Friday’s best bets land at Cranbourne, Geelong and Scone ahead of a big weekend of Group 1 racing.
The Wizard of Odds is here to guide us in the right direction.
Geelong Race 1
#1 Daunting Magic
Daunting Magic was immediately spelled after being well backed on debut at Moonee Valley over 1200 metres and running poorly.
After jumping on terms, the three-year-old gelding from the Archie Alexander stable showed good acceleration to ping to the lead.
But as he cornered into the straight and flattened out, he completely lost his action and faded out to finish seventh beaten by five lengths.
He seems to have returned a much smarter horse this time based on a stylish jumpout at Avoca.
After being given a very quiet time of in the first 700 metres of the 1000-metre jumpout he was then asked to improve as the field came around the bend.
He fished his way in between horses to get into the clear and was hard held to the line.
If he was asked for an effort he probably would have smashed them.
Suggested Bet: Daunting Magic win at $2.8
Suggested Exotic: Exacta 1 & 5
Geelong Race 3
#6 Zazster
Zazster is becoming a bit of perennial for punters who have backed him but he gets his best chance to break through for a maiden victory.
He put the writing on the wall last start with a great runner-up effort behind a potentially very smart horse called Agnelli who we backed that day.
May have very well beaten Agnelli after being a touch unlucky in the straight.
Craig Newitt retains the ride and from barrier four, he will hopefully be able to settle down in the first four to six horses with some cover and make his run without being buffeted for a run.
He’s fit and ready to run well again.
Suggested Bet: Zazster win at $2.4
Cranbourne Race 3
#6 Inka Dinka
John Sadler must have a high opinion of this horse given he debuted the three-year-old gelding by Wandjina in a hot race at Flemington over 1400 metres.
The race was won by a fairly smart filly called Real Sensation in what was an open handicap affair for the three-year-olds.
Now, Inka Dinka comes back to maiden grade and draws a peach of a barrier.
Michael Dee remains in the saddle which is a positive sign that he wanted to keep the ride despite being beaten a long way.
The only real danger is Fac but he has come up very short in this race.
Value lies with Inka Dinka.
Suggested Bet: Inka Dinka win at $3.4
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 2, 4, 6
Cranbourne Race 4
#3 Miles Ahead
Miles Ahead got miles back when resuming from a spell last start and rocketed home to finish second.
It was a massive run considering the position he had to come from at the top of the straight and he sustained a huge run to suggest the 2025 metres will be no issue.
Doubt he will get such a high pressure affair like he copped at Ballarat and from a soft barrier he can be positioned in a much more prominent position early in the race.
Looks to possess a nice turn of foot for a horse who has ‘stayer’ written all over him.
Looks the best of the night at Cranbourne.
Suggested Bet: Miles Ahead win at $4.4
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 1, 3, 5, 6
Scone Race 7
#10 Looks Like Elvis
Looks Like Elvis comes out of the Hawkesbury Gold Cup mile race and did a great job to run fourth after settling too far back from a wide barrier.
The race was dominated by the on-pacers and now he draws a barrier where he can settle into a much closer position in the run.
He was very well supported in the market in the Gold Cup race and now he comes up big double figure odds.
Think the big Scone straight will suit him nicely and country champion jockey Mathew Cahill takes the ride.
Suggested bet: Looks Like Elvis each-way at $14 the win and $4.2 the place.
