Pakenham plays host to Thursday night racing.
The best bets throughout the eight-race card have been decided upon by the team of racing experts at BetDeluxe.
Pakenham race 2
#4 Extreme Step
Extreme Step looks a real smooth-moving type from what we have seen at the jump outs.
Really like the way she made a late impression on her most recent Flemington jump out by making up ground in the latter stages of effort.
Seemed to get stronger the further she went and from barrier two on debut, she can get the perfect suck run in behind the leaders.
The stable may even opt to press her forward and attempt to lead the race.
Regardless, she looks to have more than enough talent to make winning debut.
Suggested Bet: Extreme Step win at $3.2
Suggested Exotic: Boxed First Four – 4, 5, 7, 9
Pakenham race 4
#3 Astern Villa
Did a good enough job at Warrnambool in only his second career to suggest he can be winning a race of this calibre.
Interestingly, he was the first to bounce away from the barriers, but was immediately restrained to settle with cover and come under his jockey without over-racing.
Now the blinkers go on here and he goes up in distance which are all the pointers for this three-year-old gelding potentially going straight to the lead in this race.
He has a good fitness to use against this field should he find the lead and the blinkers should hopefully elevate his performance by another length or two in order to win his maiden race.
Suggested Bet: Astern Villa win at $4.4
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 3, 4, 9
pakenham race 6
#2 manasa
More chance of a snow flake in hell than Manasa settling as far back as she did when running sixth behind Wascaly last start.
The smaller field presents her with the opportunity to settle within striking distance of the leaders so she can use her turn of speed to greater effect.
Michael Dee should be able to position this mare midfield with cover and then launch her run up the middle of the Pakenham straight.
She brings the right form line into this race and is still a lightly-raced mare who has only had six starts, so the freshness and zest in her legs for racing is still very much in abundance.
Making her the best of the night and should be very hard to beat.
Suggested Bet: Manasa win at $2.7
Pakenham race 8
#7 Paperboy
Having a little each-way peanut on Paperboy.
The John Price-trained six-year-old gelding resumed off a four-month spell at Sale last start and acquitted himself well to run fourth in BM-70 grade.
He was a little bit soft in the market and did exceed expectations that day.
He returns to a track he has has great success at with seven starts boasting three wins and two minor placings.
He will need a bit of luck from barrier 11, but at the price he is hard to ignore.
His second-up record also reads two wins and a minor placings from four starts, so he will clearly improve from his first-up effort, which, on ratings, would almost guarantee him a top three finish here.
Suggested Bet: Paperboy each-way at $12 the win and $3.7 the place.
