Tim O’Connor has done the form for the nine races at Melton this Friday night, August 28.
Race 1:
OVERVIEW: LENARD ESS (9) is a real stable favourite of trainer Jess Tubbs and he landed a 19th career win at Melton last Friday when driven perfectly by James Herbertson. He led, handed up and then sprint-landed to a powerful victory as a short-priced favourite. He had gate one there, and while he won’t find the fence this time, he looks good enough to go close in what shapes as a very similar event. ALLHEARTNOHEIGHT (3) is flying for trainer Brett Cole and came from off speed to land his second-straight victory in slightly easier grade last Friday. He’s stepping up a shade in class here, but must be regarded as a winning chance based on his current form. Stablemate GOODTIME MAE (2) got home well from back in the field from a horror draw to finish fifth in the same race and draws to settle much closer this time, while WICHITA KANSAS (5) was a winner two starts back here at Melton and ran soundly for fourth behind LENARD ESS (9) last time. He’s some chance along with FREAK OUT (7) and WOODLEA DIEGO (4), who would need luck but are capable.
BACK: LENARD ESS (9) – 1 unit (win)
SELECTIONS: LENARD ESS (9), ALLHEARTNOHEIGHT (3), GOODTIME MAE (2), WICHITA KANSAS (5)
Race 2:
OVERVIEW: SMACK BANG BART (6) won a qualifier and final of the rich Nutrien series to start his career and then tackled the Group 1 Protostar slot race in Queensland, where he finished down the track as an $8 chance. He was beaten as a short-priced favourite by the handy Boystrous at Wagga following a month away from the races on August 19, but looks very handy and is the horse to beat in this opening heat of the Vicbred Super Series for two-year-old colts and geldings. LETITRIDELUV (3) won smartly on debut when running down a handy one in La Cantatrice and then closed well for second before a break. He’s trialled up nicely with wins at Melton and Geelong ahead of this first-up assignment and should run well. FULLY RECKLESS (2) has victories at Mildura and Wagga to his name from three career outings and also trialled nicely at Shepparton recently, while SOHO CRUZA (5), who hails from the powerful Michael Stanley stable, and ALLOA (4), who won on debut at Kilmore, should also be respected.
SELECTIONS: SMACK BANG BART (6), LETITRIDELUV (3), FULLY RECKLESS (2), SOHO CRUZA (5)
Race 3:
OVERVIEW: SOME HIGH (5) might have the gate speed and barrier draw to cross to the fence and lead this assignment, which could be the winning move. He led, handed up and just couldn’t reel in stablemate Cardigan Sniper at Melton latest, which followed a front-running win at Melton and solid third placing in the hot Rising Star feature at Ballarat. Not sure he’s a star, but he might get the right run to pinch this Vicbred heat. KINGS GALLERY (7) is a very handy customer from the Chris Svanosio stable who has backed up his four successive runner-up placings to Emma Stewart rivals with two dominant wins since returning from a break. From a better gate I’d probably have him on top, but seven makes it tricky. SOHO BELLAGIO (6) won his debut start at Menangle as a short-priced favourite by a huge 24.7m margin in impressive style and he looks well and truly above average, while the honest and experienced BAYSTYLE (3), CRIPPA (8) and first-starter KELROSE CULLEN (4) might not be major winning hopes but are others to consider for wider exotics.
SELECTIONS: SOME HIGH (5), KINGS GALLERY (7), SOHO BELLAGIO (6), BAYSTYLE (3)
Race 4:
OVERVIEW: CARDIGAN SNIPER (3) looks set to run a short-priced elect after a great start to his career which has included feature wins in the rich APG final and Youthful Stakes last time out at Melton. There, he was able to work to the front and win despite some wayward manners. You’d anticipate that he finds the top again, and from there he’s the horse to beat. LAKE COMO (4) chased him home for third in the Youthful Stakes in what was a brave effort off the pegs and his debut win from three back the fence at Maryborough was brilliant. He’s a nice type and key danger, as is CARDIGAN SNIPER’S (3) stablemate AUSTON (7), who won by panels on debut at Hobart before being run down late at Launceston. A big watch first-up in Victoria. STERLING GIGI (1) broke his maiden in good style last week at Kilmore following a nice second to the smart Kings Gallery and he can figure from the good draw.
SELECTIONS: CARDIGAN SNIPER (3), LAKE COMO (4), AUSTON (7), STERLING GIGI (1)
Race 5:
OVERVIEW: Cracking start to the Vicbred Super Series for the two-year-old fillies, with a number of horses bringing in great form. SOHO ASTER (1) won a heat of the Gold Tiara before placing second in the Group 1 final, and returned from a freshen with a narrow victory at Menangle on August 18. She has good gate speed, a pole draw and might be the horse to beat from the front. DECOUPAGE (7) also brings impressive New South Wales form to Victoria. She was second on debut in the Pink Bonnet Stakes at Menangle in May and ran a great second in the $200,000 Nutrien series final at Wagga later that month before breaking her maiden first-up last Friday at Newcastle by a whopping 18.4m. She looks a key contender, as does TEERDEE (5) who is returning from a spell. She closed her last campaign with a midfield placing (after coming from a mile back at the bell) in the Nutrien final and ran a number of good races despite tough trips before that. DREAMS FOREVER (6), who failed after a tough run as favourite on debut at Maryborough on August 3, and LA CANTATRICE (2), who was very impressive winning the Youthful Stakes at Melton on August 15, are the other fancies.
SELECTIONS: SOHO ASTER (1), DECOUPAGE (7), TEERDEE (5), LA CANTATRICE (2)
Race 6:
OVERVIEW: IDEAL FRANKIE (4) stamped herself as a star of her age group with massive 21.8m, 46.9m and 42.6m wins in her first three race starts, which included victory in the rich APG series at Melton in late June. That earned her a place in the Group 1 Protostar slot race at Albion Park, where she ultimately failed and finished towards the back of the field. She’s been freshened and looks clearly the horse to beat. SOHO SPARKLE (2) galloped out of play as favourite in a heat of the Gold Tiara on debut in March and heads here on the back of a good second placing at the Menangle trials recently, while SHES CAPTIVATING (3) won a trial at Ballarat over HEAVENLY GEM (6) on August 19 but there was no vision of that hit-out so it’s hard to weigh up the performances. CARTIMANDUA (5) wasn’t overly fancied by punters on debut at Shepparton, but ran well for third and can be included for the back end of trifectas and First 4s.
SELECTIONS: IDEAL FRANKIE (4), SOHO SPARKLE (2), SHES CAPTIVATING (3), HEAVENLY GEM (6)
Race 7:
OVERVIEW: KAHULA (1) will start a very warm favourite here for Emma Stewart and Mark Pitt from the barrier one draw. Her form lines are outstanding from four career starts, including a dominant victory in the $200,000 Nutrien series final in May and a great third, beaten just a head, in the Group 1 Protostar at Albion Park in July. Her gate speed is a little query, but she should ultimately end up in front and prove too classy. ONELOOK (2) appeared the winner of the Youthful Stakes at Melton on August 15, and despite being worn down late by La Cantatrice, it was a great effort. She’s a leading contender for second place, alongside New South Wales visitor LATHER ME UP (7), who is first-up following a closing third in the Group 1 Gold Tiara, and MY ROCKING HORSE (8), who has run two good second placings – beating home ONELOOK (2) on one occasion – to start her career.
SELECTIONS: KAHULA (1), ONELOOK (2), LATHER ME UP (7), MY ROCKING HORSE (8)
Race 8:
OVERVIEW: MAJESTIC MONARCH (8) caught the eye with a good third behind BUSLIN BRODY (5) first-up after more than a year away from the races at Kilmore on August 13, then was backed off the map before leading and turning the tables on that horse with a dominant victory at the same track last week. Harder here from the back row, but he looks very tough to hold out based off that recent effort. The old boy BUSLIN BRODY (5) is in great form and has obvious claims given he beat the on-top selection and ran well from the back of the field subsequent to that, SHAQ THE ANVIL (2) led and defeated Joe Lou in easier grade at Ballarat last week and that horse has won again since, and while STRAIGHT TO THETOP (4) was a little disappointing from behind the leader at Shepparton on Tuesday, she was only beaten by a neck to BUSLIN BRODY (5) in that recent race and had won prior to that. She looks a chance of finding the front and would be a major player if she found it.
BACK: MAJESTIC MONARCH (8) – 2 units (win)
SELECTIONS: MAJESTIC MONARCH (8), BUSLIN BRODY (5), SHAQ THE ANVIL (2), STRAIGHT TO THETOP (4)
Race 9:
OVERVIEW: SWEET FLORABEL (7) was well fancied on debut at Melton last Friday night, and while not much went right for her, she ran a cracking race for third. She galloped at the start and lost significant ground, chased hard to settle last and was forced wide down the back straight when making her run. She did a great job to only be beaten around 8m by Fantasy Flight and Sweetsugarcandyman, who have both shown good potential. Confident she gets the job done here in a very suitable maiden. DIAMOND CHIPP (2) has hit the line well in all three career starts from back in the field to be beaten less than 10m on each occasion and draws well here, SMOKEN HEAVEN (4) hasn’t beaten a runner home his past two but did manage a close-up third to Farroh Joe before that, while ROBLEN DEMON (5) produced a career-best second placing last start at Geelong but did find the pegs there and it might not be the case from gate five this time around.
BACK: SWEET FLORABEL (7) – 7 units (win)
SELECTIONS: SWEET FLORABEL (7), DIAMOND CHIPP (2), SMOKEN HEAVEN (4), ROBLEN DEMON (5)
10-UNIT GAME PLAN
R1 #9 LENARD ESS – 1 unit (win)
R8 #8 MAJESTIC MONARCH – 2 units (win)
R9 #7 SWEET FLORABEL – 7 units (win)
EARLY QUADDIE
2,3,4,5,7,9/2,3,6/5,6,7/3
QUADDIE
1,2,5,6,7/4/1/2,4,5,8
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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