Midweek racing is really starting to hot up as we move into the Spring carnival. There is a lot of Saturday quality horses racing amongst these midweek cards, and it should provide for a very exciting day of action. Sandown Hillside is on a good track with the rail out 10m, so it will be important to monitor how the track plays early. There is rain expected at Canterbury on Wednesday morning, that could move the track rating into the soft range. There is an 8 race card at Eagle Farm, and 7 races at Murray Bridge and Belmont in the west. Take a look at PlayUp form analyst Lewis Willoughby’s top five picks of the day below.
Sandown Hillside R1 #6 Steel Skies $4.60 at PlayUp – Comes here third up and sticks to the 1600m, the same distance he faced last start when running fourth at Sale behind Bak Da Man. Went forward on that day and was only run down late, but hardly disgraced. Third up here ready to peak, and looks to get a very cheap lead from the inside barrier, which should really suit with this current 10m rail position early in the day. His previous two SP’s have been $20 and $19, so it is encouraging to see him now well in the market. Tipping he runs very well here. Selections: 6-7-4-1
Sandown Hillside R6 #2 Iknewhewasmine $26.00 at PlayUp – Happy to have a very small play here on this Hunter mare who has come up very big odds. Four runs this prep have either been sound, or full of excuses, including last start where she didn’t like running on the synthetic surface and also found the 1200m too far. She has form this prep behind quality Saturday horses, and returns here to a track and distance she is very strong at. 3:2-0-0 at the Sandown 1000m, and coming to a dry surface here also really helps. She will roll forward from the wide barrier to take up the lead, and her fitness should have her in this race for a long way. Selections: 2-14-3-9
Canterbury R5 #6 Axe $5.00 at PlayUp – Finished only 1L off the winner (and subsequent favourite in this race) Plaquette last start when racing first up over 1100m on the Kensington track. He looked all over a winner with 150m to go, but condition gave out very late and he was only pipped in the final strides. Fitter now second up, and gets a great weight swing against Plaquette. From barrier four he will be able to land up on speed with minimal fuss, and any rain about on race day is unlikely to hurt his chances, as he is a previous winner on soft going. I thought he looks a great bet at his current price, and deserves to be shorter. Selections: 6-4-7-9
Canterbury R7 #6 Alchermes $9.00 at PlayUp and #10 Dubai Star $4.20 at PlayUp – Keen to have a two bet play here in the last on these two horses who look over the odds. Starting with Alchermes, who is here first up over this 1200m journey, and has trialled very strongly at Randwick over a longer trip. She was very good on debut last prep off a similarly strong trial performance, and went on to win two straight races on soft ground. With the likelihood of a wet track by this stage of the day, that should really suit her. As for Dubai Star, she was finding the line very strongly last start when racing first up behind In Lighten Me, which looks a strong form line. Second up now and fitter, has won before at Canterbury and looks perfectly placed in this race. Backing both horses to make a profit here. Selections: 6/10-2-15
