It was a day of almosts which finished with a flurry at Sale on Tuesday, and the Punter’s Prince is bringing in the momentum of a solid start to the week.
The best bets for Sandown are in, and he has targeted a Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott runner as his best of the day.
Sandown race 1
#12 yaltara
Just have to love the jumpouts of Yaltara, who has shown professionalism beyond her years.
The two-year-old filly is bred for speed and stamina about Bubula and Khulaasa, our star sire, I Am Invincible.
She has had two jump-outs to date and was not bustled out in either of them but showed great tactical speed and the ability to come under her rider when asked to settle.
She travelled with a beautiful head carriage in both jump-outs and was trucking nicely through the finish line.
Her second-place effort behind Maximillius is a reference that punters thought enough to send Maximillius out as a $2.90 favourite in a $130k VOBIS race at Caulfield.
This filly will get a gun run from the inside barrier, and she has shown her versatility where she can race on speed or seat and settle if the pace gets too fast upfront.
Suggested Bet: Yaltara win at $3.60
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 2, 3, 12
sandown race 2
#5 teofilo star
Teofilo Star returned with a solid run after suffering an internal exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage at Moonee Valley two starts ago.
The staying galloper for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott was given a seven-week let-up to get himself right for the rest of his campaign, and the stable seems to have brought him right.
His last-start effort was a sensational third-place behind Emperor Of France and Power Of Song in a race rated through the roof for BM-64 level over 2000 metres.
He led the field up at a hectic tempo which rated 12.5 lengths above benchmark from the start of the race to the 800 metres, and he tapered off late.
With that run under his belt, he will only benefit from a fitness perspective.
The speed map has him controlling the lead and high-balling in front as he tries to get all these horses chasing from a long way off.
The Hillside track can favour horses who get unchallenged leads.
Suggested Bet: Teofilo Star win at $4.4
sandown race 6
#9 aravene
The ears are always pricked when Caroline Jennings sends out a runner.
She is a gem of a trainer, and she places her horses brilliantly.
This time she saddles up Aravene, who looks like a progressive filly that can go on to stakes-grade races.
After resuming at Flemington over 1400 metres, Aravene now gets to a spacious track over 1800 metres and can wind up that big finish over this distance range.
No doubt Jennings would have left plenty up the sleeve of this filly, and Brett Prebble being booked is a good sign.
Freshness in the legs against horses with plenty of convictions is a scenario to be involved with.
Suggested Bet: Aravene win $3.3
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Exacta – 5, 7, 9
sandown race 8
#13 air defence
I am having an each-way nibble on Air Defence at the long odds.
He has got himself in races where either the barriers, conditions or race pace have not suited him.
This event at Sandown sees him come up against a field where he can press forward from the middle gate and lead them up.
He enjoys racing on a soft to heavy going and can run a cheeky race out in front.
Suggested Bet: Air Defence each way at $20 for the win and $5.5 for the place.
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 1, 4, 10 ,13, 19
