BEST BETS
GEEIJO (Race 1) FIRST TOSEN (Race 5)
VALUE
MERCHANT BOSS (Race 8)
RACE 1 - 12:05PM 2024 Gold Cup – Book Now Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate (900 METRES)
GEEIJO hasn’t finished further back then 4th in all three runs and was 2nd behind Nasho at Gawler in October and then a $2.40 favourite when 4th behind Our Divinyl before a break. He draws out and looks perfectly placed here. Stablemate OK GERRY has been runner-up at her past two behind Scudetto at Port Lincoln and then Kikusui at Mount Gambier. She can run well. ONEOFTHESENIGHTS is on debut for the Searle/Callanan stable and was placed at his last two runs at Dubbo, she has trialled OK for her local debut. TRELAZE was placed at Mt Gambier on debut and led when beaten 11.2 lengths behind Sioux Warrior at Balaklava last time. REINE OF NINE is a former NSW galloper who was a big drifter and well beaten behind Dodd at her local debut.
SELECTIONS: 1 GEEIJO, 7 Oneofthesenights, 2 Trelaze, 8 Reine Of Nine PLAY: Keen on GEEIJO.
RACE 2 - 12:40PM Thomas Farms Maiden Plate (1200 METRES)
David Jolly has three runners here. VALENTINA CHARM has been placed at six of her nine starts the latest when 2nd behind Sellix at Oakbank. She was placed at her only run here and finds a winnable race. Stablemate UNDERCOVER AGENT was a big drifter in betting from $1.90 out to $3.40 when he got back and was beaten 0.8 lengths behind Lift The Bar at Bordertown. SAVETHEBESTTILLAST was 4th in that race and finished off OK. The third of the Jolly runners is OUR GLAMOUR GIRL who was a drifter when beaten 5.3 lengths behind Trantoro at Gawler. KALBARRI was placed here on debut behind In My Room and then favourite behind A Samurai Mind here back in February. He was beaten 10.9 lengths behind Intacto at Balaklava last time and gets his chance to improve. PAINTED PONY was beaten 6.6 lengths in 3rd behind Shadowfax at Port Lincoln and gets blinkers for the first time. OCHEROUS is a former Victorian now with Grant Young and was 4th in a recent trial here. MINE ALL MINE is on debut for John Macmillan and won an Oakbank trial back in January. SKY CANDY is on debut for the Francis/Kent stable and was well beaten in a trial here.
SELECTIONS: 9 VALENTINA CHARM, 5 Kalbarri, 3 Undercover Agent, 6 Mine All Mine PLAY: Something on VALENTINA CHARM.
RACE 3 - 1:15PM Carlton Draught Maiden Plate (1600 METRES)
DOUBLE YOU OWE was a runner-up on debut here behind A Samurai Mind back in February and was again 2nd at Strathalbyn behind Nisko Tu two runs back. He draws a gate and this is a winnable race. WE’VE GOTTA DEEL has been placed at his past two running 2nd behind Hey Nikki at Bordertown before following up with another good run when 3rd behind Morris Minor at Gawler last week. I TELL YA WHAT was beaten 5.2 lengths in 2nd behind Hot Off at Balaklava last time, he can give this a shake. MY CRACKLING has been placed at four of 13 starts and comes off a 9.1 length 4th behind Hot Off at Balaklava TRUMPTY DUMPTY was $4.20 to $3.20 in the same race when beaten 10.2 lengths.
SELECTIONS: 3 DOUBLE YOU OWE, 4 We’ve Gotta Deel, 7 I Tell Ya What, 9 My Crackling PLAY: Good race for DOUBLE YOU OWE.
RACE 4 - 1:50PM Sportsbet Bet With Mates Class Two Handicap (1400 METRES)
HOT OFF had been around the mark in maiden grade before scoring a dominant 5.2 length win at Balaklava beating I Tell Ya What. A repeat would go a long way to winning here. FAVOUIRTE CHILD is a former Victorian first-up for the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea stable. She was placed behind Etara at Geelong last time out and looks well placed from a good gate. FALAISE has plenty of talent but has only been fair in two runs this time in, the latest beaten 5.1 lengths behind Imposing Suspect but looks over the odds at $10 in early markets. ALFANO is first-up in SA for the Bain/Taylor stable and has placed at two of his past four in Midway grade in Sydney. He has trialled nicely running 2nd behind Cool The Jets. CAPTAIN JOOLIAN draws a nice barrier and can run a well. THE CASSINI has been placed at his past couple behind Base Of Fire at Gawler and then 3rd behind Just Like Lisa at Mildura.
SELECTIONS: 4 HOT OFF, 7 Favourite Child, 3 Falaise, 1 Alfano PLAY: Something on FALAISE each-way.
RACE 5 - 2:30PM Spry Civil Construction Raceday – 25th May Benchmark 56 Handicap (1600 METRES)
FIRST TOSEN was good first-up at Oakbank when 4th behind Andrew’s Memory before he went to Horsham and was $3.90 into $2.80 favourite when beaten 1.55 lengths behind Itsukushima. He draws a good gate. TOBIWASH was placed behind Tres Belle on the Parks two runs back and then beaten 2.9 lengths in 4th behind Imposing Suspect at Gawler. SOUTHERN SHOOTER made good ground when 3rd behind Annihilate at Balaklava last time. SEAFARRING has been placed at nine of his 16 starts here and led when narrowly beaten by Fortis In Armis at Strathalbyn on Sunday. FIZIQUE is back in trip after being beaten 1.8 lengths in 3rd behind Chosen Miss at Strathalbyn. JAMCRA has been racing well.
SELECTIONS: 2 FIRST TOSEN, 12 Tobiwash, 4 Southern Shooter, 10 Seafarring PLAY: Keen on FIRST TOSEN.
RACE 6 - 3:10PM Beyond Ink Benchmark 56 Handicap (1600 METRES)
FOX GEM has talent and was OK second-up from a long break when beaten 2.8 lengths behind Annihilate at Balaklava. He has been placed at two of five here and looks right up to a race like this. SCAMSTER is a former Victorian who was $51 to $26 in the same race first-up in SA. He won a Cranbourne maiden last September and is capable of running well here. APPLIED draws a nice gate and made ground behind a dominant Seeking Stardom here last time over the 1800m. TWO TIMES TWICE was a winner on the Parks last time in work and horse capable of improving sharply in a race like this. JAMROCK has had two runs in SA and was close-up behind Base Of Fire two runs back.
SELECTIONS: 3 FOX GEM, 6 Scamster, 12 Applied PLAY: Backing FOX GEM and saving on SCAMSTER at $15.
RACE 7 - 3:45PM Sportsbet Fast Form Fillies & Mares Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200 METRES)
TOI ET MOI has a win and a second from two runs here and was OK when beaten 3.7 lengths behind Foxy Femme on the Parks last time. She draws out but that suits and she can give this a shake. CRY CRY BABY resumes and has been in the money at both her first-up runs. She hasn’t raced since running 4.9 lengths behind Starlite Rebel at KI but can run a big race. LUNASHA has won two of her past three the latest at Bordertown beating Free Beer. She draws out with her big weight and should be in the mix. EL PASO CITIE was 4th in the same race last time and won at Bordertown three starts back. INTACTO comes off a Balaklava maiden win beating Talkin’ Italian who broke through at Strathalbyn on Sunday. She draws a nice gate and should be in the mix again. TRUE GEM won a Clare maiden before another OK effort when beaten 2.9 lengths behind Episodic on the Parks. That’s good form for a race like this. HATEECH was good running 2nd behind Hooked On Wealth at Balaklava last time out, she draws out but is a winner at her only start this track and trip. SHE SPARKLES resumes and won a Bordertown maiden in December and has trialled OK.
SELECTIONS: 6 TOI ET MOI, 7 Cry Cry Baby, 1 Lunasha, 9 Intacto PLAY: Backing TOI ET MOI.
RACE 8 - 4:20PM Fred Vella Tyre & Crash Repair Colts, Geldings & Entires Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200 METRES)
MERCHANT BOSS is a smart horse on his day and was a winner on the Parks and Morphettville main track back in July. His fresh form is OK, he gets some weight relief and more than capable of winning a race like this on his best form. FREE BEER was placed on the Parks three runs back behind Sir Sway who has really stepped up since and his latest was a 2nd behind Lunasha at Bordertown. He gets in well from the middle gate and should run well. SANTASTICO comes off a Bordertown placing when beaten 1.6 lengths behind All Beans. He has plenty of weight even after the claim but should be in the mix again. DAMAGED is a former NSW galloper first-up for Bain/Taylor and was placed at Canterbury last time out behind Border Control beaten 1.6 lengths which is good form for a race like this and the blinkers come off. GUSTY WAY was a Bordertown winner in February and comes off an OK run beaten 4.6 lengths behind All Beans. UTAH JOE was an Oakbank winner last time out beating Thebigsosso and has placed at three of eight here.
SELECTIONS: 1 MERCHANT BOSS, 4 Free Beer, 1 Santastico, 6 Damaged PLAY: Something on MERCHANT BOSS each-way at $12.
