Feature racing in Victoria heads to Ballarat this Saturday afternoon with a stacked 10 race program to look forward to.
Our full 2022 Ballarat Cup Day Preview can be found below.
Belle Et Ritchie is yet to miss a place in five career race starts including back to back wins at the end of her last campaign.
The lightly raced four year old mare won her maiden by over two lengths over 1400m at Bendigo on a heavy track before winning on a good surface following that.
She will be required to carry just 54.5kg in this event and looks well placed.
Ocean’s Jen is another that I will be backing each way after an impressive win at The Valley first up on a heavy track.
She now has four wins form just 11 starts and represents good value at double figure odds.
1 Unit Belle Et Richie
1/2 Unit E/W Ocean’s Jen
Entrepreneurial broke through for his maiden race win at Seymour last Friday at just his second career starts and the son of Capitalist couldn’t have been much more impressive.
The chestnut gelding won by almost three lengths when leading all the way and I can’t see why Jake Noonan couldn’t cross from the outside barrier and do the same in this event.
1 Unit Entrepreneurial
Not a lot of exposed form to go on here with these juveniles so watch how they parade and the betting activity leading into the race.
The Busuttin & Young trained Sunsource was a $370,000 yearling purchase from the 2022 Gold Coast Yearling sale who has drawn beautifully in barrier three and is worth consideration.
1 Unit Sunsource
It’s a big weight for Najem Suhail to carry in the fourth race of the afternoon but he has a class edge on a lot of these horses in my opinion.
He won a Benchmark 70 Handicap by over three lengths at Sale and was beaten less than a length at Flemington last time out.
1 Unit E/W Najem Suhail
Ain’tnodeeldun returned to the races with a really solid first up run at headquarters, finishing three lengths of French Emperor in a benchmark 90.
The lightly raced five year old gelding has been competitive in a higher level of races than this included finishing second to Grandslam over 2000m last prep and he will appreciate the drop back in grade.
All of his racing has been on a good surface so he is a bit unknown should we get a wet track.
1 Unit E/W Ain’tnodeeldun
Right You Are is a horse racing consistently this prep so far and looks close to a win.
The lightly raced six year old has been placed in 10 of his 14 career race starts including two of three this campaign and the step up to 2000m now looks ideal.
1 Unit Right You Are
The Lloyd Kennewell trained Direct is a progressive and consistent four year old having placed in 11 of his 14 career race starts.
He comes into this race on the back of two wins in a row at Mornington and The Valley and although this is another step up in grade for him, he is more than capable.
1 Unit Direct
The first up run of Grandslam at The Valley was full of merit and he worked to the line well to finish third, beaten less than 1.5 lengths.
He’ll be better out to 2000m and he has placed in three of four second up runs in the past.
Foxy Frida is over the odds in the Ballarat Cup also having been beaten less than 1.65 lengths in her first three runs this prep at Group level.
She moves out of fillies and mares races but she can still be competitive.
1 Unit E/W Grandslam
1/2 Unit E/W Foxy Frida
Amish Boy is over the odds in the penultimate race of the afternoon here at Ballarat.
All three runs this prep have been solid on unsuitable ground and if he gets a drying track, he can figure with fitness on his side.
The Mitchell Beer trained Mnementh is another that represents good value in the race.
He was no match for them when resuming in The Kosciuszko but he’ll be fitter for that run and he will appreciate the step back in grade for this assignment.
1/4 Unit E/W Amish Boy
1/4 Unit E/W Mnamenth
Detonator Jack is a very exciting young horse who now is working through the grades well.
The lightly raced four year old gelding has won four of his five career starts including a benchmark 90 at Flemington last start and although he will be required to carry the big weight, he is the horse to beat.
2 Units Detonator Jack