Racing returns to Headquarters this Saturday for a nine-race program with the first scheduled to jump at 11:50 am.
A couple of 3yo contests as well as three Open Handicap races stand as the main races on the card and while there are a few strong favourites in the market, it looks to be quite a tough betting program.
The track is currently rated as a Soft 6 but with dry weather on Friday and the top-quality drainage at Flemington, expecting we can get close to a Good 4 on race day.
The running rail is out 11m after previously being out 8m, and this should see the track be favourable to horses settling from midfield to the rear drawn inside to middle barriers.
Some good bets are to be had on this program and there are a few below that have plenty of reasons to get confident about.
This lightly-raced 5YO gelding returns from a spell and has his first run with his new trainers Lee & Shannon Hope.
Formerly with Greg Eurell, this horse is having its third preparation in Australia having started here before going over to Hong Kong as a 2YO.
His two runs last preparation were solid with a 2nd to the handy ‘Sigh’ first-up at Sandown and a 4th behind ‘Jungle Jim’, ‘Sigh’ and ‘Zorro’s Dream’ up the Flemington straight.
He interestingly comes into this without a jump out or trial so he will be very fresh but that adds to the excitement of what he could do here first-up.
Gets in very low at the weights at 52.5kg with top NZ apprentice jockey Wiremu Pinn claim to get him in at the minimum.
Pinn is in top form with 18 winners from his last 100 rides, including 6 winners here in Australia in a very short period of time.
Has had solid market support and if he can produce a similar performance to his first-up performance last preparation, he has a top chance of winning.
Going with another runner which flying apprentice Wiremu Pinn takes the sit-on.
This 3YO Deep Field colt has been a model of consistency in this preparation with only one run out of the placings.
Last start, he finished 3rd 0.5 of a length off of the favourite in this race ‘Legio Ten’.
He gets a massive 4kg swing in the weights in his favour which has him a strong chance to overturn the result from the last start.
At the start prior, he showed his tactical versatility when producing an enormous run from last to run 2nd behind the handy ‘Airman’ at this track up the straight.
He will be able to settle just behind the pace from his barrier draw without much work and with the soft run will prove very tough to run down.
Head to our horse racing tip market to access the selections of proving winning form analysts.