Mitchbet

It’s my last week of holidays, so I’m jumping in the car and heading up the road to Bendigo for a Tuesday country meeting at the “Nursery Of Champions”. As usual with most of these meetings, the maiden races on the early part of the card are very intriguing with some potential types. However, the two benchmark 64 events, races six and seven, might throw up a midweek city winner as well, which adds some extra interest. Hoping the rain steers clear but otherwise looking forward to being one of the lucky few on track!

Race one:

How good is (1) Audrey Girl? The 400k purchase trained by Busuttin/Young looked like a superstar rolling around the Cranbourne trials, winning by 4L with her head on her chest. Being a bit of a sucker for jumpouts and trials, I initially thought she just wins this. But after closer inspection, she was only the 3rd fastest of five 2yo trials that day. And if she’s a world beater, why are they taking her to Bendigo on a Tuesday? $1.75 looks like trouble to me.

I’ve landed on one of the raced brigade, (2) Catalina Blue. Showed ability in work before her first start, then was mighty unlucky in her first start at Moonee Valley. With the extra race fitness and the bigger expanses of Bendigo, that’s the safer play for me.

Grinzinger Queen is one I want to follow out of this race. Shown talent at the jumpouts, but is bred for much further than today. Note: also dual accepted for Sandown Wednesday,

Race two:

Really like (4) Prince Of Mercia (I thought it was ‘Murica, but I digress) in a race I feel is a lot shallower than it appears on face value. A lot of big name trainers and well known locals appear here, but several of these are yet to show their pedigree and meet the lofty demands that comes with being in those stables. The three Dabernig & Hayes runners are desperately out of form. Local Ultimate Man has tinkered with it’s gear to get that elusive maiden. And for the life of me, I can’t find any jumpout of the Paul Pruesker-trained Vitruvius.

Prince Of Mercia on the other hand, should have won at Sale when laying in badly in the straight. He was well backed that day after some nice jumpouts and gets Jamie Kah to stick. A horse in behind him last start Breasley, was a very impressive winner at Yarra Valley Saturday. $2,15 is very close to rock bottom and I’ll be terrified if late money comes for Vitruvius. But Prince Of Mercia is the top pick.

Race four:

Genuinely shocked that the bookies haven’t got (3) Northeast Express as favourite. It goes against every grain of my being to tip and back a horse that has run four second’s in nine starts, but I think he should be close to $2.50. Was caught wide at Geelong, winner came off it’s back to win. Then his run at Pakenham, the rider dropped the whip at the 200m and went down by 0.2L. A horse behind it that day has subsequently won at this very track and distance. Dwayne Dunn on is a big tick.

Conceding that the lightly raced Cianna could be in this with natural improvement, but I can’t have the favourite Energy Raider anywhere near it’s $2.30 quote.
All aboard the Northeast Express!

Race six:

This heat of the Rising Stars series is a really tough event to sort out. Coming off a nice jumpout, I think the local (7) Air Defence is forward enough to win this first up. The 3yo gelding has been unlucky to run into a few smart horses in his maidens, but with his tactical speed and from barrier four, has the tools in his favour to put himself into this race.

(10) El Santo and (9) Duke Caboom could well be the better horses, but their targets I think are beyond today. (4) Zoology is another interesting one, after he was “ridden out” to win a recent jumpout by 3L. Has race fitness on his side and on his best form could be very competitive.

A tough race, but happy to go with the value of Air Defence.

Race seven:

Looks like there will be a bit of speed in this one with several horses including the favourite Kiata in a battle for the lead here. The Nick Ryan runner (3) Gold Spark has been freshened up and looked really impressive in a recent Caulfield jumpout. He’s only had three runs for the stable, but he looks to have a strong turn of foot and can run over the top of these, especially if front runners cut each other up.

Happy to play Gold Spark on the each way.

Race eight is a toughie, and probably a no bet for me. Hopefully we’ve collected our petrol and pie money already, because nobody wants a two hour drive home with empty pockets.