MURRAY BRIDGE PUNT PREVIEW - SATURDAY 11th OCTOBER
BEST BET – GOLDEN HORIZON (R1 #2)
NEXT BEST – DARKNCONFIDENTIAL (R3 #4)
BEST VALUE – HARD PRINCE (R9 #8)
Race 1 - Bridge Carpet Court Andrew Mills 1000 Guineas (Heat of Sportsbet Rebel Raider Series) (1000 METRES)
A small field of six to kick off Murray Bridge Cup Day, with racing expected to be on a Good 4 surface.
GOLDEN HORIZON has the tactical advantage of likely being a length or two in front of the main danger, VIRTUAL ILLUSION, which may well hold him in good stead for this first-up assignment. His two-year-old form has been franked and looked ready to go after a recent trial win here three weeks ago.
VIRTUAL ILLUSION created a big impression on debut at the Parks track a fortnight ago with his impressive back-end sectionals, which saw him gun down Gin Explosion late. Expect these two to dominate betting and fight out the finish.
FINE ACE can find the leaders back and run into the minor money.
SELECTIONS: 2 GOLDEN HORIZON, 1 VIRTUAL ILLUSION, 5 FINE ACE, 3 SNALLYGASTER.
PLAY: Backing in Golden Horizon to hold on.
Race 2 - Rural City of Murray Bridge - Moorundi Classic (900 METRES)
The babies step out for the first time, and again, another event that looks like a race in two. The Travis Doudle-trained BLANDFORD BARON looked to do everything right in his 800 metre trial here three weeks ago. Caitlin Tootell has been aboard in jumpouts and trials, adding confidence that she knows this runner well.
INHABIT looks the logical danger on what we saw from the trials last Friday at this circuit. The Michael Hickmott-trained filly looks to have an abundance of natural speed and will be mighty hard to run down over this trip.
The Stokes-trained REBEL TUESDAY must be respected off its trial win, but it was a fair bit slower than INHABIT on the same day.
SELECTIONS: 1 BLANDFORD BARON, 5 INHABIT, 7 REBEL TUESDAY, 3 VANDAROSS.
PLAY: Blandford Baron at the expected price differential with Inhabit.
Race 3 - Spry Civil Constructions Handicap (Heat of Sportsbet Skybeau Series) (2000 METRES)
DARKNCONFIDENTIAL scored back-to-back wins last Saturday with Jason Holder aboard on both occasions. Gets nice weight relief with the step up in grade, and I doubt a few of these are in peak form at present, so no reason to suggest he can’t win again on the 7-day back-up.
The Matthew Seyers trained TEST THE LAW has been racing well enough for a race of this nature with solid efforts in the Balaklava and Coleraine Cups. Can he give DARKNCONFIDENTIAL 6.5kg the big question.
LOMAX can weave his way into the placings late, and ARUGAMAMA should be ready to produce with miles in the legs.
SELECTIONS: 4 DARKNCONFIDENTIAL, 1 TEST THE LAW, 2 ARUGAMAMA, 6 LOMAX.
PLAY: Darknconfidential win.
Race 4 - Marshall & Brougham Constructions Reg Nolan Flying (Heat of Sportsbet Gytrash Series) (1200 METRES)
PRAIRIE FLOWER and FANCIFY were terrific resuming in the Wylie Handicap with their far-differing racing patterns. FANCIFY brave on speed and PRARIE FLOWER flashing home late.
Both have accepted for the Group 3 Northwood Plume Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, so early interest will be to see where they line up.
Interesting clash if it does eventuate. The Will Clarken-trained PRAIRIE FLOWER would need a few of these to keep Fancify honest early to get into the race late.
PRESS DOWN, a pass mark in the Wylie fresh, and CHICAGO STORM will be hoping the class runners chase richer spoils interstate, and their chances will be significantly enhanced.
SELECTIONS: 1 FANCIFY, 3 PRARIE FLOWER, 2 PRESS DOWN, 4 CHICAGO STORM.
PLAY: Wait and see. Leaning Fancify.
Race 5 - Fore + Flex Handicap (Heat of Sportsbet Viddora Series) (1100 METRES)
The Kym Healy-trained STARLITE VALLEY hasn't won since July last year, but this looks the easiest race she has contested in a while. Form is good enough, and map reads well. After the Brooke King 3kg claim, she will be in with 60kgs.
REFRESHING gave some cheek in front a fortnight ago at the Parks track. Could dictate again here.
TRULY ELSA was a tad disappointing last preparation. Impossible to ignore the recent trail, she is a first-up winner and if on her best behaviour at the jump, she can play a big role in the finish. MISLUDI must be respected, given the Stokes and Opperman combination, and this mare usually races best fresh.
SELECTIONS: 1 STARLITE VALLEY, 4 TRULY ELSA, 6 MISLUDI, 3 REFRESHING.
PLAY: Starlite Valley on an each-way basis with a saver Truly Elsa.
Race 6 - Gifford Hill Estate Handicap (Heat of Sportsbet Riziz Series) (1100 METRES)
It's D-Day for STREETCAR FURY, he gave them too big a start when he hit the line hard as an even money favourite behind Free Beer at the Parks track on September 20.
The ability is there, and his followers will be keen to see him jump clean, find some cover midfield, and put them away late.
GINGER SINNER has proved a bargain buy for Paula Trenwith, showing enough on resumption to suggest a forward showing is likely.
Despite the allotted 63 kg's RICHE D'AMOUR looks right in a race of this nature, going on his two wins here earlier in the campaign.
Credit to Byron Cozamanis for ROUND TWO's form turnaround this time in. The barrier issues seem a distant memory.
SELECTIONS: 9 STREETCAR FURY, 5 GINGER SINNER, 8 ROUNT TWO, 1 RICHE D'AMOUR.
PLAY: Last chance Streetcar Fury.
Race 7 - Thomas Farms Handicap (1400 METRES)
THREATENING won impressively at his SA debut for the Searle & Callanan team at this track on September 17, and the form out of the race reads well. Obviously, a step up in grade, but looks capable of going on with the job. The extra trip looks likely to assist.
The Peter and Belinda Blanch-trained EXTRA HOT is racing well; she comes into play late when they go hard at the top.
FALANGHINA can mix her form a bit but is more than capable, nice return effort from an outside gate and draws the rails here, so possibly settle closer and ridden for luck. Knockout hope.
BAD DETECTIVE did too much work in front at his latest effort behind Komachi, and it told late, I am sure there is a metro win in him soon.
SELECTIONS: 4 THREATENING, 7 EXTRA HOT, 8 FALANGHINA, 5 BAD DETECTIVE.
PLAY: Threatening each-way
Race 8 - Carlton Draught Murray Bridge Gold Cup (Heat of Sportsbet Happy Trails Series) (1600 METRES)
WATADEEL backed up his Balaklava Cup placing with an authoritative win in the small field at Morphettville Parks over PUDDING on September 27, and gets the 3.5 kg swing on SAV ON ICE from the Balaklava Cup placing, which looks advantageous. Can slot into the running line here from the good gate and hard to hold out late.
SIR KINGSFORD is an interesting proposition, things may just work out better for him here early form the low draw than they did upon resumption at Balaklava.
CARTOON GRAVEYARD looks ready for a peak performance. Would need things to go his way in the run home, possibly buried the rails, but the early money suggests a few think he can feature.
Grey gelding SAV ON ICE has to be respected despite failing to fire in Melbourne recently. His previous local form was first class.
That's not where the race ends, as you wouldn't be shocked if MARACOURT, PUDDING or THE PENDRAGON were in the finish.
SELECTIONS: 5 WATADEEL, 3 SIR KINGSFORD, 9 CARTOON GRAVEYARD, 2 SAV ON ICE.
PLAY: Backing in Watadeel to get the favours in transit and too strong late.
Race 9 - Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (1400 METRES)
Looks like a very open race on paper, but going with the Mick Huxtable trained SURPRISE COMING, a return to his home track and getting to the outside might just be the antidote he needs to fulfil his potential and get the money.
DUAL PRESSURE finished alongside SURPRISE COMING in the blanket finish last start behind Ndola, he looks ready to win again.
It might be a run too early, but you just can't let HARD PRINCE go round at these odds. Fastest last 200 meters of the race behind Ndola suggests the extra trip and bigger track is ideal, and it wouldn't be that big a turnaround to see a result.
Respect for ZOUPURRING, who might just need a bit of luck from the gate and the promising PARTY CRASHER, who looks to have plenty of potential with longer races in mind.
SELECTIONS: 8 HARD PRINCE. 4 SURPRISE COMING, 2 DUAL PRESSURE, 7 PARTY CRASHER.
PLAY: Hard Prince at the big odds.