Tim O’Connor takes a look at the 10 Vicbred Super Series finals at Melton Entertainment Park this Saturday night.
RACE 1 (6.07pm)
3YO COLTS AND GELDINGS
$100k, GROUP 2
Favourite: Captain Perfect
Semi-final winners: New Shuffle and Captain Perfect
1 – Golden Tribe
8 – Sao Paulo Simba
9 – Captain Perfect
10 – Storms Collide
Final word: A cracking way to start the meeting, with an intriguing battle between the three-year-old pacing boys. Almost all of these horses could win with the right luck in transit, but bargain buy Golden Tribe strikes the right barrier draw at the right time and looks a great chance from the pole. He ran the slickest last half of his semi-final last weekend off the fence and has the gate speed to lead and dictate this final. Very happy his way.
BACK: 1 Golden Tribe – 1.5 units (each-way)
RACE 2 (6.32pm)
2YO COLTS & GELDINGS
$100k, GROUP 2
Favourite: Soho Trump
Semi-final winners: Moonlight Moth and Soho Charmer
5 – Soho Trump
1 – Soho Park Avenue
9 – Soho Charmer
3 – Le Cardinal
Final word: The Michael Stanley stable is represented by three key chances in this juvenile showdown, with Soho Park Avenue drawing the pole, fast beginner Soho Trump to his outside in five and Soho Charmer off the back row. Trump ripped out a slashing 53.69sec last half when winning his heat and then ran incredible lead time before fading late into fourth during last weekend’s semi-final. It was a great effort, and he maps to find the top here, so appears very hard to beat. If the tempo is on, look out for semi winners Moonlight Moth and Soho Charmer, as well as the talented Le Cardinal, who hasn’t had much luck this series.
BACK: 5 Soho Trump – 2 units (win)
RACE 3 (7pm)
2YO TROTTING COLTS & GELDINGS
$60k, GROUP 1
Favourite: Keayang Bazlenka
Heat winners: Notanotha Naughty and Howdy Mate
9 – Keayang Bazlenka
3 – The Preacher
4 – Munny The Munster
11 – Howdy Mate
Final word: A juvenile trotting contest with a host of winning chances, headlined by Redwood Classic champ Notanotha Naughty and fellow heat victor Howdy Mate, as well as the smart Keayang Bazlenka. Munny The Munster, Timmy Whiz and The Preacher were all eye-catchers in their qualifiers last week and must be respected from front row draws in a wide-open Group 1 where not much would surprise.
BACK: 3 The Preacher and 4 Munny The Munster – 0.5 unit (each-way)
RACE 4 (7.38pm)
3YO TROTTING COLTS & GELDINGS
$60k, GROUP 1
Favourite: Mecarno
Heat winners: Mecarno and Commodus
13 – Mecarno
8 – Enchauffour
11 – Commodus
6 – Tenasea Whiskey
Final word: The exciting Mecarno provided veteran driver Michael Bellman with his first Group 1 when he death-seated to victory in the Victoria Trotters Derby earlier this month, and he backed up that performance with an incredible heat win last week after galloping at the start and drifting back to last. I’m convinced he’s the best horse here, but must overcome the wide back row draw to score. Commodus is a Group 1 winner himself and the other leading hope alongside the improving Enchauffour, who was held up on the fence and charged into second behind that aforementioned rival last week.
BACK: 13 Mecarno – 2 units (win)
RACE 5 (8.15pm)
2YO FILLIES
$100k, GROUP 2
Favourite: Pre Eminant
Semi-final winners: Arrhythmia and Star To Fall
3 – Pre Eminant
8 – Arrhythmia
9 – Star To Fall
6 – Sweet Irish Loch
Final word: Emma Stewart dominates the market for this final, with Pre Eminant favourite given her barrier three draw over unbeaten stablemate Arrhythmia, who easily handled her in the semi-final but will start from inside the second row. Star To Fall won her heat and semi-final in impressive fashion and looks a major player from nine, while Fiction File and Sweet Irish Loch closed off impressively last weekend and can figure at big odds if the tempo is genuine.
RACE 6 (8.44pm)
3YO FILLIES
$100k, GROUP 2
Favourite: Soho Americano
Semi-final winners: Surfe La Mer and Beach Diamond
3 – Soho Americano
10 – Beach Diamond
1 – Tivoli
2 – Lets Go Lorna
Final word: Looks a genuine race in two here between sparring partners Soho Americano and Beach Diamond. The two have clashed three times here in Victoria during recent weeks, with the horse who has led and found the fence proving victorious on each occasion. The barrier three draw suggests that will be Soho Americano on Saturday night, with Beach Diamond needing to produce something special from the back row.
RACE 7 (9.22pm)
4YO TROTTING MARES
$60k, GROUP 1
Favourite: Keayang Zahara
Heat winners: Keayang Zahara and Pinnie
11 – Keayang Zahara
3 – Pinnie
9 – Keayang Lavita
10 – Maoris Mac
Final word: Keayang Zahara is shaping as an all-time trotting great, with her record currently standing at 19 starts for 18 wins. Only a mistake or bad luck would see her beaten in this Group 1 contest, with stablemate Keayang Lavita, likely early leader Pinnie, and in-form pair Maoris Mac and Mega Spur those likely to fill the First 4 positions.
RACE 8 (9.50pm)
3YO TROTTING FILLIES
$60k, GROUP 1
Favourite: I Am Wilma
Heat winners: Skybella, I Am Wilma and Iron Women
1 – Iron Women
8 – Keayang Kurki
9 – I Am Wilma
3 – Skybella
Final word: One of the night’s most wide-open finals, with at least five strong winning hopes. The heats saw Skybella produce a great run to upset Keayang Kurki, I Am Wilma lead and dictate and Iron Women sit parked for much of the last lap to beat Sky Flair in a tight finish. Iron Women has drawn the coveted pole, and for that reason she goes on top in an intriguing finale to the Quaddie, where a ticket with the field wouldn’t be the silliest idea.
RACE 9 (10.27pm)
4YO TROTTING ENTIRES & GELDINGS
$60k, GROUP 1
Favourite: Hilltop Hugh
Heat winners: Mister Blindside and Hilltop Hugh
9 – Heza Gun
2 – Hilltop Hugh
7 – Mister Blindside
3 – Locksley Cavalier
Final word: Hilltop Hugh and Mister Blindside top the market after heat wins at Kilmore last week, but it is a race where many connections will feel like they have a shot a Group 1 success with the right run. A case can be made for a host of others including Heza Gun and Ringer Wells, and also roughies Valtino, Thunda Struck, Locksley Cavalier and even Maximez, who was great from the back of the field in his qualifier.
RACE 10 (10.54pm)
2YO TROTTING FILLIES
$60k, GROUP 1
Favourite: Jilliby Aura
Heat winners: Jilliby Aura and Gladiatrix
7 – Aldebaran Ada
10 – Gladiatrix
8 – Jilliby Aura
13 – Ijustcantseeit
Final word: Aldebaran Ada looked a genuine hope in the Redwood Classic against the boys earlier this month, and while she ultimately finished fourth, it was still a good run in defeat. She settled three fence and charged through the line in her heat of this series behind Jilliby Aura last week and I fancy Taylor Youl gets a great chance of a maiden Group 1 triumph here. So too does New South Wales driver Lleyton Green with Gladiatrix, who sat parked and prevailed in the night’s other heat. Jilliby Aura is a clear chance with luck from inside the back row, while Ijustcantseeit might be best of those at double-figure odds.
BACK: 7 Aldebaran Ada – 1 unit (win)
QUADDIE
3, 8, 9, 6
3
11
1, 8, 9, 3
For all your harness form in one place go to goodform.thetrots.com.au
** A betting unit is typically a percentage of the total bankroll or the amount of money you are willing to risk on a particular bet – for example 1 unit is 10% of your bankroll, therefore with a $100 bankroll 1 unit equals $10.
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