Great weekend for a bet and I'm bookending with a couple of Robert Smerdon-trained runners, one in the opener at the Valley on Friday night and the other in the last at Caulfield on Saturday.
EXPERIMENTATION (Moonee Valley, Friday night Race 1 No.7)
The form out of his debut performance, when beaten on the line at Seymour has been only moderate however at his second start this bloke led throughout and won with ease on the Pakenham synthetic when out to 1200m. Looks a nice type and obviously derived great benefit from his first-start experience. Drawn well and expecting he'll be either leading or sitting on the leader. Sure he's up in grade and has to take synthetic form to turf but I'm comfortable enough to have a decent bet to kick of a big weekend.
BET: WIN
ODDS: $4.20 @ Sportsbet ($4.80 Power Play)
SUPER TOO (Moonee Valley, Friday night Race 4 No.6)
She's only short in the market but I'm happy to take the odds and load up. Super Too is a flying machine and draws barrier one so watch her go! At Randwick last time out she led them a merry dance in breaking a seven-year track record clocking 55.72 seconds for the 1000m. She has also raced well in Melbourne previously, although that has been down the straight at Flemington but she's got so much natural speed I doubt they can catch her around the Valley and the 955m record could well be under siege.
BET: WIN
ODDS $3 @ Luxbet
IN HER TIME (Randwick, Race 6 No.10)
Top class mare who took her game to another level when last in training and her trials this time in would suggest she's ready to go to an even higher level again. Had her ears pricked, looking around when an easy trail winner at Rosehill recently and although she did beat nothing it's the manner in which she went about business which impressed me. Chautauqua is favourite but his Grand Final is a few weeks away yet and this mare is primed to go now with the eye on a possible inclusion in The Everest. Drawn the inside gate and she'll be there for a long way.
BET: WIN:
ODDS: $6 @ Centrebet
SNITZSON (Randwick, Race 7 No.13)
I'm having a wide throw here at a horse I've got a lot of time for and reckon, at the odds, we'll be getting a great run for our money. He's now had three runs back from a spell and is looking for the 1600m and with 50.5kg is not going to know himself. When last in work looked unlucky when third in the Australian Guineas at his only start at 1600m and has been racing like he wants that distance here. His Australian Guineas run was the sixth in that preparation and I reckon the further he gets into a preparation the better he gets. A worthy gamble.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS: $41 @ William Hill ($61 Price Pump)
ABILITY (Caulfield Sunday, Race 9 No.2)
The stable thought enough of him to pay up for Friday night's Moir Stakes at the Valley where he missed a run as an emergency but that's a good enough pointer for this. Since being gelded he's four-from-four and just looks better every time he goes around. Drawn the car park but he's going to get back anyway and there's sure to be plenty of speed on so look for Dwayne Dunn to wind him up late. Reckon we close off the massive weekend of the punt in a big way with a decent bet.
BET: WIN
ODDS: $5.50 @ Sportsbet ($6.50 Power Play), William Hill ($6.50 Price Pump), Ladbrokes ($6.50 Odds Boost)
