After a huge weekend of Group 1 racing at Melton last week, the action boils down to a simmer but a competitive card nonetheless.
Best bets across the nine-race card have got us excited for another weekend of pacing and racing.
Melton Race 1
#1 Letherhairdown
Letherhairdown stood off the page after winning well last start.
She won by two metres at this track on Tuesday and races on the four-day back-up into this event.
That gives her a clear fitness edge of the favourite Sanday who is first-up off a 156-day spell.
Letherhairdown should be able to punch up from the inside gate and hold the lead or, at worst, take the trail leaders back and use the sprint lane to full effect.
Definitely one of the better bets on the night.
Suggested Bet: Letherhairdown win at $3.1
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 1 & 9
Melton Race 3
#3 Orbie
Orbie is a short course specialist and gets a favourable race to get herself back into winning ways.
Her win two starts at Gunbower was the sign of a mare who is thriving in her racing but it was followed up by a luckless run at Melton a fortnight ago.
This race looks to have a fair bit of early speed engaged up front and that should bode well for Orbie who will be allowed to settle, balance and then let rip with the final attack on this field.
She will be the one gunning them down late in the race.
Suggested Bet: Orbie win at $3.6
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 2, 3, 9
Melton Race 4
#9 Torrid Saint
A very intriguing race with the odds-on favourite being Andy Gath’s newest New Zealand recruit to hit the racing scene in Australia.
His form across the Tasman would suggest he will belt this lot, but the horse drawn right behind him is the main danger.
Suspect the Tango Tara will kick up from gate one with Torrid Saint following him and taking a trail.
If the luck comes for Torrid Saint at the top of the straight then he can easily peel off the back of the favourite and out sprint him.
Given Torrid Saint is coming into this race after a week since his solid last start effort at Melton and Tango Tara is month-and-a-half between runs, it might prove all the difference when the whips are cracking.
Suggested Bet: Torrid Saint win at $4.8
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 1 & 9
Melton race 5
#8 Sirletic
Taking on the odds-on hot pop here and siding with Sirletic who impressed at his first-up run last start.
He was given an easy time of it early in the race when drawing gate six on the front row and rocketed home to be beaten by a narrow margin.
His main danger in this race, Always Fast, is a bit of a quirky horse and seems the likely leader in this race despite the fact Kate Gath may not desire the front.
If Sirletic can be close enough in the run to use his sharp sprint then he is the one they have to beat.
His record second-up reads three wins from four starts and expect him to start shorter than the current $2.7 on offer.
Suggested Bet: Sirletic win at $2.7
