Tim O’Connor has done the form for the meeting at Melton on Saturday, November 7.
Race 1:
OVERVIEW: LOUGLE (10) is yet to win this campaign, but strikes a very suitable assignment in the first race at Melton where he is a clear ratings topper at NR80. Now back in the care of Gerard Jamieson after a short stint with Stephen Clarke, the five-year-old heads here after a very good effort for second in last Friday’s Swan Hill Pacing Cup where he started second favourite behind The Final Dance. He raced off the fence in the chair for much of the event but still managed to fight on and only be beaten 7.6m. Hard to see him not going close. I’m a big fan of THUNDERFIRE (8), who needs to be forgiven for a plain effort last time when he was caught outside the leader. His prior form is very, very good with unsuitable trips and he just needs the right run in transit to figure. VIVID DREAM (9) is a talented pacer on the rise for Dean Braun who looked the winner in a race on Victoria Cup night before being grabbed late by the handy Hitch To His Star, while PLATINUM JIVE (1) draws for a lovely trip on the fence and started the campaign with an exceptional win from the rear at Cranbourne.
BACK: LOUGLE (10) – 3 units (win)
SELECTIONS: LOUGLE (10), THUNDERFIRE (8), VIVID DREAM (9), PLATINUM JIVE (1)
Race 2:
OVERVIEW: Free for all pacing contest where Andy Gath holds a strong hand with stablemates MY ULTIMATE BARNEY (3) and YAMBUKIAN (2), with preference given to the former who perhaps will be able to glide to the front over the short trip. Last time, he led and bolted in a very suitable race as a short-priced favourite, which followed a fourth placing in a heat of the SA Cup. He’s a good horse on his day, and from the front he’d be hard to catch. YAMBUKIAN (2) ran okay from back in the field on Victoria Cup night in what was his first race in well over a year. If he can get to the fence, he will be hard to beat as he’s a multiple winner at FFA level here at Melton. Trainer Scott Ewen returns to the sulky behind BULLETPROOF BOY (7) with the absence of James Herbertson, who tried an early move last weekend in a bid to find the front that proved unsuccessful. Despite being caught parked, the old boy ran well for third behind Ghost Of Time and he’s certainly a major hope despite the wide gate. NEW SHUFFLE (8) is an emerging pacer who had the race run to suit last time but couldn’t get past the airborne Fairplay. He has performed very well all campaign and is another that could win without surprising, as could FOX DAN (5) after his Vicbred Super Series triumph and brave second to Storms Collide in track record time at Swan Hill last Friday. Intriguing race!
SELECTIONS: MY ULTIMATE BARNEY (3), YAMBUKIAN (2), BULLETPROOF BOY (7), NEW SHUFFLE (8)
Race 3:
OVERVIEW: Wide-open clash between the trotters over the sprint trip where CENTURION DREAM (2) narrowly gets the nod from gate two. She led and was run down by CHARLESTON AVENUE (7) two starts back at Cranbourne over the middle trip and then made a break late in a race at Maryborough on Sunday that a few of these contested. She did a great job to get back down and finish just 15.8m from the winner, who was CHARLESTON AVENUE (7) again. If she can find the fence, expect her to go close. The flying CHARLESTON AVENUE (7) can certainly win, but it does look harder over the 1720m trip from wide on the front line, TIMMY TURTLE (5) was able to power forward, lead and bolt in last time over this trip and will likely try for the same result, while FREIGHT SHAKER (10) made an early gallop and ran into late trouble last time, but won and placed twice before that in good races at Melton and Geelong. He’s a contender from wide on the back line.
SELECTIONS: CENTURION DREAM (2), TIMMY TURTLE (5), CHARLESTON AVENUE (7), FREIGHT SHAKER (10)
Race 4:
OVERVIEW: BETTORLEFTALONE (6) was beaten as a short-priced favourite on debut for new trainer Alex Ashwood last time at Kilmore by stablemate REFUSAL (8) but looks well placed to turn the tables here. BETTORLEFTALONE (6) was caught parked in that assignment and was only grabbed late by a horse with the perfect run, with his prior Victorian form for trainer Jason Grimson being a narrow defeat at Geelong, a good fourth in a heat of the Victoria Derby and then a down-the-track finish in the Group 1 final. He looks the class runner in this 58-66 clash. WHERE IS WOODY (1) had a horror gate but hit the line nicely from last first-up for the Andy Gath stable at Melton last weekend and can improve sharply from gate one, SHAZZA LOVE (3) has been well beaten her past few but looks a chance of finding the early lead and can be a contender from the pegs, while MY MATE ACE (2) has won all three starts this campaign and is a pacer on the rise.
BACK: BETTORLEFTALONE (6) – 3 units (win)
SELECTIONS: BETTORLEFTALONE (6), WHERE IS WOODY (1), SHAZZA LOVE (3), MY MATE ACE (2)
Race 5:
OVERVIEW: ALDEBARAN SUE (7) has run a couple of really nice races leading into this assignment, including last weekend when she chased home the smart Keayang Kurki in the Matchmaker Mile at Maryborough to only be beaten 9.4m into fourth. Before that, she was held up at the rear of the field then charged late for third behind Majestic Tooth and presents here with a great chance in what is another race with plenty of contenders. They include KENNYS SON (9), who made it back-to-back victories when taking out the Greg Sugars Memorial at Maryborough on Sunday, TICTOK (4), who seems to be right in the zone at the moment and made up stacks of ground for third in another race at Maryborough, and EL TORNADO (2), who broke late on Sunday when well fancied in the race won by KENNYS SON (9). A return to prior form has him as a leading hope.
BACK: ALDEBARAN SUE (7) – 1 unit (each-way)
SELECTIONS: ALDEBARAN SUE (7), KENNYS SON (9), TICTOK (4), EL TORNADO (2)
Race 6:
OVERVIEW: MY LITTLE BO (7) presents third-up into the campaign in a race for horses rated no higher than 80 who have not won any race with advertised stakemoney of $15,000 or more in the last six months. First-up, she attempted to lead but was held out and did well to close off again for fourth behind Jaccka Evan. Then last time, she found the top, handed to the very smart Seathestars and chased him home into second while cutting the margin to 2.3m. I fancy she might be a chance of finding the front here from out wide on the front line and think she’s the horse to beat. EARL OF PEMBROKE (5) won a good race from the tail of the field at Melton back in early October when beating home MIGHTY JOLT (4) and KOSIMO (2), MIGHTY JOLT (4) has been racing well of late and should have the speed to get to the fence early where he’d be a major contender, while IMA TERMINATOR (1) isn’t setting the world on fire by any means but draws to run well over the sprint trip.
BACK: MY LITTLE BO (7) – 2 units (win)
SELECTIONS: MY LITTLE BO (7), MIGHTY JOLT (4), EARL OF PEMBROKE (5), IMA TERMINATOR (1)
Race 7:
OVERVIEW: LOWRIDER (9) was a red-hot $1.06 favourite in a race five of these horses contested last weekend at Melton, but he blew his chances with an early break. Despite losing stacks of ground, he chased hard and did a good job to only be beaten 12.1m despite finishing last. His last mile of 1:55.14 was seconds quicker than his rivals and a faultless display should see him finding the winner’s stall on the back of some competitive efforts through the Vicbred and Victoria Derby series. OWEN THE SAINTS (3) ran well in that race last weekend when only beaten 1.5m, KING BALDWIN (7) dropped out badly last time (no abnormalities reported by vets) in The Graduate but looks a promising pacer for the Ashleigh Herbertson yard, while BULLETPROOF KID (6) led that LOWRIDER (9) race last Saturday and fell into third after only being grabbed in the shadows of the post. He’s been thereabouts of late and is a contender for the minor end of the prize, as is OOH AH LISTAH (1) who didn’t have much clear air in that aforementioned contest.
SELECTIONS: LOWRIDER (9), OWEN THE SAINTS (3), KING BALDWIN (7), BULLETPROOF KID (6)
Race 8:
OVERVIEW: Boom three-year-old filly BETTOR BEACH (5) is on a path to The Eureka and looks set to continue her winning ways in the final event on the card. She heads into this assignment on the back of five-straight wins, including Group 1 glory in the Vicbred Super Series and Victoria Oaks finals. She has brilliant speed and it’s hard to see how they beat her. She’ll be short and likely too good. DEMBE (3) was chasing five-straight victories when a good fourth in The Graduate last weekend at Melton and is a very promising three-year-old pacer for Isabel Walsh, TED (1) did it tough but got the job done on Australian debut in an easier race than this at Bendigo on August 20 and draws for a nice trip, while Julie Douglas-trained stablemates OUR VINCENT CAN GOGH (6) and CLYMENUS (7) are honest types who could certainly run into a place with the right trip.
SELECTIONS: BETTOR BEACH (5), DEMBE (3), TED (1), OUR VINCENT CAN GOGH (6)
10-UNIT GAME PLAN
R1 #10 LOUGLE – 3 units (win)
R4 #6 BETTORLEFTALONE (6) – 3 units (win)
R5 #7 ALDEBARAN SUE – 1 unit (each-way)
R6 #7 MY LITTLE BO – 2 units (win)
EARLY QUADDIE
8,9,10/2,3,5,7,8/1,2,5,7,10/6
QUADDIE
2,4,6,7,8,9/4,5,7/9/5
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 $101
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