It was a solid day on the punt yesterday with the two best bets from around the country saluting with ease.
The Wizard of Odds now focuses his attention to hurdle and flat racing at Hamilton as well as the meeting at Scone.
Hamilton Race 2
#9 The Poormanzabeel
The Poormanzabeel has had two attempts over the jumps in his life for runner-up and third-placed finishes.
Those efforts were across the Tasman but he is now under the tutelage of gun trainer Patrick Payne.
He resumed over the mile in BM-70 grade and was beaten out of sight but he did show a bit of early toe which is a positive sign for a horse of his calibre.
Since then he has been schooled over the jumps and has put in some impressive trial performances to suggest he is ready to break his maiden tag.
Looks like he is one of the best bets in the jumps racing at Hamilton today.
Suggested Bet: The Poormanzabeel win at $3.1
Suggested Exotic: Quneilla 6 & 9
Hamilton race 6
#8 Dariljon
Expecting a sharp improvement from Dariljon on the rain effect Hamilton track.
This six-year-old gelding had his first run for the Chris Ryan stable last start and seemed to really feel the dry ground.
He’s only ever third from 17 attempts on a good surface but he gets the give in the track that he has been looking for.
The rise in distance looks a positive as it means he can settle a lot closer to the lead than he did last start.
Worth a speculative each-way bet.
Suggested Bet: Dariljon each-way at $19 the win and $5 the place
Suggested Exotic: Boxed F4 – 1, 2, 7, 8, 10
Hamilton Race 7
#1 Garbo
If you backed Garbo last start you would probably want a refund on your money after he was given no chance of winning.
Got back in the run on Warrnambool where it was neigh on impossible to make up ground and when he attempt to he got chopped out of a run.
He was still getting past tired horse late in the late, albeit a mile back from the winners to suggest he is going well enough to win a race like this.
The smaller field should allow him to settle closer in the run and the drop down in grade to BM-58 should him go close to winning.
Draws a nice barrier and apprentice Mikaela Lawrence takes three kilos off his back.
Definitely worth an each-way play.
Suggested bet: Garbo each-way at $7 the win and $2.5 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 1, 4/ 1, 3, 4/ 1, 2, 3, 4
Scone Race 5
#3 Taketheshot
Taketheshot seems to resent any track with a bit of give in it.
He raced on a soft five over this course and distance last start without firing much of a shot to run eighth of 14 runners.
The Mark Mason-trained three-year-old gelding was gapped by just over three-and-a-half lengths but now gets the chance to atone back onto a good four track.
Veteran country jockey Robert Thompson should be able to find a nice spot with some cover from barrier two.
If the gaps open up at the top of the straight then this horse will very hard to keep out.
Suggested bet: Taketheshot win at $4.2
Scone Race 6
#10 Sea Legend
Siding with the lightly-raced horse here.
Sea Legend debuted in nice style to take out a maiden at Tuncurry over 1300 metres.
He settled second last, one off the fence, in what was a very slow run race.
The impressive part of his run was the ability to settle under a tight hold from the jockey and then his ability to sustain a sprint while looping the field.
He was the widest runner at the bend and he let down with a good sprint to win running away from the field.
The rise in distance to the mile looks ideal given his father was a champion middle distance horse.
Suggested bet: Sea Legend each-way at $5 the win and $1.95 the place.
