Sandown Lakeside plays host to a juicy card of racing with a heap of three-year-old horses resuming with Group racing and the spring carnival on the agenda.
The Wizard of Odds has had a look over the program and found his best bets for the day.
Sandown Lakeside Race 1
#10 Prowling
Prowling moved stylishly in his two jumpouts wins as he approaches his race debut.
Three three-year-old gelding seems a very intelligent horse when we look at how well he travelled in his most recent jumpout over 1000 metres.
He jumped cleanly, put himself on the speed, travelled strongly on the bridle, but was well within himself when crossing the line under his own his steam.
The most impressive thing about his jumpout was the way he put the field away under no riding.
A 1200-metre debut looks perfect for him and hopefully Craig Williams can rifle him out of the barriers and settle in the lead from the wide gate.
Suggested Bet: Prowling each-way at $5 the win and $2 the place.
Sandown Lakeside Race 2
#1 Belluna
Robert Hickmott might have just unearthed a smart filly when he drops the curtain off Belluna ahead of her first career run.
She was scratched from a race last week and now appears in this Sandown 1400-metre maiden off a 1200-metre jumpout at Caulfield.
The professionalism she showed for a horse who is yet to have a start was eye-catching.
She was asked to settle on the speed alongside the city-performed Direct and probably actually went better than him.
Excited to see what this galloper has to offer and she draws the perfect barrier which allow her to settle on the pace without doing any work.
Suggested Bet: Belluna each-way at $9 the win and $2.90 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 1, 3, 7, 9
Sandown Lakeside Race 4
#1 Marchons Ensemble
Marchons Ensemble looks to get a much more economical set up here than he did last start.
He had to do it tough when making the step up to 2400 metres for the first time this preparation and being asked to cut the breeze from the 1200-metre mark to the finish post.
There was fierce breeze in the back straight and across the turning point towards the home straight that would have cost him at least two to three lengths of energy.
Barrier two represents a chance to find a spot with cover and be cuddled up until he needs to his sprint to be used.
Lachlan Neindorf has been replaced by gun apprentice Josh Richards who will claim 3kgs of weight off the gelding.
This stayer is building towards a peak run in Australia and this race looks to be it.
Suggested Bet: Marchons Ensemble each-way at $8 the win and $2.5 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 1, 5/ 1, 5, 6, 7/ 1, 5, 6, 7
Sandown Hillside Race 8
#8 The Closer
The Closer is going better than what her form suggests.
She is drawn poorly here which will slightly hinder her chances, but her price is too big to ignore.
The Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace mare raced behind gun mare Turaath last start when being reefed back to second last at Flemington and failed to make any significant ground.
A drop back to BM-70 grade with a claiming apprentice on as well as a return to a track where she is two starts from two wins looks a wise move.
She will only have to carry 58kgs after the claim and looks a better chance than the market is currently suggesting.
Suggested Bet: The Closer each-way at $21 the win and $6.5 the place.
