OVERVIEW: Fast class pace to start AFL Grand Final night at Melton where I’m tipping FIGHTER COMMAND (8) on top from inside the back row. He was huge winning two starts back in a race six of these horses clashed in and was so brave trapped parked in a sizzling free-for-all back here at Melton won by SMOKEN ACE (9) on September 12. He did a great job to only be beaten 5.1m as a $1.55 favourite and I think he draws to trail the likely leader METEOR MOTH (1). Jason Lee has options, but if he’s leader’s back, I fancy he will be too slick in the lane. METEOR MOTH (1) is a talented pacer from the Emma Stewart stable who gets the draw to be really competitive and did a great job to only be beaten 3.7m by Catch A Wave last weekend from the chair, FORTY LOVE (5) ran a cracker from the breeze when fourth to TRIPLE EIGHT (10) before competing well through the Vicbred Super Series, while SMOKEN ACE (9) must be respected after beating six of these rivals from three back the fence here on September 12 and draws for a good trip. UBETCHA TIGERPIE (11), MY ULTIMATE BARNEY (12) and SIR JIMMY (13) are the other key runners in a tricky start to the card.

OVERVIEW: Stack of chances here but I was awfully keen MY UNCLE STAN (3) last start at Geelong and he produced a good effort to dead-heat with Blake Bolac. Before that, he ran an absolute bottler from the rear for fourth in a race a few of these contested, which followed a good second to the smart I Am The Storm. He should get to the fence here and that will make him a serious contender. LOUGLE (9) drops back from free-for-all grade where he finished just 9.2m behind Catch A Wave with limited room in the straight last weekend and his prior form is very strong, ISOLATION (5) is airborne this campaign with two dominant wins in easier grade leading into this, while WORDS (11) also ran well behind Catch A Wave last week and will be storming late if the tempo is on. JACKKA EVAN (8) has won both races since arriving from New Zealand and is a factor, while stablemate CLYMENUS (7) looks ready to win but has a horror draw for this assignment.

OVERVIEW: SOHO PIASTRI (6) produced a sizzling last half to win the Vicbred Super Series Bronze last Friday night at Melton, breaking 55sec for the final 800m while racing away to score by 15.7m. If he is able to work over and take the front off likely early leader DANCE AFFAIR (4) – a horse that usually likes to take a trail in his races – then he could prove hard to chase down. MOST EXCITING (10) won a semi-final of the Vicbred series and placed third in the Group 1 final from a good draw, has the obvious class and will likely run a deserved favourite, TO THE NINES (9) brought good form to Melton last weekend and ran really well from the breeze for third in a race five of these horses contested, while DANCE AFFAIR (4) should find the fence and did finish second in that aforementioned race behind Gunforhire with a similar trip. PICK UP ELVIS (11) and BIZZNESS CLASS (12) look the other leading contenders in a clash with lots of depth.

OVERVIEW: PLATINUM JIVE (9) won from an impossible position thanks to an incredible drive from William Pace first-up at Cranbourne on September 13 and must rate as a great chance here based off that display. He looks to draw for a nice trip off the back row and should be hard to hold out late. MONTANA PRIDE (4) settled in front of PLATINUM JIVE (9) in that aforementioned race and could only manage fourth, but I suspect there’s a chance James Herbertson presses forward for the top and he’d be hard to beat if he got there. EASTBRO KOZZY (1) won narrowly at Maryborough last time after an unlucky second at Terang behind the smart Tactically Perfect prior and is a contender from the good draw, while WILD CARD (8) won at Cranbourne last start after being grabbed late when leading at Melton by emergency SCOOTER LOU (5).

BACK: PLATINUM JIVE (9) – 2 units (win)

OVERVIEW: FREIGHT SHAKER (10) hasn’t raced in about a month after being badly dragged out of an event at Melton on August 22, and he’s actually had some excuses prior while not being beaten far by the smart Alrighty and Muskee. Before that, he was only 2.1m behind subsequent Group 1 winner Howdy Mate, and his form reads really well for a race like this. I think he will go close if the tempo is genuine. KYVALLEY MICHAEL (9) can be excused for last week’s effort when he never really got much luck out the back behind Sebastians Boy, but his effort when flashing home from the tail of the field before that was very good, KEAYANG GYPSY (3) hasn’t set the world on fire recently but does draw to press forward and perhaps find the top, while CENTURION DREAM (1) came from a mile back to win an easier race by a huge margin at Shepparton on September 15, and has the early speed and draw to settle in a prominent position on the fence. Plenty of others have a shout, including TIMMY TURTLE (8), who has trialled well for this assignment, KYVALLEY JETSTREAM (4), ARTIGAS (5) and SCAR (7).

BACK: FREIGHT SHAKER (10) – 1 unit (each-way)

OVERVIEW: MAORIS MAC (9) is the pin-up horse for the Josh Aiken stable and she steps out for her first run since a third placing behind megastar Keayang Zahara in the Group 1 Great Square at Albion Park in December. She’s only won four races but has been competing against star rivals for much of her career, and I really liked her recent trial at Shepparton when closing nicely behind top three-year-old Pastor Dunbar. She draws well and I fancy she will give this a shake. VICI BLOOM (6) has been in great form this campaign with two wins from two Melton starts and gets another good chance here. A big asset is her gate speed, and she is expected to work forward in a bid to find the top. From there, she has proven too slick in her two starts in 2026 and that might be the case again. SAM NIEN (5) produced a big turnaround in form to claim Group 1 Vicbred glory last weekend when leading, handing up and sprint-laning to victory. That will likely be the tactics again. Meanwhile, QUIRKY CHARACTER (8) looks back to somewhere near his best following two good recent runs and is another of the key chances along with RUBYS DREAM (7) and KARBINE (4).

BACK: MAORIS MAC (9) – 2 units (win)

OVERVIEW: PHOENIX REX (3) is clearly in the top few two-year-old trotters in Victoria and had his perfect record blemished when beaten in a heat of the Vicbred Super Series on September 4. That was a big surprise, but he was then scratched from the Group 1 final so not all must have been right. He’s quickly sent back to the races, and based off some of his incredible efforts prior, I’m happy in his corner. REGAL GALA (2) just keeps getting better and better as the season wears on, and finished second to the megastar Verbici in that Vicbred showdown for the boys on September 12. He has the speed to lead and allow James Herbertson to decide what he does from there. INSULATOR (4) galloped in the back straight but got back down and defeated PHOENIX REX (3) in the Vicbred qualifier and ran well from the top for fourth in the final, while KYVALLEY DIXON (6) heads here after claiming the Group 1 Vicbred showdown for two-year-old trotting girls and is certainly a factor.

OVERVIEW: SOHO TRUMP (1) missed a spot in the Vicbred Super Series final for three-year-old colts and geldings, but produced a devastating display from the front to win the consolation at Melton last Friday. He led, dictated terms and raced clear to score by 9.5m in fast time. He looks the leader again, and from there he will be awfully hard to run down. BROOKLYN DAN (7) is the key danger despite being first-up and drawn wide on the front row. He’s a very talented pacer from the Emma Stewart yard who won a heat of the Queensland Derby and finished fifth in the Group 1 final before a spell. His trial recently at Melton was electric and he’s certainly good enough to win. ZANDA MAN (4) produced a massive run from the chair to wear down SOHO WASHINGTON (3) last Friday at Melton and he’s a really nice type for the Barker family, while fellow Stewart runner DYNAMITEDAN (6), Stanley’s SOHO WASHINGTON (3) and ATUA MAGIC (2) are probably the others to factor in for the minor end of trifectas and First 4s.

OVERVIEW: WILLOWS GIRL (6) is a short-priced favourite in the Gold Chalice for three-year-old fillies, and while I can understand why, I do think she has a genuine contest on her hands. She chased home stablemate Brooklyn Dan in a slick last half for second at the Melton trials recently and heads here first-up following a runner-up placing from the chair in the rich Nutrien series final back on May 30. Look, she’s perhaps the most likely winner, but I can’t take her at the price from the wide gate. KEAYANG PASSION (5) and SWEET IRISH LOCH (3) performed really well through the recent Vicbred Super Series – finishing third and fourth respectively in the Group 1 final last time out – and can certainly make it tough for the favourite. I’ll just lean the way of the former, but there’s not really much splitting them. TACTICALLY PERFECT (2) is a lightly-raced stablemate of KEAYANG PASSION (5) who returned from a break with an easy win on the home track at Terang in a significantly easier race than this. There’s no denying her ability and she has plenty of scope for improvement after just four career starts. SOHO AMARYLLIS (1) was a good winner from the breeze last Friday night and wouldn’t shock for the back end of trifectas and First 4s.

OVERVIEW: LOVEMETO (6) is one of the country’s top trotters and presents for a first-up assignment in the small field. Last preparation, he won a heat of the Inter Dominion series in Queensland and then ran midfield behind Gus in the Group 1 final. He’s a proven winner at FFA level and heads here after three trials, including one against the pacers and another where he beat last weekend’s free-for-all victor Rockinwithattitude. Clearly on top. IMPERIAL MONARCH (2) is a very handy squaregaiter from the powerhouse Lee yard who also returns from a break. He won an easy trial at Terang on September 8 and should be able to get to the fence. Danger at his best. HOPPY (1) returned from a little freshen with a good second to Rockinwithattitude last weekend and is probably the only other winning hope, while FOUROUTOFFIVE (5) had no luck when parked in that same race but was a very good winner from the breeze in easier grade prior to that.

BACK: LOVEMETO (6) – 4 units (win)

10-UNIT GAME PLAN

R4 #9 PLATINUM JIVE – 2 units (win)

R5 #10 FREIGHT SHAKER – 1 unit (each-way)

R6 #9 MAORIS MAC – 2 units (win)

R10 #6 LOVEMETO – 4 units (win)

EARLY QUADDIE

1,5,8,9/3,5,7,8,9,11/6,9,10/1,4,9

QUADDIE

1,3,8,9,10/5,6,8,9/2,3/1,7