BEST BET: THERESABEARINTHERE (Race 3)
EACH-WAY: PEARL BANDIT (Race 9)
VALUE: LAKHANI ROSE (Race 7)
RACE 1 - 12:36PM Derek Bonner's 50th Plate (1050 METRES)
Small field but interesting race. OWN THE NIGHT was in the market on debut in the Maribyrnong Plate when beaten 5.6 lengths. He’s trialled well at Traralgon since and draws the inside with Todd Pannell in the saddle. YULONG TURBO wasn’t asked to do a lot in his first jump-out at Flemington and was ridden out to win his second there late last month. BLERIOT was good on debut behind Gulf Of Suez, while BLUE LINE has trialled well and is a nicely bred daughter of Metro Fox (who was a handy type).
SELECTIONS: OWN THE NIGHT, Yulong Turbo, Bleriot
Race 2 - 1:11PM Holdfast Insurance Handicap (1200 METRES)
Another small field, but features horses with some upside. STRUCK BY blew like the wind but was very good winning by 3.7 lengths at Balaklava last time out. He’s got scope and should run well from a nice gate. WINNING WEATHER was able to find the lead and fight off rivals last time. She has a good record and gets into this well with the claim for Sophie Logan. I can entertain Victorian raider EXPECTANT, especially at the price. He comes out of the Tradewind VOBIS race at Ballarat. His overall record is good for a race like this, he draws the inside and has Todd Pannell. He’s come up $9.50 in early markets which looks overs. ALOTAFUN jumped out well before winning at nice odds at Gawler on debut. This is a step up in class but that should be an OK form race going forward. L’IL PIPER won well back in class before a good effort behind Kirinia last week and is on the quick back-up. THE BIG GOODBYE ran well behind stablemate Alleboom first time out. She’s yet to miss a place in four starts and is worth some thought.
SELECTIONS: STRUCK BY, Winning Weather, Expectant
Race 3 - 1:46PM Furphy Handicap (1050 METRES)
THERESABEARINTHERE was good winning here back in June before going to Moonee Valley and only being run down late behind Hard Landing. He comes out of a handy Morphettville trial, draws wide but is aided with the claim for Maggie Collett. MAYAN showed plenty in his first campaign and won well here before going to Melbourne and running a competitive second at Moonee Valley at Listed level. He was OK first-up at Mornington back in September and then failed on a soft track at Moe, but hasn’t been seen publicly since. GRAFTED is a former Victoria on debut for Will Clarken. She’s won two of eight and did trial OK behind Symphonette. GLORY GAME was a good winner back in class and looks on the improve. BARACONI has been showing promise back in class.
SELECTIONS: THERESABEARINTHERE, Mayan, Grafted
RACE 4 - 2:21PM TAB Long May We Play Handicap (1200 METRES)
FOUR OF A KIND has been good at both runs back from a spell, pulling ground off The Raven first-up before another good run behind Beeokay last time. She draws the inside gate and Jason Holder jumps on board, so this looks her chance. POYSED TO REIN has been good at all four runs back from a spell. She draws out and the claim for Maggie Collett can offset her big weight. STORM VOYAGER has been racing well, while COTILLION ran well behind Just Chipping Away two starts back. SHARPLY ATTIRED has run well at both runs back from a spell, while ANNIKA has no weight and a good gate.
SELECTIONS: FOUR OF A KIND, Poysed To Rein, Cotillion
RACE 5 - 3:01PM Pike & Joyce Handicap (1100 METRES)
WESTPORT won three on end in SA last winter before she was tested in some good races like the Atlantic Jewel and Edward Manifold. She hasn’t raced since being beaten almost six lengths by Chuck A Luck at Mornington back in March but wasn’t knocked around running fourth behind Terbium in a recent Morphettville trial. If she’s anywhere near her best she’ll be hard to beat. DAMASCUS MOMENT has won four of 10 starts and was a good first-up from a spell at Warrnambool, leading and only reeled in last by Uptown Lola. She’s a winner her only start this track and trip and draws an ideal gate. SAORSA was good winning first-up in SA, finished off hard behind Li’l Kontra last time and maps to get a nice run behind the speed. COSMIC AWARD has won five of 13 and was tested at Group 2 level last prep. She was good when beaten 2.8 lengths behind Left Hand Man first-up. EXALTED MAXINE was too good leading throughout at a price to beat Thompson’s Reward three starts back and will find this easier than last time behind One More Jack in the City of Marion. CALL ME CURTIS is back with Craig Curtis and normally runs a race fresh, having placed at four of seven. He has trialled well for his return.
SELECTIONS: WESTPORT, Damascus Moment, Saorsa
RACE 6 - 3:41PM Peter Elberg Funerals Handicap (1200 METRES)
Keen to have something here on MAY BE FATE, who is the watch resuming for the crafty Jim Smith stable. He draws wide but has Todd Pannell riding and his form behind the likes of The Difference and Aqueduct last prep is good for a race like this. MUNSTER was heavily backed from $2.70 into $1.85 when beaten 0.7 of a length into fourth behind Sowpods first-up in Australia. He draws a good gate and can make amends here. ANGASTON was very good first-up from a break, making late ground behind Little Rich Boy. He draws out but looks a danger here. THE FRED EXPRESS is a Victorian who has been racing OK but draws out. CALL ME SHAMUS has a couple of trials under his belt, while AZZURO BIANCO is first-up for Grant Young but would need to lift.
SELECTIONS: MAY BE FATE, Munster, Angaston
RACE 7 - 4:21PM Adelaide Galvanising Christmas Handicap (1200 METRES)
Really good race. SAVATOXL will again set the speed from gate three and will be in this for a long way. He was only grabbed late by ONE MORE JACK in the City of Marion. ONE MORE JACK was very strong late last time. He’s a winner with eight wins from 13 starts and draws an ideal barrier again. STAR HILLS has never won beyond 1100m but is low flying and chasing his sixth win on end. He draws a good gate and is impossible to knock, despite the class rise. He should be handy to the speed. TOO GOOD TOO HARD and LAKHANI ROSE are the swoopers. TOO GOOD TOO HARD finished strongly when beaten just 1.2 lengths behind One More Jack last start. He draws a sticky gate but gets Todd Pannell here. Stablemate SYMPHONETTE trialled well for her return and she has been placed at two of three starts here. LAKHANI ROSE is second-up off a short break. She made ground when beaten just 3.8 lengths in the City of Marion, gets blinkers for the first time and will be running on if the speed is hot. DEXTER YOU DEVIL is a very good horse on his day and more than capable of running a cheeky race fresh at 1200m, Ryan Balfour’s pair of LI’L KONTRA and KENYAN WONDER are capable, while BEAUTIFUL FLYER has a good second-up record and could be a blow-out.
SELECTIONS: ONE MORE JACK, Lakhani Rose, Too Good Too Hard
RACE 8 - 5:01PM Metal-Link Handicap (Heat 7 Southern Speed Series) (1800 METRES)
RESURGE has been freshened for this, is back from the 2500m to 2800m and draws an inside gate where he can be positive. He’s sure to run well. ROYAL VALLEY has a good record and was well tried from $5 into $3.90 favourite to win over 1900m at Traralgon last time. That form looks OK for a race like this. SERIOUS SPENDER is proving costly for punters but draws a nice gate and must be respected. SKILLFUL STEPS appreciated the step up in distance to beat Deluxe Design last time. COMFORT MAN could be an improver up in distance, while stablemate RAISE AN ARMY was good behind Coffee Amour three starts back.
SELECTIONS: RESURGE, Royal Valley, Serious Spender
RACE 9 - 5:41PM Twilight Races at Morphettville - Friday Dec 18 Handicap (Heat 9 Alcopop Series) (1541 METRES)
Really open race to finish the day. PEARL BANDIT has a great record here with two wins and four placings from his eight starts. He draws the inside and looks into this up to his ears again. He’s a safe each-way play. Michael Hickmott’s DON’TDREAMIT'SOVER has been in the market and solid at both runs in Australia, running third behind One More Jack and fourth behind Left Hand Man when he got back on the Parks track last time. Stablemate UNLACED jumped out OK at Murray Bridge recently and was a dual winner over a mile back in NZ. DAZZLING DAMSEL was a good winner at Strathalbyn last time. She draws out but has talent and could be the swooper late. The Gordon Richards pair of ROSELLI STING and ENKI both draw favourable barriers. HANKSTAR draws wide but was good beating Ambidazzle last time. HEIR OF TAVISTOCK was dominant on speed winning last time, while MAGNETIC EDGE is another racing well. I can make claims for a few emergencies. BAJAN looks ready to improve, LI’L HANK is racing well and has claims and LIKE A HEARTBEAT was doing his best work late last week.
SELECTIONS: PEARL BANDIT, Don'tdreamit'sover, Li’l Hank