A spanner has been thrown in the works with the Ballarat meeting being transferred to the synthetic thanks to inclement Victorian weather but that will not stop us.
It’s off to Gosford to find some value as well as we head towards another weekend of Group 1 racing.
ballarat race 2
#9 Prasiolite
These 1100-metre races can often be testing affairs and siding with the race fit horses is usually a good starting point.
Prasiolite has put together two solid career runs to date and will be rock hard fit for this race.
On paper she looks the likely leader but as is the case with many of these Chris Waller-trained horses, she can still take a sit prove deadly late in the race.
Damien Thornton usually combines quite well with Waller runners and this looks no exception to the rule.
Expecting her to find the front at some stage in the straight and prove the one to beat.
Suggested Bet: Prasiolite win at $3.3
Ballarat Race 3
#5 Lavee Star
Lavee Star was very well fancied when resuming from a spell but pulled up lame after finishing 10 lengths last.
The market must be respected after she started a $2.5 favourite to win that maiden at Wodonga over 1100 metres.
She has since had a five-week freshen to recover and sports the blinkers for the first time to spark some improvement and keep her mind on the job.
Should be out of trouble from barrier eight and a glance at the speed map should see her settle much closer in the run than the favourite.
Good each-way bet.
Suggested Bet: Lavee Star each-way at $6 the win and $2.2 the place
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 4 & 5
Ballarat Race 5
#2 Just Jake
Just Jake looks well versed for this race after a respectable first-up run at Cranbourne over 1200 metres.
He ended up finishing third, two lengths off the eventual winner but chased hard to the line and his fitness will only improve as a result.
His two runs on the Ballarat synthetic included a maiden victory and then a solid effort to run fourth when starting a $2.5 elect in a CL1 race over 1200 metres.
He is going to enjoy an ideal run from barrier four and the big positive is that he handles the surface well.
Looks one of the best of the day Ballarat.
Suggested bet: Just Jake win at $4
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 2, 5, 6
Ballarat Race 7
#3 Get in the queue
Get In The Queue should hopefully be allowed to do just that when he races over 1500 metres.
His first-up run is better than what it looks in the form guide, after he settled too far back in a race dominated by the on-pacers.
It was a day at Wodonga that was tough to make up ground and he did drift sharply in the betting to suggest he would need the run.
Big jockey change here with John Allen hopping aboard and that should see the horse improve an extra couple of lengths.
Expect Allen to potentially lead or sit outside the lead in a race that looks devoid of early speed.
Suggested bet: Get In The Queue win at $4.4
Gosford Race 3
#10 Toguchi
The betting market is suggesting this is a race in two between the second favourite Toguchi and the favourite Significant Rule.
Going to side with Toguchi who comes up slightly better odds but has the slightly better set up than the favourite.
The four-year-old mare from the Kim Waugh yard will not got a better chance to break her maiden.
She gets the ‘golden switch’ by drawing an outside barrier after being hemmed away on the rails from barrier one last start.
She had very little momentum hitting the bend and into the straight but once she got out she pinned her ears back and nearly hauled in the runaway leaders to go down by a whisker.
Hoping jockey Brenton Avdulla can play it smart here and stride forward with this race-fit mare to find a spot on the speed with cover.
Suggested bet: Toguchi win at $2.8