Pakenham synthetic track hosts Friday racing as we head towards a big weekend of Group 1 action.
The Wizard of Odds is ready and on hand to provide the best bets.
Pakenham Race 1
#3 On Board
On Board is becoming an enigma having never won a race in his 27 career efforts, but he gets his chance to break through today.
Shay Keating has made it a project of his stable to target the synthetic track meetings and this is no exception.
This horse continually runs well on the synthetic surfaces and this small field of six runners will allow him to settle much closer to the lead than he usually does.
He can follow the favourite from barrier two and use him as the cart into the race.
Last chance saloon for this galloper.
Suggested Bet: On Board win at $4.6
Suggested Exotic: Quinella – 3 & 5
Pakenham Race 2
#7 Dollar Chaser
Dollar Chaser was immediately spelled after two runs in his first ever preparation as a two-year-old.
He now comes into this maiden race as a three-year-old gelding and seems to have furnished into a much stronger race horse than he was last time out.
Trainer Bill Papazaharoudakis sent this horse to Flemington, which shows that he has some sort of an opinion of him.
He has since had some nice jumpouts where he has been asked to settle in behind the speed and finish off.
His most recent jumpout was on the synthetic surface and he actually ran the fastest time of those heats on August 19.
We know he can handle the surface, which is a massive positive and he comes up big odds.
Suggested Bet: Dollar Chaser each-way at $12 the win and $2.8 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 6, 7, 10
Pakenham Race 3
#5 Veterok
Veterok did not have much luck on debut after being well found in the betting.
The three-year-old colt trained by Cliff Brown was bolting for a run at the top of the straight, but had to continually change course and was never able to get a clear passage.
He still hit the line with vigour under the urgings of Ethan Brown, but now senior jockey Damian Lane takes the tide.
The colt draws off the fence this time and he should hit the straight with full momentum and is the one to beat if that occurs.
Suggested Bet: Veterok win at $4.2
Pakenham Race 8
#2 Holster
Holster looks to be going very well for the Ash and Amy Yargi stable.
He resumed with a nice runner-up finish behind Kermy back in June, but has not been sighted at the races since.
The five-year-old gelding has had a solid jumpout over 990 metres behind Impecunious and he looks a good bet in this race.
Interesting that the stable opted to nominate him for the midweeks at Sandown, only to scratch him and end up in this easier event.
He is the one to beat in this race and looks one of the best of the day.
Suggested Bet: Holster win at $2.3
