Tim O’Connor provides his thoughts on a rare Friday afternoon meeting at Melton Entertainment Park.
Race 1:
OVERVIEW: TEERDEE (6) has perhaps shown the most promise to date of these two-year-olds and looks ready to break through for her maiden win. She produced a big run on debut from back in the field for third and then sat parked for over a lap last Friday at Geelong and only went down narrowly in second. The small field suits and she can prevail at the third time of asking. WESTERIA (3) has hit the line nicely for runner-up placings in both career appearances to date, LA CANTATRICE (4) made the Group 1 Gold Tiara Final recently and might have the gate speed to lead this, while RUBYS REASON (1) closed off nicely from well back in the field on debut at Ararat and could be a sharp improver drawn the pole.
BACK: TEERDEE (6) – 2 units (win)
SELECTIONS: TEERDEE (6), WESTERIA (3), LA CANTATRICE (4), RUBYS REASON (1)
Race 2:
OVERVIEW: AVEIRO (8) is a 10-year-old veteran, but is racing as well as ever with two wins in his past four starts and looks a good chance here in the small field. Two runs ago, he broke early, settled three back the fence and sprinted strongly to score. Last time out, he beat home WOODLEA DIEGO (1) and TED BEAR (4), and should get another soft peg-line run as the sole horse on the back row. WOODLEA DIEGO (1) was a good winner on April 24 from three back the fence and looks a good chance of holding the front here, OUR TRUE COLOURS (3) races consistently in this type of grade and there’s a big watch on REALLY REALLY (7), who showed plenty at the trials last preparation but was unable to replicate it at the races.
BACK: AVEIRO (8) – 2 units (each-way)
SELECTIONS: AVEIRO (8), WOODLEA DIEGO (1), OUR TRUE COLOURS (3), REALLY REALLY (7)
Race 3:
OVERVIEW: Extremely difficult 0-37 event here with very little form to get excited about, but ATOMIC GLORY (5) and TOPZAVSKI (3) look to be the two most likely to break through. ATOMIC GLORY (5) hasn’t been beaten far his last couple, including a close-up second to Kimchi at Ballarat on April 30 that reads well for this. He is marginally favoured over TOPZAVSKI (3), who ran well when second at Albury on May 1 and started a well-supported favourite when leading and finishing third at Kilmore in early April. VERY TEMPTING (1) has the good draw and should run well from there, while STELLAR QUEEN (4) might be next best.
SELECTIONS: ATOMIC GLORY (5), TOPZAVSKI (3), VERY TEMPTING (1), STELLAR QUEEN (4)
Race 4:
OVERVIEW: MIDNITE DESIRE (5) was an eye-catching third in a race four of these horses contested at Kilmore last week, with that run following some really strong form in this type of grade. While he has good gate speed, I’m not sure he will be able to lead this race but still goes on top in a very even affair. SHIRALEE (9) has started favourite or right in the market in her last seven starts and might get a nice trail in the running line, FREAK OUT (2) sat parked and was a brave runner-up in that aforementioned Kilmore race so must be a great hope, and NORTHERN TERROR (10) will be closing hard and is among the other chances.
SELECTIONS: MIDNITE DESIRE (5), SHIRALEE (9), FREAK OUT (2), NORTHERN TERROR (10)
Race 5:
OVERVIEW: Intriguing three-year-old maiden where you can make a good case for five or six of these, including SWAYWITHSIERRA (3) for trainer Shane Hoban. She showed speed and couldn’t cross first-up from a spell at Charlton, but did a good job to only be beaten 6.9m from the chair. She had form around some handy types in her two-year-old season, and from the front she’d be very hard to beat here. BIG CAT ORO (10) looks a nice type from the Courtney Slater yard and makes his debut on the back of a couple of solid trials at Geelong and Bacchus Marsh, JANSEN (8) is going well and just got past SWAYWITHSIERRA (3) late at Charlton, while ARZALI ROCKSTAR (1) has ability and draws to run a forward race.
SELECTIONS: SWAYWITHSIERRA (3), BIG CAT ORO (10), JANSEN (8), ARZALI ROCKSTAR (1)
Race 6:
OVERVIEW: Not much between a few of the class runners here, but ZENARIO (10) looks ready to break through for his first victory this campaign after three very good placings. Last time, he worked hard to find the front and never really got a breather, but kicked for home and was only grabbed late by the handy Perun and Kosimo. It’s hard to see him not going very close. The grey FRUGAL FARE (9) beat ZENARIO (10) over the line when a relegated third back on April 10 and ran out of room at a crucial stage last start when only beaten 3.3m to Zanda Man. He’s a handy horse and should be fighting out the finish. SERGEANT LOU (5) might be able to find the front here and could give a real sight if that was the case, while ODIN (8) is the other class runner of the field and just needs even luck to be right in this.
SELECTIONS: ZENARIO (10), FRUGAL FARE (9), SERGEANT LOU (5), ODIN (8)
Race 7:
OVERVIEW: MUFASA BART (7) has had just the one race start since June 2025, but has trialled up nicely for his return here and looks in good enough form to score first-up from a wide gate. He won a trial at Terang on April 21 and then ran a handy second to an Emma Stewart rival at Melton a week later. This isn’t a strong race and he’s happily on top. ALLGOOD VINNIE (11) has smashed the line his past two starts driven cold and will be right in this, ALCATRAZ GIRL (2) looks the early leader from gate two and did go all the way from the front at Bendigo on April 22, while HOME AND DRY (4) gets the services of James Herbertson and is very competitive in this grade.
SELECTIONS: MUFASA BART (7), ALLGOOD VINNIE (11), ALCATRAZ GIRL (2), HOME AND DRY (4)
Race 8:
OVERVIEW: BOULEVARD BART (6) has won three trials impressively ahead of his first-up run for Courtney Barton and he looks to be set for a very good campaign. Two trials back, he led and sprinted home in a 56.4 last half to beat a handy field of rivals including Romeo, who came out and won in grand style at Geelong last week. The gate is sticky, but I expect young Jack Barton to drive him confidently and take plenty of beating. SHAZZA LOVE (8) rattled home for second two starts ago then led and bolted in at Charlton last week, PRICILLA (4) has been very game in all runs since a maiden win, while the consistent BREATHE EASY (5) went awfully close to breaking his run of seconds at Geelong last Friday and must be regarded as a chance here again.
BACK: BOULEVARD BART (6) – 4 units (win)
SELECTIONS: BOULEVARD BART (6), SHAZZA LOVE (8), PRICILLA (4), BREATHE EASY (5)
10-UNIT GAME PLAN
R1 #6 TEERDEE – 2 units (win)
R2 #8 AVEIRO – 2 units (each-way)
R8 #6 BOULEVARD BART – 4 units (win)
EARLY QUADDIE
3,4,6/1,3,7,8/1,3,4,5/1,2,5,9,10
QUADDIE
1,3,7,8,10/5,8,9,10/2,4,7,11/6,8
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 a $100 bankroll 1 unit equals $10
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