Another insanely frustrating day last Saturday at Caulfield but we'll pick ourselves up and go again at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
LABUAN STAR (MOONEE VALLEY - Race 2 No 8)
He has had three starts back from a spell for two wins and a third and he gets his chance to notch another win at Moonee Valley on Friday night. The Darren Weir-trained galloper adjusted well to the pattern of the day when he came from beyond midfield to score in heavy going at Mornington last time out but he'll be better back on top of the ground at the Valley. He can sit closer from barrier three and will be hard to hold out late.
BET: WIN
ODDS $4.40 @ Ladbrokes, Sportsbet, William Hill, Luxbet, Unibet, Bookmaker, CrownBet, Betstar.
MINTHA (MOONEE VALLEY – Race 3 No 9)
If you remove Houtzen from the Scarborough Stakes field, it would leave a pretty even line-up of three-year-old fillies and one that Mintha would be a good chance of rolling second-up. The Tony McEvoy-trained competed well in her first two runs as a two-year-old, going down narrowly in a stakes race in Adelaide at her second outing last time in before she went amiss. Mintha returned with an excellent effort when closing well late down the Flemington straight on September 19. Mintha is a well-bred daughter of Redoute's Choice out of Hades, a daughter of the Sires' Produce and Champagne Stakes winner Hasna. She'll run another bold race at Moonee Valley.
BET: SMALL WIN & TRIPLE THE PLACE
ODDS WIN $26 at Ladbrokes Bookmaker, Bet365 & Betstar & PLACE $5.50 at Ladbrokes, Sportsbet, Bookmaker & Betstar.
FOUNDATION (MOONEE VALLEY – Race 5 No 6)
This bloke has improved with racing in his second Australian preparation. The Lindsay Park team sent him forward and he did a good job when leading until late in the race at the Valley second-up where he finished on the heels of Melbourne Cup winner Almandin, who subsequently blitzed his rivals at Flemington. Sadly, Foundation's last run was a horror show for his backers after he settled back and never got a clear shot at the leaders before finishing 1 ¾ lengths from the winner. Tipping he'll roll forward this time and be hard to run down.
BET: WIN
ODDS $6 @ Sportsbet, William Hill, Unibet, Plamerbet, CrownBet, Bet365
AZAZEL (MOONEE VALLEY - Race 8 No 2)
Anticipating a good speed in the Bill Stutt Stakes with The Mission, Showtime, Masculino and Wassergeist all capable of pushing forward and that could set the race up well for Azazel. The Tony McEvoy-trained colt won down the straight first-up and went well at the Valley second-up before catching the eye with his finish to the Group II Danehill Stakes at Flemington. It was his second run over 1200m but that trip might have been a bit short third-up as Azazel worked home well after being beaten for speed. He goes up to the mile in the Stutt Stakes but the way he finished his last race indicated that trip will suit on Friday.
BET: WIN
ODDS $3.90 @ Luxbet
