We head into a big weekend of harness racing with the best bets and preview for Saturday night action on the track.
Kilmore and Menangle headline the main cards with plenty of value for the punters.
Kilmore race 2
#8 Cool rocking daddy
Going with the horse coming gate eight and that is Cool Rocking Daddy.
Yiannis, Night Spirit and Sofala look the likely on-pacers in this event and it should allow Cool Rocking Daddy to slot in behind them.
He is a bit of an enigma to follow from a betting point of view, but tonight he looks to get a favourable race shape.
Doc Wilson just needs to get his quirky pacer to follow the marker pegs or have a backside to follow into the straight when he flattens out at the pointy end of the race.
Good each-way shout.
Suggested Bet: Cool Rocking Daddy each-way at $7 the win and $2.10 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 3, 8, 10
Kilmore Race 3
#8 HOLZARTE VEDAQUAIS
The impoted French chaser Holzarte Vedaquais looks a huge chance to knock off the favourite in this race.
He put the writing on the wall with an eye-catching trial pace at Melton prior to his first-up run and then delivered in spades when resuming at Yarra Glen.
The Tim Butt-trained pacer scored a convincing three-length victory over 2150 metres and should only improve again.
He is drawn a bit awkwardly in this race, but it would be remiss to not include him as a massive threat in this race based on the gate.
Driver John Caldow has the nous and experience to overcome that gate being a concern at the horse has the talent to do so as well.
Suggested Bet: Holzarte Vedaquais win at $4.2
Kilmore Race 7
#7 Always Ready
There are two very well fancied favourites here in the form of Cover of Darkness and Majestuoso who are both well equipped to run big races.
But the form and fitness of Always Ready might just about trump the two selections in the market.
His last three runs prior to a spell were in Group 1 grade and he did not embarass himself at all, running very well in three efforts.
His two resuming runs have been in Group 3 grade as he builds towards peak fitness and it is interesting that Anton Golino has decided to drop own to the mile.
There looks to be a fair bit of speed in this race and Always Ready might just be able to use his stamina to full effect late in the race as he chases down the leaders.
He may have only had one start at the track, but it was a winning effort.
Another good each-way punt on the card.
Suggested Bet: Always Ready each-way at $7.5 the win and $1.90 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 2, 7, 11
Kilmore Race 8
#10 Equity Stride
Equity Stride is one of the more intriguing runners on the Kimore program.
He oozes talent and class, but heads into this race with no public trial.
If we assess him on his form from last preparation, this race might be just about be over before it has begun.
Since then, however, he has had a change of stables going from the Anthony Butt and Sonya Smith to the care of Shane Sanderson.
The market will be the key to this chaser’s chances, but the fact that he has had no public trials might just mean Sanderson is saving him for a big run on resuming.
Happy to take the risk that he is somewhere near peak fitness.
Suggested Bet: Equity Stride win at $2.3
Menangle Race 5
#8 Majestic Cruiser
The map looks to play out perfectly here for Majestic Cruiser who can across and take the sit in behind Burnham Boy.
Pitch Perfect possess the early speed to hold out Burnham Boy and force him to sit outside the lead, which will almost certainly lead to Majestic Cruiser taking the perfect trailing run.
His win a fortnight ago at Menangle in a R83-103 grade race was a convincing 2.7-metre win over 2300 metres and he faces similar conditions here.
Making him the best of the night from Menangle.
Suggested Bet: Majestic Cruiser win at $3.4
