The Victorian and NSW harness racing Saturday night double from Melton and Menangle.
It is not a weekend without these two venues hosting pacing and racing as our team finds the best bets for both programs.
Melton Race 1
#9 Would You Mind
We gave a big push for Would You Mind a week ago and nothing has changed tact here given how this race plays out for him.
Having drawn the second row you would be remiss to think that would not cause an issue from a navigational perspective, but the horse drawn in front of our pick has a good early toe.
That should allow Grant Douglas to position himself within striking distance.
A replica of what he did last week when being narrowly defeated by odds-on commodity Jimmy The Irishman would see him win this.
Tipping him as the best of the night.
Suggested Bet: Would You Mind win at $2.5
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 8 & 9
Melton Race 2
#11 Delightful Jazz
The two favourites look to have this race at their mercy but there is a shark in the midst of clear waters here.
Delightful Jazz looks to be a huge swooping threat and given the price differential compared to the Ahmed Taiba-trained mare and the favourites we have to side her.
She has raced in much harder company at her last three efforts and now drops back to an 61-86 rated race.
With Helgart drawn out wide and Soho Broadway drawn the inner, they could go gung-ho for the lead and set it up for Delightful Jazz.
Suggested Bet: Delightful Jazz each-way
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 3, 8, 11
Melton Race 6
#6 Sanday
Sanday looks ready to return a winner after being well beaten last week at Melton over 1720 metres.
She resumed from a 156-day spell with an honest first-up performance to finish runner-up behind Foolish Pleasure over 2240 metres and then raced very dour in a second-up failure.
That poor effort last start, where she was beaten by 22 metres, is not a true guide of her chances here.
Getting back up in distance 2240 metres should see her bounce straight to her favoured front-running role without doing too much work.
If she can controls the lead on her owns terms then she is going to be super hard to get through.
Suggested Bet: Sanday win at $3.5
Melton Race 7
#9 Keayang Livana
Win after win after win!
That is the form line defending Matriarch Trot champion Keayang Livana brings into this race.
The 2020 winner of this race put together four wins in a row before heading off the spelling paddock.
She then resumed a fortnight ago with a powerful win the Group 3 La Coocaracha Trot FFA to stamp herself back on the pacing circuit with authority.
Trainer Margaret Lee is sure to have more improvement up her sleeve for this horse and if that occurs, with even luck in the run, they will not be beating this mare.
Suggested Bet: Keayang Livana win at $2.5
Menangle Race 7
#5 Rocknroll Angel
Backing Rocknroll Angel to turn the tables on stablemate The Stunning Nun.
In a nine-horse field last start, Rocknroll Angel strode to a clear lead and set a solid tempo out front but was stalked all the way by her stablemate.
She was nearly a month between runs and may have just felt the pinch late in the race given the early work she had to do to find the front.
The Stunning Nun had the perfect drop in behind her as well as the fitness advantage given she raced on the seven-day back-up.
The pair gapped the rest of the field to fight out a great race but we are firmly in the corner of Rocknroll Angel given the fitness benefit she will derive from last start as well as a starting price advantage over her stablemate.
Suggested Bet: Rocknroll Angel win at $3.2
