Jason Bonnington, Brittany Graham, Gareth Hall and Dan Mielicki will all be on track at Tabcorp Park Melton to bring the Vicbred Super Series night to life and they'll also try and help us turn a profit on the punt.
All four have detailed $200 game plans for this evening's meeting, which features an amazing 12 Group 1 events.
JASON BONNINGTON
BEST BET ($50 win)
RACE 7 No.5 BONDI LOCKDOWN
After what he did last week, I’m staggered we can still get black-and-white figures tonight about this standardbred battering ram. Despite all the conjecture, this guy is almost certain to lead and has never been beaten in front. He’s also in career-best form and should dominate proceedings. At the time of writing, $2.15 was available. Take it now to avoid painful, ongoing regret.
BEST VALUE ($30 WIN)
RACE 8 No.8 HEZA SON OF AGUN
The draw is a burden for this fellow, but with any fortune he would have finished second to the marauding Catch A Wave in this year’s Breeders Crown Final and with any manners he would have won his semi-final of this series comfortably. If they run a reasonable lead time and Solesseo Matuca doesn’t get things all his own way, our bloke will swamp them in the lane.
BEST ROUGHIE ($5 WIN & $15 PLACE)
RACE 3 No.8 BACARDI BARMAID
She’s tackling some headline acts, but this NSW invader went huge at her first Victorian outing. She will need luck, but having Greg Sugars aboard should take care of that and she’s the wildest overs all night.
EARLY QUADDIE
7,8/9,11,13/1,4,8/1,2 $50 for 138.88%
There’s nothing overly fancy about this combination, but it should still yield a profit. Ideally, we want either Maajida or Parisian Artiste to prevail and I have them both on top. And in a perfect world, Bacardi Barmaid would send us into the stratosphere.
QUADDIE
1,5,11/9/5/6,8 $18 for 300% and 1,5,11/9/1,5,11/2,4,5,6,8,11,12 $32 for 50.79%
The first two legs of tonight’s Quaddie are fairly fundamental and then life gets a little tricky. Ideally, Bondi Lockdown will salute and from there we will check the approximates to know whether the primary combination or the latter one looks more appealing.
BRITTANY GRAHAM
BEST BET ($50 WIN)
RACE 5 No.1 AMORE VITA
On a night when the likes of Ladies In Red, Honolua Bay and Plymouth Chubb could be an easy way to make interest on an investment, I’ve tried to find more value. I loved the way Amore Vita swept the heat and semi-final of this series. Despite having good gate speed, her recent pattern has been to take a trail. However, her first start in Australia suggested she also goes all right in front.
BEST VALUE ($25 EACH-WAY)
RACE 4 No.9 WHOS THE MAN
I have a soft spot for Whos The Man. I give him a sneaky chance and believe he represents good value. The two main players in Aldebaran Zeus and Parisian Artiste have been fortuitous in securing barriers one and two respectively. The latter is flying and should he be waved on to the front, I believe it’s game over. If Aldebaran Zeus is in front, I see the pressure and tempo solid. And with Whos The Man sitting just in behind, he is the danger.
BEST ROUGHIE ($10 EACH-WAY)
RACE 3 No.8 BACARDI BARMAID
Had a flashing light on her after a heat performance when an eye-catching third. She knuckled down in the straight and didn’t have a lot of room in behind Ofortuna and Pink Galahs. If the top horses in betting go to war, she will be the fresh trotter tucked away and ready to pounce.
EARLY QUADDIE
2,6,7,8/9,11,13/1,4,8/1,2,9 $40 for 37.03%
I’ve found the early races to be a real headache. Doubt has crept in over a few of the favourites, leaving me with little confidence. I have thrown in a few at a price who could sneak through and provide some big value.
QUADDIE
1,5,11/9/1,3,5,11/2,6,8 $40 for 111.11%
Ladies In Red is our lock in the main Quaddie and I’ll take her one-out despite the barrier draw advantage to Joanna. Despite Amore Vita being my best of the night, it would be silly to leave out the Stewart juggernaut, so I have thrown in Fiamma and Encipher. The two and three-year-old pacing boys’ battles have many chances and I’ve included a few.
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GARETH HALL
BEST BET ($100 TRIFECTA)
RACE 6 1,9/1,9/8 $100 for 5000%
Loved watching the fillies this season and Ladies In Red continues to do the impossible, but once again she will have to deliver a special performance to win. Joanna will lead and despite being beaten by Ladies In Red in the semi, I still give her a big chance in what will be an amazing battle. Treachery has a lovely draw to follow Joanna throughout.
BEST VALUE ($10 WIN)
RACE 3 No.1 ILLAWONG STARDUST
Illawong Stardust was impressive in the Inter Dominion series and tonight she has the draw to lead and give her rivals something to catch. I respect Im Ready Jet, but I don’t think she was at her best last start despite winning.
BEST ROUGHIE ($10 PLACE)
RACE 11 No.12 MEADOW VALLEY STAR
He’s still learning the caper, but I think he’s a great chance to run into the placings despite the draw. And most importantly, so does his driver Anthony Butt.
EARLY QUADDIE
7,8/11,13/1,4/1,2 $40 for 250%
Great battles in the early Quaddie – Maajida v Spellbound, Im Ready Jet v Illawong Stardust and Aldebaran Zeus v Parisian Artiste. I’m taking on Cover Of Darkness in race two.
QUADDIE
1,5,6,11/1,9/1,3,5,11/4,5,6,8 $40 for 31.24%
So many chances in three of the four legs and those finals will be fascinating to watch. Ladies In Red and Joanna should battle out the second leg.
DAN MIELICKI
BEST BET ($100 WIN)
RACE 4 No.1 AMORE VITA
Improving filly who couldn’t have been more impressive in her semi-final victory last week. She could be tested early because there are a few fast beginners on the front line, but she is not a one-trick pony and has proven she is also a very good chaser. I think she will continue to get better and is my standout on a classic night of harness racing action.
BEST VALUE ($50 WIN)
RACE 3 No.1 ILLAWONG STARDUST
She finally has a good barrier draw and can camp on the likely leader and favourite Im Ready Jet, or the master Brian Gath might chance his arm to go for an all-the-way win. Either way, I think she is a good play.
BEST ROUGHIE ($4 WIN x $10 PLACE)
RACE 12 No.12 ALDEBARAN MISTY
Continues to race well from poor barrier draws and once again she hasn’t had any fortune with a wide, back-line gate. If any of the favourite runners make mistakes or endure bad luck, she might be able to get into the placings at big odds.
EARLY QUADDIE
7,8/11,13/1,4/1,2 $12 for 75%
Spellbound has the advantage on Maajida by way of barrier draws, but realistically there is very little between them in the opening race. Again, the semi-final winners are the main two chances in the second event, while I thought there were two winning hopes in leg three with Pink Galahs now out. Aldebaran Zeus looks the one to beat in leg four and Parisian Artiste is the biggest threat.
QUADDIE
1/9/1,3,5,11/6,8,12 $24 for 200%
There doesn’t look to be a lot of value in the main Quaddie, but I think anchoring Amore Vita and Ladies In Red in the first two legs can turn it into a double. Then we try for a value split in one of the final two legs.