Tim O’Connor has done the form for Saturday night’s meeting at Melton.
Race 1:
OVERVIEW: Looks to be speed aplenty here in the opening event with REPELLING (4) and SOHO DARKNSTORMY (7) the two most likely to power for the front. For that reason and given the likely solid tempo, I’m happy to focus on a back row runner in SON OF MAC (11). He was able to storm home over SOHO DARKNSTORMY (7) to win a race three starts ago at Melton and his subsequent two have had excuses given position in running. He is arguably the class runner of the field here, and while the draw is tough, he looks a good chance. KOMODO (3) is flying at the moment and just needs to find a good spot in the running line to be right in this, SOHO DARKNSTORMY (7) is back from a brief NSW campaign and is a huge chance if he strolls to the top, while ALWAYSBEALADY (9) has charged home her past two and will be one of the runners rattling late with the likes of SON OF MAC (11) and SOAP AND BUBBLES (6).
SELECTIONS: SON OF MAC (11), KOMODO (3), SOHO DARKNSTORMY (7), ALWAYSBEALADY (9)
Race 2:
OVERVIEW: THE ART OF SUCCESS (9) and KEAYANG SWEETHEART (11) have battled it out a couple of times this campaign, with the head-to-head score sitting at 1-1. KEAYANG SWEETHEART (11) led and won first-up at Geelong in a tight finish over THE ART OF SUCCESS (9), who then finished second when the pair placed behind Morris Brown on Terang Cup night. Both have been impressive winning subsequent to that, but I’ve got a slight leaning to the Emma Stewart runner based off her gutsy effort in that first-up clash and from the slightly better draw. KEAYANG SWEETHEART (11) was super beating the handy Wicked Confession at Bendigo in slick time on April 8 and can certainly win, while possibly early leader KIA ORA BEAUTY (4) and MAAS BETTING AGAIN (8) head the other chances in a good little race for the mares over 1720m.
SELECTIONS: THE ART OF SUCCESS (9), KEAYANG SWEETHEART (11), KIA ORA BEAUTY (4), MAAS BETTING AGAIN (8)
Race 3:
OVERVIEW: Hard to go past smart Emma Stewart three-year-old BROOKLYN DAN (6), who heads here on the back of a Group 2 victory in the Bathurst Gold Chalice. He kick-started the campaign with a win in the VHRC Caduceus Classic on Hunter Cup night and looks destined to reach a much higher grade than this. He does have an awkward draw to contend with, but should prove too classy. FIRE MARSHALL (5) failed last time out when driven cold at the back of the field, but his prior wins from the front were super slick and he might be difficult to run down if he can get the top. Other chances – perhaps more on a place basis – are headed by last-start winner ZANDA MAN (3) and THESTATESMAN (11), who failed last time but was good first-up from a break and has nice ability.
SELECTIONS: BROOKLYN DAN (6), FIRE MARSHALL (5), ZANDA MAN (3), THESTATESMAN (11)
Race 4:
OVERVIEW: This race honours the late, great Greg Sugars 12 months on from his devastating passing and the sentimental result would be for his wife Jess Tubbs and close mate James Herbertson to combine for victory with HOWDY MATE (10). He beat five rivals that he meets here first-up back on March 21, but has been a little disappointing his last couple. That includes last weekend when he galloped in the final lap and dropped out to run last as favourite. While his best might be good enough, it is a wide-open event. HEZA GUN (5) has good gate speed and has been racing well of late, CLAUDYS HERO (8) was runner-up to HOWDY MATE (10) and KYVALLEY JETSTREAM (9) before leading and finishing fourth in a clash a number of these contested on April 4, while the latter charged late and just missed Iron Women last time out at Melton and is racing very consistently this campaign. Most of the others can win, too!
SELECTIONS: HOWDY MATE (10), HEZA GUN (5), CLAUDYS HERO (8), KYVALLEY JETSTREAM (9)
Race 5:
OVERVIEW: JILLIBY BALLERINI (6) gets her big chance to claim a maiden Group 1 in the Sumthingaboutmaori Trot where she looks the horse to beat. A five-time placegetter at the elite level, all of those efforts have been behind champion stablemate Keayang Zahara, who will not be there on Saturday night. She heads here on the back of a runner-up placing to that aforementioned star in the TAB Trot at Cambridge and will run a short-priced favourite. She has a dazzling turn of foot and will need to produce it if ROCKINWITHATTITUDE (3) is able to cross to the fence. If she was able to get there – and that’s a big if given JILLIBY DREAMLOVER (1) and PINNIE (2) are drawn inside – she’d be a huge hope of producing an upset. TRACY THE JET (7) stepped out of three-year-old company last Saturday night at Bendigo and was solid in her return, but this looks tough from the wide gate.
BACK: ROCKINWITHATTITUDE (3) – 3 units (place)
SELECTIONS: JILLIBY BALLERINI (6), ROCKINWITHATTITUDE (3), JILLIBY DREAMLOVER (1), TRACY THE JET (7)
Race 6:
OVERVIEW: Intriguing clash with plenty of in-form horses and a tricky speed map to predict. HES NO ROMEO (2) looks like getting to the fence, but tends to take cover in his races and that might allow SURFINGMAKESCENTS (6) to cross and lead as she did first-up when narrowly beaten over 1200m. Both horses are going well and loom as serious chances, but I’ll side with JUSTALITTLESIP (7). Joe Pace’s charge has been working up to a win this campaign and was only beaten 1.2m into third in last Friday’s Geelong Rocket behind My Ultimate Barney and Fighter Command. He’s good enough to round them up if the tempo is on, as is OUR LUCIANO (9) and METEOR MOTH (8), who gets away from the smaller tracks where he has struggled this time in. Great race where all five can win!
BACK: JUSTALITTLESIP (7) – 1 unit (each-way)
SELECTIONS: JUSTALITTLESIP (7), HES NO ROMEO (2), SURFINGMAKESCENTS (6), OUR LUCIANO (9)
Race 7:
OVERVIEW: LOUGLE (9) was a tough winner from the chair in his first run back in the care of Gerard Jamieson and then had no chance from the bad draw behind rising star Keayang Renegade last weekend. Despite this, he still hit the line nicely from back and wide in what was a sizzling dash home from the leader. Small field suits and he looks a horse with a decent ceiling. ISOLATION (2) was an impressive winner last week and looks a likely early leader here, LOU WILL (8) is doing enough to suggest victory isn’t far away and THE STEEL DRAGON (3) has been racing without much luck of late and wouldn’t surprise in an open race.
BACK: LOUGLE (9) – 5 units (win)
SELECTIONS: LOUGLE (9), ISOLATION (2), LOU WILL (8), THE STEEL DRAGON (3)
Race 8:
OVERVIEW: Open event here to close the meeting and the Quaddie, where it might pay to go wide in the final leg. But we’ve got to settle with one on top and that horse is MORRIS BROWN (9), who is set to have his first start for new connections on Saturday night. He sat in the 1×1 last weekend at Bendigo and did a pretty good job to only be beaten 17.6m by a star on the rise in Keayang Renegade, who dashed home a super slick last half to give none of his rivals a chance. His form prior is really strong against handy opposition and James Herbertson takes charge for this assignment. IM DOWNBYTHEBEACH (1) has made an impression in his two Australian starts (a win and a narrow runner-up placing) and draws to be right in this, HEATSEEKER (8) might settle leader’s back and is going well, while INTRUSION (7) has enjoyed a great campaign and might have gone on top from a better draw. Really, most of the nine have claims – it’s that sort of race!
SELECTIONS: MORRIS BROWN (9), IM DOWNBYTHEBEACH (1), HEATSEEKER (8), INTRUSION (7)
10-UNIT GAME PLAN
R5 #3 ROCKINWITHATTITUDE – 3 units (place)
R6 #7 JUSTALITTLESIP – 1 unit (each-way)
R7 #9 LOUGLE – 5 units (win)
EARLY QUADDIE
3,6,7,9,11/4,9,11/5,6/3,4,5,6,8,9,10
QUADDIE
1,3,6/2,6,7,8,9/2,9/1,3,7,8,9
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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