BEST BET: FAST DEALER (Race 3)
EACH-WAY: AMBER HAZE (Race 6)
VALUE: MARNDARRA (Race 2)
RACE 1 - 1:45PM My Butcher Benchmark 52 Handicap (1050 METRES)
EXALTED QUEEN had some specking and was runner-up behind Fabulous Flipper at Strathalbyn last time out. Her two wins have come at Strathalbyn over the 1100m and she draws a good gate to be in this for a long way. RUSTYDUSTYSUNSHINE was sent out a $2.70 favourite behind Olive Grove last time. She draws a gate and is sure to be in the mix. ROCKATANSKY ran well behind Brimarvi Rooboy at a big price three starts back and won his maiden at Port Augusta back in July. He won a recent Morphettville trial and gets into this well with the claim. MY LESSON ran well at Gawler at a price two starts back.
SELECTIONS: EXALTED QUEEN, Rockatansky, Rustydustysunshine
RACE 2 - 2:20PM Coopers Brewery Benchmark 62 Handicap (Heat 7 Alcopop Series) (1600 METRES)
MARNDARRA was runner-up at her only start here on debut and was placed at Flemington in her first preparation. She’s trialled only fairly but that was almost a month ago and she did race in handy three-year-old company last campaign. She draws a good barrier here. STAN THE CADDY ran well behind Masterati two starts back before leading and fading late behind Rapid Raiser last time. He draws to be on speed from gate three and looks well placed in this sort of class. DIAMOND TYCOON has two wins from three starts here and was strong when winning at Murray Bridge over the mile two back. She then had some support in betting when beaten five lengths behind Rapid Raiser last time and looks well graded here. CANIDAE has been around the mark at his past four starts and led when only reeled in late by Monteferrante at Gawler last time. He draws out but will be on speed. MR EPIC was back into favourite when third behind Monteferrante last time. His previous two efforts were solid and the extra trip here suits.
SELECTIONS: MARNDARRA, Stan The Caddy, Diamond Tycoon
RACE 3 - 2:55PM Atkins Photography / SABOIS Plus Maiden/Class One Plate (2200 METRES)
FAST DEALER ran well on debut in SA over the 1400m trip at Murray Bridge and was again doing his best work late at Gawler last week behind Hobo Bob. He gets out to the 2200m here, draws a good barrier and gets his chance. SHEBRINGZIT was good winner of her maiden over 2050m at Strathalbyn last time. She’s lightly raced but looks a horse who will get better the further she goes. She looks hard to beat in a race like this, particularly down in the weights. BACK POCKET has only won one of 22 starts but finished off well behind City Beats two back. He was only fair last time behind Skillful Steps, but draws well. The blinkers go off and distance suits. TUFF CAT ground home OK at Gawler three starts back. He was only fair at this track and trip last time but can run into the multiples, while SMART VISION has been well in the market her past couple but was only average last start.
SELECTIONS: FAST DEALER, Shebringzit, Back Pocket
RACE 4 - 3:30PM Melrina 36 Degrees South / SABOIS Maiden Plate (1600 METRES)
DISSOLVABLE finished off well behind Applied at Gawler last time. He’s placed at five of 16 and won’t get too many better chances than here. JUSTADEE was runner-up behind Mustari here last time and that’s solid form for this. He draws the inside and has solid claims but not sure I’d want to take the $1.50 in early markets. KHESHIG was beaten 11.8 lengths behind Beau Rossa on debut but improved at his second start at Naracoorte behind Sir Coen. He draws a good barrier and can improve sharply in a race like this. KRUPTONITE hasn’t been far away in stronger races but is a 24-start maiden. GARDEN PARTY finished sixth in the same race at Naracoorte and is another who should improve here. CUZZEN was beaten 10 lengths at $101 behind Biarchi at Murray Bridge and is now with Ron Stokes.
SELECTIONS: DISSOLVABLE, Justadee, Kheshig
RACE 5 - 4:05PM Taylors Wines Benchmark 54 Handicap (1600 METRES)
AUSSIE SOJOURN is lightly-raced and looks to have upside. She was a Gawler winner back in June and resumed with a good effort behind Kissable Eight there. Then followed another good effort last time out here when she was a big drifter and beat all but Boomer Beach. She draws out but getting out to the mile looks ideal. A LITTLE CHUNKY has won five races, including two here, with two further placings from a total of eight starts at this track. FLYING PIERRO was a Gawler winner over 1700m before stepping out in trip and only battling. He was well tried in betting when 3.5 lengths fifth behind Antipas last time but has appeal in a race like this. LADY PERCY wasn’t beaten far first-up in SA for Luke O’Connor behind Sowpods and that looks OK form for a race like this. She won her maiden at Ballarat over 2000m and has claims. DUKE OF CHRISTOPHE ran well at odds behind Boomer Beach last time and was placed at his only start here. INDIA MO is likely to be handy to the speed and ran OK when third behind Jack’s A Cracker at Strathalbyn last time. TURNPIKE ran a good fourth back at Strathalbyn three starts back and has been placed here.
SELECTIONS: AUSSIE SOJOURN, Flying Pierro, Lady Percy
RACE 6 - 4:40PM McArdle Pty Ltd / SABOIS Maiden Plate (1200 METRES)
Tony and Calvin McEvoy have a pair of debutants here. FIGHTER was pretty good when beating Kikuyu King in a Morphettville trial. VICTORY CLUB makes his debut for Matt Seyers and has looked pretty forward when winning two jump outs – the latest at Murray Bridge. Of the raced brigade AMBER HAZE found the line well first-up from a break here behind She’s Krupt. She draws a nice barrier and the extra trip will suit. PENTIRE’S SPIRIT stuck on well after racing on speed when fourth behind Struck By here last time and solid in betting. He also has the inside gate. ASHADY AMBER won a recent Murray Bridge trial.
SELECTIONS: AMBER HAZE, Pentire’s Spirit, Fighter
RACE 7 - 5:15PM Taylors Jaraman Benchmark 54 Handicap (1200 METRES)
ZUME FORWARD had good backing to start favourite when runner-up behind Sir Johnson here last time out. He’s been runner-up at two of four starts on track and looks well placed in a race lacking depth. SAND CAT was runner-up at her only start here and was placed behind Cartier Tiara at Gawler two starts back before being beaten 5.3 lengths behind Love Magic at Gawler last week. She draws a nice gate and has claims. MAVETTE was fourth behind Picargo two back and then only three lengths behind Sowpods at Morphettville on the Parks track last time. He’s unplaced in all three starts here but again his recent form is good enough in a race like this. KITTY DAMOUR was runner-up behind the in-form Trip at Morphettville five runs back, but her four runs since have been average. MOARI MAGIC trialled OK but is winless from five first-up attempts previously.
SELECTIONS: ZUME FORWARD, Sand Cat, Kitty Damour
IMAGE:
Lincoln Moore’s best value bet, Marndarra, at Strathalbyn earlier this year.