A very wet and wild edition of Saturday racing comes up today, with a number of the feature meetings around the country taking place on rain-affected going. Morphettville takes centre stage with the running of two G1 races in the Robert Sangster Stakes, and the Australasian Oaks. It looks to be a cracking 9 race card down south, and is sure to provide some competitive racing in the heavy going. You’ll find a number of good horses going around up at Doomben as well, as they prepare for their customary carnival. Other metropolitan racing takes place Randwick-Kensington, and Sandown Lakeside. With some wet weather going around, there’s no better time to park up in front of the TV, and have a day on the punt. PlayUp form analyst Lewis Willoughby has identified five key picks, check them out below.
Sandown Lakeside R1 #3 Rose Of Sebring $1.95 at PlayUp – This Lindsey Park filly comes here third-up after dominating at Ballarat on a Heavy 10 over the 1200m.She led that day and gave nothing else a look, when pulling away for a 5 length victory. A quick freshen since then ensures she lines up here with some life in her legs, and the filly looks well suited over the 1200m on the rain affected surface. From barrier 4, look for her to sit behind the leaders before peeling out as she approaches the turn to put this field away.The fact that she is proven on the heavy going puts her ahead of her rivals here, who are yet to be tested on the surface.
Sandown Lakeside R4 #1 Too Good Too Hard $2.50 at PlayUp – Third up here coming off a good win last start at Caulfield over the 1100m, and that was off the back of a very sound effort first up behind I’m Telling Ya at Mornington. Back up to 1200m now with the added fitness is suitable, and her record in soft going is decent, reading 5:2-1-0. Obviously no starts on a genuine heavy could be a concern, but she gets a a 3kg claim from rider L German, and is a weapon at the 1200m. From the wide alley of barrier 12, it may even allow her to find the better going out wide when push comes to shove in the straight. She is the class horse of this field and can be winning!
Sandown Lakeside R9 #13 Buffalo River $2.05 at PlayUp – This Moroney trained gelding looks to have group-level ability.He continues his campaign here coming off the back of a very impressive first-up win at Caulfield. On that occasion, he carried 60kg over 1400m on a Heavy 8 and made it look super easy. Adding more merit to that performance was the fact that it came so early into his campaign. He didn’t beat slouches either, demonstrated by the fact that a number of those horses have since gone on to be competitive in quality races. He sticks to the 1400m for this assignment, drops 4kg and gets the services of Damien Oliver. He’ll relish the wet track based off his last start performance and from barrier one, look for him to land on-speed with minimal effort. The gelding rates much higher than his rivals and has a fitness edge over his main danger Harbour Views. My only concern is that by race 9, the inside of the track may be inferior going. However, I trust that Oliver will position him appropriately.
Doomben R6 #4 Milk Man $4.40 at PlayUp – Looks perfectly placed here third up after just finding proper Sydney grade this prep a touch too strong. In saying that, he was far from disgraced last start on the Kensington track carrying 61kg. Up to the mile, and gets in very well at the weights, carrying only 55.5kg. He has been competitive at this benchmark grade previously in Sydney, and is likely to find this race today a touch easier. A soft track is no issue either, as long as it doesn’t downgrade any further. Maps well from barrier five, and the booking of leading rider J Orman is an added bonus. Can be very competitive in this race.
Randwick Kensington R5 #9 Intrepidacious $8.00 at PlayUp – Comes here off the back of a slight freshen, and has trialled last week at Randwick, finishing 2nd to Fituese in a tidy piece of work. Her three runs earlier in the campaign were very sound, behind the likes of Super Oasis and McCormack. She thrives at this 1100m distance, with three wins and two placings from nine attempts at it. More, a soft track poses her no concern, having won her debut run very convincingly on wet going. She does stick to the same benchmark grade she was contesting earlier, which helps, and I thought at her current quote she was great value in what is a very open race. I noticed also that trainer J O’Shea made a good push for her in the media late in the week. Could be a sound each way investment.
