Bendigo and Hawkesbury is where we land for midweek racing.
The Wizard of Odds has his eyes set on a couple of debutants as well as a last start winning filly who looks great value towards the back end of the Bendigo card.
Bendigo race 2
#8 She's Booming
The Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes stable present this two-year-old filly to the races off the back of a two nice Flemington jump outs.
It was her most recent jump out on the April 1 which highlighted the professionalism of this horse after jumping cleanly and leading throughout.
She was barely asked for an effort and was able to easily keep up with Lion’s Tooth who has since come out and won a Kyneton maiden in nice style.
If she was asked to go full bore in either jump out she probably could have gapped the opposition.
Draws a little bit of awkward gate here but she gets services of a Jye McNeil to overcome that factor.
Suggested Bet: She’s Booming win at $4.4
Bendigo Race 3
#4 safe secret
There is no secret about how well this two-year-old colt went at his most recent jump out.
He jumped out at Stawell against four opponents and probably could have beaten them by a space if Jarrod Fry pulled the plug.
Love the way he improved his position in running throughout the jump out and then his ability to come back underneath Fry to travel strongly on the bridle as he flattened out in the straight.
The ultimate test will be to see how he handles being ridden when under pressure, but all signs indicate he is ready to run a huge race on debut.
Suggested Bet: Safe Secret each-way at $5 the win and $2 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 4 & 6
Bendigo Race 5
#11 Poppy Joan
This lightly raced staying prospect for the Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace team broke her maiden in style last start.
She was asked to outside the lead of a fairly solid tempo in only her second race start but she put her rivals away with a sustained effort throughout the straight to win by nearly two lengths.
May only drop half a kilo from that run into this much more competitive BM-64 race but she looked to still have plenty of improvement from the yard that day.
John Allen retains the ride and the pair map to get the ideal run either leading or just in behind the leaders from barrier four.
Looks the best of the day at Bendigo.
Suggested Bet: Poppy Joan win at $4.4
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 11/ Field/ Field
Hawkesbury Race 1
#3 Best side
The drying track at Hawkesbury makes it the ideal situation for Best Side to break through for his maiden victory at his second start.
The Chris Waller-trained colt copped a heavy track on debut at Randwick Kensington and very nearly led all the way in what was a nice enough debut.
Suspect he may be better ridden with a sit and camp in behind the leaders here rather than being dug up to sit in the lead as he was last start.
The fact James McDonald has decided to stick with this horse is a big enough sign to keep him onside here.
He has a fitness edge over most of this field which will also hold him in good stead.
Suggested Bet: Best Side win at $3.4
Hawkesbury Race 3
#6 ladylovestogamble
Not too sure why Relucent has come up such a short-priced favourite in this race and as such we will hone in on Ladylovestogamble who is absolutely flying at present.
Clare Cunningham seems to have found the key to unlocking this horse having placed her to perfection.
She has won her last two starts, albeit in lower grade, but has has done so in great style and she has a great fitness base to run up to her best again.
Love backing a mare in winning form and she tumbles down in the weights from her last start Newcastle win over 1850 metres where he carried 58.5 kilos to now only having to transport 54 kilos.
She is going to get the run of the race and comes up much better value than Relucent.
Suggested Bet: Ladylovestogamble win at $3.4
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 6/ 4, 5/ 2, 4, 5
