Every Saturday, Ryan Phelan hunts for the most reliable locks to strengthen your multi bets. By analysing race maps, sectional times, and key trainer/driver combinations, he delivers sharp insights to add confidence – and a touch of excitement – to your harness racing, thoroughbred, or sports multis.
Each selection is rated with low, medium, or high confidence and includes a suggested place or win price. The goal? Minimise risk, maximise consistency, and stack the odds in your favour for a strong overall return.
Race 1 – 1690m C&M Build Group Pace
1/9 Luva Scrap – Jackie Barker/Julie Brimacombe
Luva Scrap is racing tough and with plenty of heart this preparation, working hard at a fast speed last week over this same trip. This race presents more favourably, and with an early burn expected he can work into the race at the right time and overpower them from outside the lead.
Confidence: High Rated Win Price: $3.50
Race 2 – 1690m O’Briens Electrical Trot
2/3 Keayang Lavita – Glen Craven/Marg & Paddy Lee
Keayang Lavita has been a bit of a headache over the past month or so, stepping up in class, finding excuses, and doing things wrong at crucial stages. When she behaves and trots fluently, she is high-class, and she particularly loves the mile. It’s a risk play needing everything to go right, but if it does, she can win.
Confidence: Low Rated Win Price: $3.00
Race 3 – 1690m Picklebet ‘Get Your Pickle On’ Pace
3/4 Jilliby Illuminate – Jason Lee/Marg & Paddy Lee
Jilliby Illuminate was terrific when resuming as runner-up against a similar field and was strong through the line sectionally. She’s rarely drawn well in her career, but this map allows her to slide across and race handy, which makes her hard to catch.
Confidence: Medium Rated Win Price: $2.50
Race 4 – 1690m J & A Mazzetti Pace
4/2 Golden Tribe – Jordan Leedham/Tom Rundle
Let It Ride is all about identifying the highest confidence plays, and this race shapes with Golden Tribe likely to lead and Hes No Romeo settling behind the leader. Both horses were excellent in the 4YO/5YO feature last week and there’s little between them. Golden Tribe has been in the black book for some time now and is hard to oppose.
Confidence: High Rated Win Price: $1.40
Race 5 – 2180m MC Labour Kilmore Trotters Cup (G2)
5/1 Jilliby Ballerini – Jason Lee/Marg & Paddy Lee
If Jilliby Ballerini can lead from the pole, she’d be closer to $1.10 such is her quality as the second-best trotter in the country behind her esteemed stablemate Keayang Zahara. She can step quickly, and if she holds challengers to her outside early, you’ll be in a very strong position.
Confidence: High Rated Win Price: $1.40
Race 6 – 2180m Jet Roofing Kilmore Pacing Cup (G1)
6/8 Leap To Fame – Grant Dixon/Grant Dixon
Champion Leap To Fame arguably produced one of the most extraordinary performances of his illustrious career last week, sitting parked in track-record time to win his third consecutive Cranbourne Cup. This presents a different challenge over the shorter trip, with NZ Horse of the Year Republican Party adding intrigue. Still, it’s hard to go past “Larry” as he takes another step toward the $1 million bonus.
Confidence: High Rated Win Price: $1.20
Race 7 – 1690m Popular Alm Sprint (L)
7/8 Catch A Wave – Kate Gath/Andy Gath
Catch A Wave is one of the sport’s enigmatic superstars and has been mixing it with the best for some time. He strikes his most suitable race in recent memory, with strong speed on the front row allowing him to follow through and unleash one powerful burst. He improves as a preparation progresses and this looks a terrific setup at a backable price.
Confidence: High Rated Win Price: $2.50
Race 8 – 2180m Vin Knight Memorial Pace Final
8/5 Ghost Of Time – Ryan Sanderson/Steven Loftus
This shapes as an almost identical setup to the heat last week when Ghost Of Time led, rated gently through the middle stages, and dashed home. It’s hard to see any major change this time around, aside from potential improvement from Major Art second-up from NZ but sticking with the same result makes sense.
Confidence: Medium Rated Win Price: $2.20
Race 9 – 1690m Reg Withers 3yo Classic
9/2 Knight Fury Dan – Mark Pitt/Emma Stewart
The barrier draw has swung in favour of Knight Fury Dan this time around and now with the scratching of his stablemate Signature Look, this race is his for the taking. He was brave sitting parked first-up, now he can lead and win.
Confidence: High Rated Win Price: $1.20
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