Warwick Farm and Sandown Hillside are the places to be this Wednesday! With exciting racing expected at both venues, and with premierships starting to heat up, find out below who our experts are expecting to take home the mid-week chocolates!
Warwick Farm Race 5
#5 Apex
Apex was good without winning first-up at Canterbury. The Exceedance gelding savaged the line late, and he put the writing on the wall for a successful preparation. He strips fitter after his narrow defeat fresh, and his record at the trip must be respected. He has been heavily supported in most all-in markets, and the Nash Rawiller factor must be respected. Hard to toss!
Struck Gold is ready to peak. Both runs this campaign have caught the eyes of punters, and the 3kg apprentice claim puts him into all winning conversations. The drop back in distance is advantageous, and he grows an extra leg on weather affected tracks. From barrier eight, the Castledale gelding will roll forward and pilot the field, and if he can cheat the clock throughout, she may prove hard to run down. He tends to find one or two better at the pointy end of a contest.
Livin’ Thing was an impressive first-up winner. The Yes Yes Yes gelding put his rivals to the sword a long way from home at Kembla Grange, and he deserves his shot at this level. The rise in trip suits, and the 2kg apprentice claim could prove a training masterstroke. His racing pattern and style will always require an element of good fortune.
Suggested Bet: Apex @ $2.50
Warwick Farm RACE 6
#6 Sounds Unusual
Sounds Unusual stormed home from another suburb fresh. The Unusual Suspect gelding looks ready for the mile, and I suspect he has more upside and progression than the majority of his rivals. The big boy meets easier opposition, and he traditionally performs well at this preparation stage. The carpark draw and his record in the wet are among the primary concerns.
Good Prize is flying at present. The Prized Icon gelding has won three on the bounce, and he looks extremely hard to beat jumping from a perfect inside draw. The apprentice claim brings the consistent four-year-old into all winning conversations, and he has been specked at a price since markets opened. The class rise is his biggest challenge.
Naval Commission is racing well without winning. The Merchant Navy gelding tends to perform his best at this stage of his campaign, and he looks extremely well placed in this company. The James Mc Donald and Chris Waller combination must be respected, and if the rain continues to fall, I expect his quote to shorten significantly before the barriers open. The grandstand weight is his biggest obstacle.
Suggested Bet: Sounds Unusual @ $4.50
sandown Race 6
#13 Boardrider
Boardrider is set to explode third-up from a spell on Wednesday. Both performances this campaign have been good, with threatening, and the step out to 1800m could prove the winning difference. The middle gate will give the inform Jamie Melham multiple options during the early stages of the race, and if the rising five-year-old is presented with his run at the right time, I expect him to prove too strong late. Ready to win!
Half Yours will start race favourite after producing a dominant victory at Seymour. The St Jean gelding will eat up every inch of the longer trip, and crowd favourite Harry Coffey has already built an impressive and winning association with the McEvoy-trained galloper. The money trail indicates another build performance, and he handles all conditions. The awkward alley the primary concern.
Albanian I Am can run a drum at cricket-score odds. The Impending gelding is racing better than it suggests in the bible, and he greets his pet distance on Wednesday. He finds a winnable assignment, and I suspect the enigmatic five-year-old will produce his best performance of the preparation. Over the odds and a must for all broader multiples and exotics.
Suggested Bet: Boardrider @ $4.80
sandown Race 7
#7 Impending Link
Impending Link looks suited dropping back sharply in grade. The Impending gelding was ok without threatening in a hot form race at Flemington, and his form prior reads incredibly well for this event. The step out in trip suits, and I suggest he is rock-hard fit after a lengthy and fruitful campaign. He needs to put another victory on the board!
Boltsaver is knocking on the door. The Bolt D’oro gelding has only been beaten in the shadows at his previous two starts, and I suspect he is ready to explode third-up from a spell. His versatility is exceptional, and the consistent John Allen knows the horse better than himself. He will be savaging the line from a minute back, and if he doesn’t get too far out of his ground during the early stages of the event, he will be hard to hold out late. The tricky gate and race shape are among the primary concerns.
Flamin’ Romans is over the odds. The Ghibellines gelding is the class runner of the field, and the 2kg apprentice claim puts him into all winning calculations. A recent barrier trial looked ominous, and there has been plenty of early support since acceptances. His best performance here could be a times and margins job, and I suspect he is ready for a successful spell over the upcoming winter months. Jumping from a difference hemisphere is the biggest deterrent.
Suggested Bet: Impending Link @ $6.00
