Popular pundit Laurie Sainsbury believes he's found one at big odds at Moonee Valley on Friday night that can give you a healthy bank for a huge weekend of Group I racing.
MINTHA (Moonee Valley Race 3 No 9)
This could be the blow out horse for the weekend. She's lightly-raced and is still a maiden. Her first two runs yielded third placings at Morphettville, then pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia before going for a spell. She resumed at Flemington when a fifth to Fox Swift and in so doing recorded the following late splits, last 600m in 33.75 seconds, 400m in 22.66 seconds and the last 200m in 11.51 seconds, they were the combined quickest of the day. Catchy and Redkirk Warrior both winners on the day didn't match her finish. Speed should be solid as Broadband and True Excelsior should kick up and Houtzen will no doubt go forward, which gives Mintha a nice run.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $26 @ Bet365
BOOM TIME (Moonee Valley Race 5 No 5)
The Lindsay Park stable scratched him from Caulfield last Saturday when we had him selected. They relied on Harlem and it won at juicy odds. He's been to this track and distance once and got the job done when beating Master Zephyr and High Church. Last start at Moonee Valley he was the beneficiary of an ordinary ride, wide, ridden up three and four deep to go forward, looped the field and then had little to offer late when fifth to Stampede. Draws the rails, gets Mark Zahra who's one from one on him and from the draw should sit on Ecuador and Spanish Reef which look the speed. Will be saving on Tavago, he went super last start.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $17 @ Bet365
RED ALTO (Caulfield Race 4 No 17)
Really hoping the emergency gets a run. In the spring of 2015 he ran fourth to Tarzino in the Victorian Derby and since has been handy without being a standout. He's performed in some good races and during that period he's won five. Last start he indicated he may be on the way back when at Flemington, after drawing wide and racing wide, ran fifth to Hardham and closed the fastest last 200m. Cool Chap beat him home half-a-length and he is a $6.50 chance. I just think he is better value. Has drawn well and can be a lot closer in the run.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $14 @ Sportsbet, CrownBet, William Hill, Unibet
ATTENTION (Caulfield Race 8 No 13)
He resumed in the Bobbie Lewis at Flemington, running fifth to Redkirk Warrior after that horse eyeballed him up the straight. Was beaten five lengths but given the circumstances that was acceptable. His two wins have been at the 1400m trip, the Baillieu at Rosehill and the Sires' in Brisbane (1350m) and in the Futurity in February over 1400m Black Heart Bart and Tosen Stardom only beat him less than a length when he ran fourth and in that race worked from the outside gate. He has drawn the rails for this, has a (3:1-1-0) second-up record and he should be able to possie up just behind Charmed Harmony and the Western Australian , Scales of Justice. I would have been all over Tosen Stardom but that barrier sixteen at this 1400m start looks a task.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $31 @ Sportsbet, William Hill
BASSETT (Caulfield Race 9 No 5)
Last time in he won the Listed Hareeba Stakes at Mornington, fifth in that race was Mick Price's Secret Agenda. That mare then came out and won the Sapphire at Randwick beating Missrock, won the Ubet Classic at Morphettville beating Viddora and I Am A Star and then ran a bottler in the Goodwood when fourth to Vega Magic. Gives Bassett some impressive references on his CV. To support his claims his first up record reads (5:3-1-1) and the track and distance form is (2:2-0-0). Provided he gets cover from barrier eight he should be competitive when it counts.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $15 @ Bet365
