The Wizard of Odds is off to Hamilton, Pakenham and Wyong today for the best bets.
Plenty of value to be found in five races across the three programs.
Hamilton Race 5
#2 Olatunji
Olatunji has been given a six-week freshen-up since his last start failure at Penola in BM-68 grade.
The seven-year-old gelding showed good early toe to dash to the front but it all went wrong for him as they cornered up into the straight.
He curled up and threw in the towel very quickly which was a far cry from his start prior to that failure.
If we analyse his run two starts back, he sat wide without cover and with a more economical run would arguably have won.
Hoping the little break will see him overcome the issue he had at Penola.
Suggested Bet: Olatunji each-way at $7 the the win and $2.10 the place
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 2, 3/ 2, 3, 5/ 1, 2, 3 ,5
Hamilton Race 6
#9 We'll Meet Again
Going with a bit of double figure value in this race and it comes in the form of We’ll Meet Again.
He’s been over the hurdles a few times and has performed well below par but he steps down in grade here.
After being specked from $81 into $41 in the betting last start in a BM-64 2200-metre affair at Pakenham, he run terribly but it looked as though he resented the synthetic track.
Back on the turf and down in grade, he could lead this lot without doing too much work and prove a tough nut to crack.
Last time he raced in a BM-58 event he ran second beaten a narrow margin.
Worth a little each-way spec.
Suggested Bet: We’ll Meet Again each-way at $10 the win and $2.7 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 1 & 9
Pakenham Race 6
#3 A Lone Hero
A Lone Hero might just very well be the hero for us at Pakenham.
Was effectively given no chance to win first-up over 1000 metres in BM-58 grade when having to lug around 62.5kgs.
Funnily enough it was not the weight that brought this Luke Oliver-trained gelding undone, but rather the inept ride.
The five-year-old sprinter was restrained and then got chopped for a run at the top of the Werribee straight.
He flashed home when the race was all over to finish second in a six-horse field.
Cops a wide barrier here but expect jockey Daniel Moor to be positive and his horse has won on the synthetic before.
Suggested Bet: A Lone Hero each-way at $10 the win and $3 the place.
Pakenham Race 7
#4 Dewhurst
Dewhurst drifted more in betting than what Wilson did on Castaway.
He ran accordingly after not handling the wet track and potentially choking down at Pakenham over 1400 metres first-up.
He was beaten some 14 lengths but now he gets the tongue tie put on to try and spark a return to form he showed when winning his maiden.
That maiden win came at this very track, so it is clear he handles the synthetic surface well.
He has drawn a wide barrier but that should be overcome by his ability to settle right up on the lead speed, if not, lead.
Suggested bet: Dewhurst each-way at $14 the win and $4.20 the place.
Wyong Race 3
#1 Sleipnir
Sleipnir ran in what looks to be fairly strong form race at Bendigo over 100 metres.
He finished third behind Mckeever who has since come out and run well in BM-70 level.
The runner-up of that race, King Dick, also comes out of that Bendigo race bolted in his maiden victory last week.
The Hawkes-trained three-year-old will get a better track than he faced on debut and a softer barrier which should see him improve.
Hawkes’ ‘go-to man’ Tommy Berry has been booked for the ride which signals huge intent.
Suggested bet: Sleipnir win at $3.5