Everything you need to back a winner

RACE ONE:
Following an outstanding start to his career on this side of the Tasman, former Kiwi CHECK IN (5) should ensure punters are off to a ‘flying start’ when he faces the starter for the opening event. Now under the care of Darren Hancock, who will also jump into the sulky, the son of Mach Three was having his first out since mid-December when he contested a 1609m event at Headquarters on March 13. Despite heading around to the start without the benefit of an official trial, Check In was listed as favourite on the basis of being involved in races boasting such talent as Mach Shard, Thefixer, Spankem, Stylish Memphis, Copy That and the list goes on. Restrained at the start in the hope of gaining cover, the 7yo ‘skipped’ for a few strides, resulting in Hancock taking hold and losing the opportunity to take a sit. As a result, Check In was left exposed outside of the leader with 1100m to run, and with 200m to run, he managed to poke his nose in front, only to be collected by those around him over the final 50m. When the judge called a halt, Check In, checked in fourth, beaten a mere 3.5m by the likes of Hidden Courage and Rockin Marty. The run certainly pleased Hancock, who was glowing in praise, and confident that the gelding would derive a great deal of benefit from the outing. Suitably drawn in five for his upcoming challenge, Check In has the necessary gate speed to make his presence felt from the outset, and the role as dictator does appear a distinct possibility. That being the case, Check In is more than capable of greeting the judge. SUMMIT SPECIAL (4) certainly deserves consideration and a change of luck after a hat-trick of solid placings. The 6yo son of Mr Feelgood finished one spot ahead of Check In last time out after being held up for a suitable run at a vital stage in the run home. Prepared by David Thorn and to be driven by the in-form Blake Fitzpatrick, Summit Special is definitely worth a ‘saver’ investment. PUMP THE BRAKES (1) is rarely far away and the Sean Grayling trained and driven 7yo will certainly enjoy commencing this race from the pole position. Runner-up to Ashark and Double Encounter, respectively, Pump The Brakes is coming off a gritty 3.8m 4th to Marty Major over this course and distance, which makes him an ideal runner when it comes to forming multiple investments. ROYAL GAMBLE (10) hasn’t had a great deal of luck of late, and will certainly need some after coming up with the outside gate. last time out the 6yo enjoyed a kind, three peg role, only to have trouble securing a clear passage over the final stages. When the judge called a halt, Royal Gamble crossed the line in 5th spot, beaten 5m by Marty Major. There is little doubt that Royal Gamble should have played an active role in the finish. ELROY JETSON (2) continues to be competitive so expect him to make a play for the exotics, along with STORMY RAIDER (3) and a fitter VANDANTA (7).

CHECK IN 1, Summit Special 2, Pump The Brakes 3, Royal Gamble 4.

RACE TWO:
While Check In appears to be one of the ‘better bets’ on the card, another former Kiwi in BAD TO THE BONE (11) isn’t far behind him, despite the presence of an awkward draw. Following back-to-back solid wins, the Paul Fitzpatrick-conditioned son of Bettors Delight failed by a narrow margin in his attempt to recrd a hat-trick of wins. Working from a three wide role in securing the position outside of the leader, Bad To The Bone looked home half-way down the straight, but a fast-finishing Escalera collared the 4yo in the last stride. While the draw is tricky, Gavin Fitzpatrick will be keen to have the classy Bad To The Bone in the thick of the action as soon as possible. Although confronted by a number of quality opponents, Bad To The Bone does appear to have the necessary ‘x-factor to again be seen to advantage. IOLANTA (1) will attract plenty of attention as the Michael Stanley-trained mare will have every chance after drawing ideally in gate one. An all-the-way winner at Geelong two starts ago, Iolanta then attempted to repeat the effort at Melton a couple of weeks ago, but was unable to withstand the late surge of Delightful Jazz. Leonard Cain will take the reins and that will ensure that the 4yo daughter of Bettors Delight plays an active role in the finish. LA BELLA VITA (3) has been racing in superb form since leaving New Zealand and joining the Belinda McCarthy team. After commencing their association with a hat-trick of wins, the Changeover mare then finished a 6.3m 2nd to Elroy Jetson a couple of week ago, with an outside gate proving hard to overcome. This time around and less the reserve, La Bella Vita will slot into gate two, and that will result in the mare receiving a far kinder run. As a result, the 5yo will be in the thick of the action from the outset and, poised to be heavily involved in the finish when the judge calls a halt. THE CROUPIER (9), which is another Belinda McCarthy runner, returns after a disappointing performance at Goulburn in mid-January. The talented 6yo is coming off a handy trial and with his previous form being hard to fault, expect the 6yo to give a far better showing, which entitles him to exotic attention. When forming multiple transactions, also respect the claims of RED REACTOR (6), BUNDORAN (12) and a fitter OUR MONEY ROCKS (7).

BAD TO THE BONE 1, Iolanta 2, La Bella Vita 3, The Croupier 4.

RACE THREE:
This looks to be an open Country Series Final, but with a hat-trick of wins next to his name, BRUHAHA (10) is certainly deserving of top billing, just ahead of HE SAID SHE SAID (9), which is also racing in peak form. Prepared by Nathan Turnbull, who will also be in charge of the driving duties, the 4yo son of Roll With Joe posted back-to-back wins at Parkes, overcoming a 2nd row draw on each occasion, prior to defeating He Said She Said in a heat of this particular event at Young last time out. On that occasion Bruhaha enjoyed a kind run behind the leader while He Said She said was left exposed. For this engagement Bruhaha will leave the machine from gate nine, one spot wider than his main danger. The early battle for supremacy may well decide the outcome. HE SAID SHE SAID (9) has thrived since coming under the care of Michael Muscat and with Phoebe Betts driving in fine fashion, the 4yo son of Well Said is hoping to have the final say in matters. When it comes to forming exotic investments around the above-mentioned duo, SHES KOALA TEE (1) is a definite contender for a spot, with the pole position being a definite plus for the Mr Feelgood mare. OSCAR THE GREAT (2) will also appreciate gate two while HARPS (4), TOYA LOMBO (5) and BETTER THAN CARMER (12), despite the presence of the outside gate, also stays under notice, particularly when looking to add value to the dividend.

BRUHAHA 1, He Said She Said 2, Shes Koala Tee 3, Oscar The Great 4.

RACE FOUR:
Contesting a Miracle Mile when last produced is a fair recommendation for a G3 challenge, which has been named in honour of the great, J.E.Binskin. IGNATIUS (9) has drawn wide in gate 9 for his upcoming assignment, but that won’t be enough from preventing the James Rattraay trained and driven son of Roll With Joe from recording the 25th win of his career from just 52 starts. A gritty 5.8m 4th to King Of Swing in the G1 Schweppes Sprint paved the way for Ignatius to earn the right of contesting the great race, and although the 6yo was never a serious threat from his three peg role, the multi-award winning gelding was far from disgraced in recording an 11.2m 7th to the ‘King’. This time around Rattray will go in search of a role close to the action, which give Ignatius more scope to make a bold bid for victory. The main threat appears to be CRUZ (6), which also attempted to gain entry into the ‘great race’, only to fail by a narrow margin after posting a solid 3.2m 6th to Wolf Stride in the G1 Allied Express Sprint. Following that bold showing, the Belinda McCarthy-trained son of American Ideal raced without cover after a 25.9 opening quarter when he tried hard to head off Double Encounter. Despite the early ‘burn’, Cruz was brave in defeat, recording a 7.6m 6th to his stablemate, Cash N Flow. That form must be respected when assessing his claims. The ‘knock-out’ runner is a stablemate to Cruz, the consistent MAFUTA VAUTIN (8), whuch will again be partnered by Jack Callaghan. The 10yo son of Rollon Bigred continues to be thereabouts when the judge calls a halt, which was the case when he hit the line strongly in posting a 5.3m 5th to Cash N Flow. Although he may lack the class of his two major opponents, there is little doubt that Mafuta Vautin is on the verge of grabbing the 33rd win of his productive career. The forming of exotic investments should include the talented and suitably drawn MACH DA VINCI (4) while MAKOA (2) draws ideally and that should lay the foundations for a cheeky and improved display. HIDDEN COURAGE (7) is coming off a deserving win and that will give the son of Courage Under Fire added confidence going into this harder test so don’t ignore his exotic prospects.

IGNATIUS 1, Cruz 2, Mafuta Vautin 3, Mach Da Vinci 4.

RACE FIVE:
Quality mare TWO TIMES BETTOR (7) is now on the books of Belinda McCarthy following an outstanding career under the guidance of another stellar female mentor in Emma Stewart. Boasting 14 wins and 17 placings from her 40 trips to the races, the daughter of Bettors Delight recorded a pleasing 16.6m 2nd to Our Princess Tiffany in the Vicbred 4YO Mares Final at Melton on December 31, with the margin slightly misleading as Two Times Bettor, which started from the back row, was held up for a suitable run at a vital stages after competing from a three peg role. Freshened, the mare resumed with a strong display at melton on March 6, again coming from a midfield peg position in defeating Rollova and Boncel Benjamin. Only eight runners will face the starter, so drawing seven won’t be a major concern for the 5yo, who will make her presence felt from the outset. Whether Two Times Bettor takes up the role as pacemaker may well depend on the mood of ROCKNROLL ANGEL (6), which enjoys that role, but at times the 8yo has left her good manners back at the stables. Such was the case three starts ago, however, since that outing the Jason Grimson-trained daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven has recorded a brave half-head 2nd to the classy Victorian mare, Maajida, prior to a 10.3m 6th to Stylish Memphis in the G1 Ladyship Mile when left caught facing the breeze. On her night, Rocknroll Angel is more than capable of giving this a big shake. MISS RUBY SUNSHINE (3) has won her past four, three at Albion Park and one at this particular venue. This will be a harder test for the 4yo mare but from the good draw, the recent addition to the stables of Steph Lippiatt should be regarded as a suitable exotic player. SEMI SENSATION (2) draws well and her recent form entitles her to similar consideration, along with BLISSFULL LILLY (1), PELOSI (4) and MOREAU DRIVE (8).

TWO TIMES BETTOR 1, Rocknroll Angel 2, Miss Ruby Sunshine 3, Semi Sensation 4.

RACE SIX:
The Michael Doltoff-conditioned LETS GO TO BRAZIL (4) appears to be another suitable investment on the card as the consistent son of Rock N Roll Heaven has found an ideal assignment. Resuming with a couple of solid wins and a determined 3rd to Red Reactor from his opening three engagements, Lets Go To Brazil didn’t have a great deal of luck from a five peg role, which resulted in a 13.4m 5th to Bad To The Bone. His next assignment resukted in a grinding 10.4m 4th to Elroy Jetson in a slightly harder contest, compared to the one awaiting him. Handily drawn and down in grade, Lets Go To Brazil is capable of securing the role as pacemaker and from that point onwards, the winning post will be well within his reach. BRONSKI BELLE (5) is capable of giving Lets Go To Brazil plenty to think about, although the KerryAnn Morris-trained daughter of Major Bronski hasn’t been seen in the winner’s circle since August/2019, which is surprising for such a consistent performer. The 6yo has been placed in three of her past five encounters, the latest when she worked home stoutly in finishing a 2.6m 3rd behind Villareal at Newcastle recently. While Lets Go To Brazil looks hard to beat, Bronski Belle is worthy of a ‘saver’, with KerryAnn confident that the mare will run a bold race. MILLWOOD TILLY (2) is another Queenslander to join Steph Lippiatt and with a good draw next to her name, the daughter of the former Kiwi champion, Terror to Love, is capable of adding to her recent run of consistent displays at Albion Park. BETTOR TO BE TRICKY (8), which is a stablemate of Bronski Belle, is in the mix when it comes to the multiples, while BEAU CISHLOM (7) is coming off a solid win at Canberra and claims as an exotic runner can’t be ignored.

LETS GO TO BRAZIL 1, Bronski Belle 2, Millwood Tilly 3, Bettor To Be Tricky 4.

RACE SEVEN:
Overdue for a visit to the winner’s circle, SAMMY SHOWDOWN (7) looks hard to beat, with the outside gate in the field of seven, of no concern this time around. Since joining the Paul Fitzpatrick team, Sammy Showdown has been a consistent performer, chalking up a number of second placings, the latest a couple of weeks ago when he was caught without cover, en route to finding Flingandwingit a shade too tough, although he was brave in defeat. Without a win since scoring at Terang seven months ago, Sammy Showdown should find this to be a suitable assignment. ARNOLD (4) lost all chance for G1 glory when he broke in the score up and, as a result, finished a tailed off 9th to Majestic Man on Miracle Mile night. Runner-up in each of his previous two assignments, the Muscle Mass 7yo has drawn suitably and on his best form is capable of playing a far more active role in the finish so don’t ignore his claims. GIMONDI (5) has been gradually building towards a win following three runs back from a spell. The talented 4yo son of Peak DNK has always shown immense talent and with his level of fitness no longer a concern, following a 16.7m 2nd to the promising Funky Monkey, the gelding can’t be taken lightly. FLINGANDWINGIT (6) is coming off a gritty all-the-way win, with the 5yo just prevailing over Sammy Showdown and Meydan last time out. Fitter for that encounter, Flingandwingit will again make his presence felt. The remaining three runners are likely to find this challenge out of their reach.

SAMMY SHOWDOWN 1, Arnold 2, Gimondi 3, Flingandwingit 4.

RACE EIGHT:
The Michael Stanley-trained WATCH LIST (5) is the one to beat as the Victorian visitor has been racing in fine fashion back home, despite being absent from the top spot since last December. The son of Betterthancheddar has crossed the line in fifth spot in each of his past three engagements, and each time Watch List hasn’t been beaten far, with his latest run resulting in a 5m effort behind Plan Ce at Melton. Luke McCarthy will take the reins, which is a plus, and from his handy draw, Watch List should find this to be a suitable test of his ability. The main threat will come from the James Rattray trained and driven 7yo, ZHUKOV LEIS (3). Like the southern visitor, Zhukov Leis hasn’t greeted the judge since last December but, as always, the son of Somebeachsomewhere is rarely far away. Last time out Zhukov Leis posted a 10.2m 5th to Stormy Raider after enjoying a kind run behind the leader. From gate three the gelding will again be in the mix from the outset. WE SALUTE YOU (2) has been mixing his form of late, however, on his last-start 9m 7th to Mongolian Cavalry, the 5yo Well Said gelding should be able to make a bold play for a role in the multiples. BAILEYS KNIGHT (7) had been racing consistently before recording a disappointing last to Elroy Jetson. The son of Christian Cullen has drawn the outside marble in the small field of seven, so that won’t be a mjaor hurdle as he is likely to take cover and come with a late rush. The 7yo is certainly in the multiple mix, along with SHAPE UP MIKE (1), with the draw enhancing his prospects.

WATCH LIST 1, Zhukov Leis 2, We Salute You 3, Baileys Knight 4.

• MIKE KOCASS