Bendigo headlines the main meeting in Victoria this Saturday with the $150,000 Bendigo Golden Mile to be run and won.
The Wizard of Odds has sliced his way through the the nine-race card to find the best bets.
We also head out to South Australia and Western Australia for some more value ahead of a big weekend of racing.
Bendigo Race 1 - RSN 945AM
#2 Tavidance
Not sure how Tavidance has not opened up the favourite in this race given his great record over 1400 metres.
His only blemish over his three starts at this distance was first-up last preparation where he was desperately unlucky in a BM-90 at Flemington as a $5.5 elect in a much more difficult field than this.
He has only ever had one career start at Bendigo and it resulted in a pretty easy two-length victory over the mile back in September 2019.
There has been a little bit of rain about Victoria over the last few days which should ensure the track has a bit of give in it, which he relishes.
Jockey Liam Riordan just needs a backside to follow into the straight and if he can get out in the middle lanes, which is usually the place to be at Bendigo when it is damp, it might prove advantageous.
While conceding Second Slip will be the one to run down, her credentials over 1400 metres are not as strong as Tavidance.
Suggested Bet: Tavidance win at $3.3
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 2/ 4, 6, 8/ 3, 4, 6, 8
Bendigo race 4 - underground cabling systems handicap
#6 saracen knight
Happy to give Saracen Knight another go here after his last start failure in the Wangaratta Cup a month ago.
He started a heavily backed $2.50 favourite that day and after settling in the rear half of the field he just never looked comfortable in the run and was pulled up to finish 13 lengths off the winner.
We will respect the market in that race, given it gave him a huge chance to win that race and given his solid form last preparation which saw him run fourth in the Bendigo Cup.
It was his win at Caulfield last preparation over 2000 metres in September 2020 that turned the attention of punters his way.
He gobbled up the leaders in the last 100 metres off a brutal lead speed when settling well off the pace.
His last start at 2400 metres in BM-84 grade saw him start an even money favourite and now we’re getting $8.5 to have a punt on him.
Melbourne Cup winning hoop Jye McNeil takes the reigns off Anthony Darmanin with the hope it will spark an improvement from this six-year-old gelding.
Suggested Bet: Saracen Knight each-way at $8.5 the win and $2.6 the place
Suggested Exotic: Boxed First Four – 3, 4, 6, 7
Bendigo race 6 - ST Ledger trial
#2 Salto Angel
The Salto Angel and Princess Rhaenys form line looks the way to go here.
Both horses ran in the same at Ballarat on February 28th and gapped the opposition that day.
Salto Angel started the favourite on that occasion but Peter Moody-trained filly Princess Rhaenys was heavily backed to defeat her and did so with a bit left in the tank.
While the results of that race suggest the Moody filly is the superior horse, the price differential between the two horses as well as the race shape means Salto Angel represents great each-way value.
Damian Lane has opted to stick with Salto Angel despite her maiden status.
Drawing out wide might not actually be an issue if the track plays off the rails. She’ll have full momentum at the top of the straight. Just hoping she is not too far back!
Just needs the gaps to open up in the straight and if that occurs he will be winning this!
Suggested Bet: Salto Angel each-way at $12 the win and $3.8 the place
Suggested exotic: Trifecta – 2, 12/ 2, 3, 4, 12/ 1, 2, 3, 4, 12
Bendigo Race 8 - Bendigo golden mile
#5 All Too Huiying
Phillip Stokes has this six-year-old horse by All Too Hard absolutely flying early in his last preparation.
He resumed in the Listed Seymour Cup over the mile and scored a dogged victory over Gold Fields after doing it tough when sitting outside the lead for the majority of the way.
Barrier 14 does not look to be a major concern either given the early toe he usually displays in his races. That early speed should thwart the danger of a wide barrier.
His main danger Kenya is drawn just inside of him and he too possess good early speed.
That should allow jockey Michael Poy to follow Kenya across from the barrier to settle one pair back and one off the fence, in the lead or outside the lead.
Looks a great each-way place in the race.
Suggested Bet: All Too Huiying each-way at $10 the win and $3.3 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 1, 5, 6/ 1, 5, 6, 12/ 1, 5, 6, 12, 14
Morphettville Race 7 - Manihi Classic
#5 Humma Humma
Humma Humma resumed in the Bob Hoysted (1000 metres) at Flemington and her run was full of merit.
She settled in the rear of the field when attempting to chase down sharp Tiarrna Robertson now Chris Waller-trained sprinter Fabergino.
Jamie Mott has travelled over to South Australia to guide her around the 1100 metres at Morphettville and having drawn an inside barrier, expect her to settle closer to the lead than she did last start.
There looks to be solid amount of early speed in this race which should hopefully allow Humma Humma to manufacture her run away from the fence and find clear air at the top of straight.
She gets a nice weight pull on the favourite Lyre who beat her home by a narrow margin when they faced each other at Caulfield last start.
Suggested Bet: Humma Humma win at $4.8
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 3, 5, 8/ 1, 3, 5, 8/ 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 14
Ascot Race 8 - WA Oaks
#4 Temptacion
Temptacion is a three-year-old filly on the rise from the Daniel Morton stable.
She has progressed through the grades quite nicely this campaign and it was her last start win on March 17 that caught the eye.
The caveat on the win was that it was against horses who are yet to win a metropolitan race and, on first glance, it does seem like a weak 1800-metre Wednesday race.
However, the style with which she put them away and the professionalism she showed in doing so had all the makings of a genuine group horse.
She was third last in a bunching field with 600 metres to go, but when the gap appeared at the top of the straight and Chris Parnham shook her up, she exploded away with a sharp turn of foot to win hard held on the line by just over two lengths.
The 2400 metres is the query but she has drawn a barrier where she will not have to do too much work in the run.
Suggested Bet: Temptacion win at $3.9
Suggested Exotic: Boxed First Four – 1, 2, 3 ,4
