and halfway down the straight she looked in a bit of trouble but gee she found plenty late to win and the form has been franked. Tumbles in weight and has a really good second up record.
1 Soho Ruby (Bet Now: $5.50) is the class runner of the field and that is reflected with the weights. Over a month between runs since racing at this track/distance where she was wide all the way, albeit with cover, but did the work and found plenty over the final 100m to score a well deserved win. Has the class edge and should go close.
3 Ma Jones (Bet Now: $13.00) is a Darren Weir trained mare who has threatened to do something positive this prep but hasn’t quite gone on with it. Ran over 1400m at Caulfield last time out where she looked to have every chance just behind the speed but couldn’t quite finish off at all behind Kapaulenko. D-Day but she likes Flemington and up to the mile helps.
Race 5. (15:25) William Newton VC Handicap 1720m
3 Palazzo Vecchio (Bet Now: $7.00) on top but no good thing. I think this is D-Day for her and whether or not she’s a contender or pretender. Thought she was disappointing last time out over the Caulfield mile after being well backed late. Seemingly had her chance when clear but didn’t finish it off behind Savacool. Gate one, firmer footing, back to Flemington…no excuses.
10 All Hard Wood (Bet Now: $13.00) a threat for me. Richard Laming trains this three year old, who ran last time out at Moe against the older horses over 2050m where I thought Callow gave the horse every chance but perhaps first run in a month, the fitness levels just told on him late when grabbed by So You Leica. Should improve off that and prove hard to beat here.
14 Sunquest (Bet Now: $26.00) might well be the Majak Daw of horse racing. Got the ingredients to run like Tarzan but produces efforts like Jane. He was absolutely bolting behind them last time out a Terang over 1850m and he looked the winner for the most part, but as soon as the pressure came on, he didn’t want it. He has run good races at Flemington before so that is his saving grace.
Race 6. (16:00) VRC St Leger 2800m
2 Astoria (Bet Now: $2.10) should be taking care of this lot. James Cummings trains this colt, who was a hard luck story in the Australian Derby behind Levendi. He was trucking up beautifully behind them and ready to launch before getting flattened and from that point on, Schofield didn’t touch him. Has the class, the form…should be winning.
12 Fantastic Rock (Bet Now: $31.00) is one horse who should be eating up the 2800m and I’ll be backing him each way. He ran over 2000m at Pakenham last time out where he took an absolute eternity to get going and was very one paced to the line when a close up third to Arkamun. He’ll love the step up in distance and gets blinkers first time, which is very noteworthy.
5 Wolfe Tone (Bet Now: $17.00) is another who will appreciate the rise in trip. He ran second in that Pakenham maiden mentioned above before going to the Galilee Final at Caulfield where he looked to have his chance and was one paced late behind Won Won Too. Has run well here before, gets some gear changes and should do no work from the gate.
Race 7. (16:35) Auckland Racing Club Trophy 1400m
8 Rossman (Bet Now: $12.00) is the very interesting runner. David Briedoake trains this three year old. Potentially, he’s the best horse in the race. Last two wins at Sandown and Sale respectively have been very good but keep in mind he has done plenty wrong in the process. Was nominated for a Stakes race at Randwick recently, so stable must have a good opinion of him.
12 Mr Storm (Bet Now: $5.50) looks a progressive gelding for the Richard Laming team. Bolted up fresh at Pakenham before going to Ballarat and taking on the older horses where he looked in a bit of trouble for the most part but gee he found plenty late when challenged and won well. Flemington 1400m third up looks ideal.
11 Evil Cry (Bet Now: $23.00) has turned the corner this time in for the Robbie Laing team, winning his past two starts, both over the six furlongs at Mornington. Produced a barnstorming finish from the back to win two back before sitting wide with cover last time before Harry Grace presented him before the turn and he drew clear late. 1400m, on breeding, no issue. Hard fit and in form.
Race 8. (17:10) ANZAC Appeal Handicap 1200m
If 7 Maximus (Bet Now: $4.20) handles the straight course, he’ll be winning. Very promising galloper for Team Snowden who you could make a case should be unbeaten in four runs for the stable, with the lone defeat being a luckless third at Pakenham behind Brahmos. His win at Cranbourbne last time out was that of a coming city winner. Here he is.
9 Brahmos (Bet Now: $7.00) is in really good form at the moment for the John Sadler team. He ran over 1200m at Caulfield last time out where he tried very hard in the straight but just no match late for the impressive King River. Gets a nice weight pull on that horse here and Craig Williams jumps back on. He rides the horse well.
14 Overstep (Bet Now: $10.00) is the big watch for mine. She can be a hit and miss mare for the Chris Waller team who is first up here and keep in mind she does do her best racing when produced fresh. Looks to have drawn the right part of the track and her recent jump out win was very impressive, plus Olly is booked.
Best Bets & Quaddie Tips
BEST BET: Race Eight Number 7 Maximus
NEXT BEST: Race Six Number 2 Astoria
VALUE: Race Seven Number 8 Rossman
Quaddie Tips (Races Five Through To Eight):
Leg One: 3, 5, 10, 12, 14
Leg Two: 2, 12
Leg Three: 4, 8, 11, 12
Leg Four: 7, 9, 14, 15
$50 Investment= 31.25% of the dividend if successful
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