The inaugural running of the Country Discovery sees the Punter’s Prince filter his way through an eight-race card at Sale on Good Friday.
He has found plenty of value on the program and it all starts in race two with Damian Lane guiding us into the program.
sale race 2
#6 grey whisper
The Ben Brisbourne stable is has really started to hits straps through the second half off 2021 and throughout 2022.
Grey Whisper is one of the country-sprinting jets he has in his care and this mare is ready to thrown down the gauntlet to her opposition here.
She put together a very nice string of wins before being given a questionable ride at Benalla last start.
Apprentice jockey Hannah Edgley got way too far back in the run and this mare was making up a huge amount of ground late in the race.
With Damian Lane being booked from barrier seven, it is hard to envisage this horse being as far back as she was last start.
She has a vicious turn of gears for this level of racing and can easily win.
Suggested Bet: Grey Whisper each-way at $5 the win and $2 the place.
sale race 4
#6 state squad
The breeding of State Squad would suggest he will absolutely relish the rise in distance from the mile to 2200 metres.
He resumed at Sandown over the mile in BM-64 grade and acquitted himself really well for a horse who was only going to be better for the run.
He managed to run second to Texcel who had all the favours.
Now finds himself in a very suitable race with gun jockey Mark Zahra remaining in the saddle.
Middle barrier means he is likely to tag onto the two or three-wide running line and can get a nice cart into the race.
Might be in need of this run to be really hitting his top, but the each-way price is there for us to have bet.
Suggested Bet: State Squad each-way at $8 the win and $2.8 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 3, 5, 6, 7
sale race 6
#5 express pass
There really is no better stable in form at the moment than Nick Ryan.
His last 100 starters have yielded 22 winners at 17% ROI, which is phenomenal.
Ryan saddles up his gun sprinter Express Pass this inaugural edition of the Country Discovery.
Kerrin McEvoy has come down from Sydney to nab the ride and this sprinter seems to get in beautifully at the weights.
He is a last-start winner at Flemington and can bring that winning form here.
Maps to get a beautiful trailing run in a midfield spot and will be hard to hold out on an each-way basis.
Suggested Bet: Express Pass each-way at $10 the win and $3.2 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed First Four – 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11
sale race 7
#5 hydro star
Hydro Star had always shown a good level of talent, but just has not been able to put it all together in his racing career.
He took a step in the right direction when winning at Ballarat in BM-64 grade last start and seems to have got over his behavioural and soundness issues.
Having to lug around 60.5kgs is not ideal, but hopefully that is put to rest with the fitness advantage he has over a handful of runners in this field.
He is going to settle back and there does look to be plenty of early in this race, which should allow him to find his rhythm and run on strongly.
The market will tell you the story with him.
If he is rock solid at around the $8-8.5 or is backed in from that quote, he will be running well.
Keep an eye on the betting.
Suggested Bet: Hydro Star each-way at $8.5 the win and $2.90 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 3, 5, 10, 16
