A handy eight-race program greets us at Cranbourne for Friday night racing.
The best of the night comes up in the first with a three-year-old ready to let rip in maiden grade, while a Phillip Stokes-trained mare looks good each-way value.
Cranbourne Race 1
#3 sonofthebeast
Sonofthebeast was just run down on the line last start in what looked to be a sit and sprint home to the post over the mile.
He seemed to ridden a bit too slowly out of in front as he was nursed along in the lead, but he will take plenty of benefit from the run.
It looked like a good conditioning run to attack the mile at his third start and it it a positive sign to see Craig Newitt back on board.
Expect him to be aggressive when the barriers open and he was use this three-year-old gelding’s strong fitness base at the distance to great effect here.
Hoping he goes quickly out in front and gets all these horses off the bit chasing from a long way out.
Suggested Bet: Sonofthebeast win at $2.8
cranbourne race 5
#8 Night 'n' vegas
Night ‘N’ Vegas looks ready to run a peak race on Australian soil after acquitting herself well behind the very smart Yonce.
The Phillip Stokes-trained four-year-old mare whacked away well enough to finish fifth of 14 runners, albeit beaten seven lengths, but she is clearly open to plenty of improvement.
With the blinkers going on for the first time and going up in distance, we expect her to settle handy to speed again and improve her first-up rating by anywhere between 2-4 lengths.
That would see her hard in the finish here and a great each-way proposition at the current price.
Suggested Bet: Night ‘N’ Vegas each-way at $7.5 the win and $2.5 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 2, 6, 8
Cranbourne race 7
#3 tax free prophet
The last two efforts of Tax Free Prophet have been much better than his form line suggests.
Two starts ago he drew wide at Moonee Valley over 955 meters and had to take his medicine by snicking back to the rear of the field.
Following that run where he finished 1.4 lengths off Kev’s Girl, he drew the inside up the Flemington straight last Friday on Rapid Racing day and was never in the hunt with winners coming down the outside fence.
This race looks a much better set up for him as he can hunt up from the inside draw and take the sit behind the leaders like he did at Mornington three starts ago before bursting through for victory.
Each-way all day.
Suggested Bet: Tax Free Prophet each-way at $6 the win and $2.25 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 3, 4, 13
Cranbourne race 8
#9 runaway train
Odd to see Yarra Glen BM-58 form lead the market at the Cranbourne, however we are siding with it here.
Jamie Kah takes the ride on this five-year-old mare who is no superstar, but can take control of this race and prove too good.
She went to the line nicely with 63kgs on her back last start and did a brave job to run second.
Getting down in the weights is a big tick as is drawing a very soft barrier.
She now has the fitness on her side to run well up to her mark, which is well and truly capable of winning this race.
Just hoping Kah has her eye in at this stage of the night and can punch out this mare to victory.
Suggested Bet: Runaway Train win at $4.4