TAKING AIM (Flemington Race 2 No 1)
This China Horse Club colt finished really well last time behind the smart Catchy and is crying out for 1400m which is what he gets here. Was really taken with his run in the Group I JJ Atkins in Brisbane where he was wide all the way but just kept toughing it out and finished only a length off the winner. Dunno if you’ve heard of him but a bloke called Hugh Bowman rides, and he knows him back to front, having ridden him in six of his nine starts. Has been consistently running in tougher races than he confronts here. Class factor will kick in.
BET: WIN
ODDS $5.50 @ Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Crownbet, Bet365, William Hill
SUNQUEST (Flemington Race 3 No 4)
No idea how this bloke is still a maiden – perhaps it’s the fact that his get-back pattern with a big booming finish often seems to work against him. Also reckon he’s mostly been running in races short of his preferred distance. Has never been up to 1800m but gets it here and it looks like he will absolutely eat it up. Finished just behind Cliff’s Edge last time over 1600m yet that horse is shorter in the market here and I know which one I want to be on with the extra 200m. The big track at Flemington is another bonus. Expect him to get a nice run with cover in transit from a mid-barrier and be exceptionally strong on the line. Each-way all day.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $9 @ Sportsbet, Crownbet
LAND OF PLENTY (Flemington Race 4 No 8)
Wow, wow, wow. Was an absolutely enormous run in the Group I Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes after being so wide for most of the race he was almost in the carpark. Back in the field with no cover and chasing a frantic speed, he had every reason to hoist the white flag and drop out and run last. Not to mention he got run off the Caulfield track on the home turn. The form guide shows he ran eighth but forget his finishing position, as for him to only be beaten three lengths was an enormous performance. Prior to that he was only beaten a tad more than three lengths by The Everest contender and Newmarket winner Redkirk Warrior. Dwayne Dunn takes over from Linda Meech here and Land Of Plenty has drawn barrier one to ensure he gets a soft run. Hot competition obviously in the form of Speith and Silent Sedition, but both have drawn wide, and I’m in love with the double figure odds we are getting on Land Of Plenty. He’s $11 but I want to use the odds boost to make our collect even sweeter.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $15 @ Ladbrokes (odds boost)
LEATHER’N’LACE (Flemington Race 6 No 4)
Superbly-bred Thousand Guineas hopeful that has won her last three in emphatic style and meets some similar opposition here to when she romped in at Caulfield last time. Some punters will query her at 1600m but she looked as strong as anything on the line last time so I don’t see any reason to doubt her. Have some big question marks on others in the betting in this race including one-time Oaks favourite Anchor Bid who just looks to be battling to me. Yes the blinkers going on will help but she’s in nothing like the form of Leather’n’lace. There will be plenty who look outside the obvious in this race, and there is every chance we could get better odds on the day, but if you don’t think the mile pulls her up (which I don’t) then you’ve simply got to be in her corner.
BET: WIN
ODDS $3.50 @ Ladbrokes (odds boost)
ELLICAZOOM (Flemington Race 8 No 10)
Some were saying the Perth visitor produced just an average first-up run at Caulfield but I disagree, I reckon she was pretty good. Was wide with no cover for most of the trip yet still kept kicking at the end when her condition probably gave out a little bit. If you swap the runs of Ellicazoom and Prompt Response last time I reckon Ellicazoom beats her home, yet Prompt Response is several points shorter in the betting here. Also reckon Ellicazoom generally performs better second-up – and there’s no doubt in my mind she is best at 1400m which she gets in this race. Hasn’t drawn closer than barrier seven in her last five race starts but gets the cushy inside barrier here. Makes for great each-way appeal and I’d be surprised if she’s not fighting out the finish.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $12 @ Bet365
