Victoria’s major midweek card will take place at Pakenham this week and eight races will be run and won in total.
The rail will remain in the true position around the entire course, while somewhat consistent rain in the area for the last few days as seen the track rated in the Soft (7) range at publish.
There’s hardly any form to study ahead of the first at Sale on Wednesday and several debutants are prominent in betting.
I’m happy to stay out of this one, with a view towards something further down the line.
No Bet
This shapes as a similar contest, but I thought that Repeal was quite good when resuming at Ladbrokes Park, and I am happy to have a nibble this week.
The Team Snowden-trained colt failed to fire on debut at Warwick Farem in December, but was a credible fourth when first-up this time.
He’ll enjoy plenty of natural improvement and he can fight out the finish.
1 Unit Repeal
Next Step Berrima returned a nice effort on debut and shapes as a winning chance at Sale on Wednesday.
The Shea Eden-trained gelding hinted at ability in a couple of trials prior to debuting, and raced home well to fill the minors at Geelong late last month.
With natural improvement, he can fight out the finish again.
3 Units Next Step Berrima
Think Champayne will take winning form into this race and can continue his rise through the grades.
The So You Think gelding has continued to improve with each of his four starts since joining the Maher & Eustace stables this preparation, and charged home with a big weight to score impressively at Swan Hill last time out.
The drop in weights suits, he’s rock-hard fit and can win again.
4 Units Think Champayne
Eau Chaude will take plenty of improvement into his second campaign start and looms as a winning chance.
The Headwater gelding won on debut at Mornington in October and was sent to the paddock after finishing third in a better race at The Valley, and while he clearly needed the run when fifth over 1200m at Caulfield when resuming, I still thought that there were things to like about the effort.
This looks to be one of the better contests on Wednesday’s program at Sale, but I think that this horse will be in it for a long way.
3 Units Eau Chaude
All Of Brighton hasn’t run a bad race since debuting and looks well placed to record another win at Sale on Wednesday.
The Patrick Payne-trained has finished worse than second just once in five career starts to date, and that was a still-impressive fourth placing in a Handicap race at Caulfield last time out.
He has found form around some good horses and is my best bet on the program.
5 Units All Of Brighton
Lady D’oro looks to be a winning chance in the penultimate race at Sale this week, at a nice price.
The Griffiths & De Kock-trained mare has been a great horse for the stable throughout her fifteen career starts, and she returned from a short spell to finish second, beaten a length by Diamonds here when resuming.
With natural improvement and appropriate luck, she can fight out the finish again.
2 Units E/W Lady D’oro
This is a tough way to end the day from a betting perspective, but I’m going to have something on Skywolf.
Skywolf returned a nice effort to score impressively at Pakenham when resuming, and I like that Team Hawkes have since given him a small freshen-up.
Jye McNeil has options from the rails draw and the horse is more than capable of recording another win.
2 Units Skywolf