The best bets from Saturday harness racing at Geelong, Menangle and Globe Derby are in.
We’re all set for an exciting weekend of pacing and trotting from around the country and hopefully we can fill our pockets in the process!
Geelong Race 3
#8 Tornado Valley
His two runs back on February 5th in the Great Southern Series were that of a very smart trotter.
Won his heat of the Great Southern Series over 1720 metres at Melton in an incredible 1:53:01 breaking the track record in the process.
He then followed it up by winning the final by darting up the inside and using the sprint lane to get his head in front right on the line.
Now, he comes into this race having won the Group Petrika Trotters at Melton over the 1720-metre journey and looks set to run another huge race with the step up to 2100 metres at Geelong.
Kate and Andy Gath have this horse going so well at the moment and he looks the best of the program at Geelong.
Suggested Bet: Tornado Valley win at $2.4
Suggested Exotic: Quinella – 1 & 8
Geelong Race 7
#4 General Dodge
Taking a solid punt here and going against the favourite Pacifico Dream to side with the return of General Dodge.
He has not been seen since his luckless run in the Ararat Cup all the way back in February 2020 when he started a $2.30 favourite for the event.
Upon his return to racing, he has had two trials back in February to get him ready for this with the only query being the gap between his last trial and race day.
The query on him here is whether or not he is fit enough to deal with a first-up assault over 2100 metres.
His form would suggest that he is, given his impeccable first up strike rate which boasts five wins from five first-up efforts.
Clearly has oodles of talent and would probably give this field a pacing lesson if he is anywhere near his best.
Suggested Bet: General Dodge win at $2.60
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 1 & 4
Menangle Race 4
#7 Island Fire Dance
A match race in two between Island Fire Dance and Soho Almasi sees us siding with the former of the pair who seems to get a much more favourable set up.
Island Fire Dance won impressively at the Menangle 1609-metre circuit last start after finding the front and leading all of the way to score by nine-and-a-half metres.
He looks like he is going to find the front again here and with his main danger Soho Almasi drawing an awkward gate, he might be off, gone and out of sight with a much more favourable speed map.
Looks the best of the night at Menangle and we’ll be doing a dance around the fire if he gets up.
Suggested Bet: Island Fire Dance win at $2.10
Menangle Race 6
#1 Makoa
Star Galleria and Ellmers Image, at face value, look to have a stranglehold on this race, but there is good value to be found here in the form of Makoa.
He steps back in grade after two respectable efforts in Group 3 grade where he ran third in the J E Binskin over 1609 metres at Menangle and then finished sixth in the Joe & Michael Illsey FFA over the same track and distance.
From gate one, he’ll muster up speed from the inside and even potentially hold the front.
At the price, he looks a nice each-way proposition at double figure odds.
Suggested Bet: Makoa each-way at $13 the win and $4.2 the place
Suggested exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 1, 5 ,7
Globe Derby Race 7
#6 boots electric
Boots Electric is ready to run a huge race after a nice enough effort at Melton last start.
The form guide says he only managed to finish fourth of the nine-horse field despite starting a $2.10 favourite, but the set up was not at all in his favour.
He was stepping from the 1609-metre Group 1 Chariots of Fire to 2240-metre race at Melton with over a month between runs.
That effort will clearly bring him on beautifully from a fitness point of view and he is the one they will all have to got through here.
He will thrive with the rise in distance here and will enjoy a beautiful run either one out and one back or one out and two back.
Best of the night from Globe Derby!
Suggested Bet: Boots Electric win at $2.4
