Hendo’s Hopefuls: Saturday’s Best Roughies 

Looking for Saturday winners at a price? Explore Ladbrokes’ expert racing roughie selections from all corners of the country!

Another weekend of racing and we get another shot at cleaning up with some long-shot outsiders getting around in a few of the key races.

We had a bit of a win last week with Beau Dazzler running a place at big odds in the Queensland Guineas, and this week the sunshine state is host to a Doomben Cup lead-up with the A.D. Hollindale at the Gold Coast where we fancy an in-form mare to Place at blowout odds.

Elsewhere, Group 1 racing in Adelaide finishes up with a stellar edition of The Goodwood where one of our previous roughie selections is up again and forgotten in the markets, plus some juicy runners go around at Gosford that we cannot go past!

Don’t just back the favourites this Saturday! See who value guru Lucy Henderson is tipping as her underestimated plays of the week!

Morphettville Race 5 (2:37PM AEST) – Group 3 $175,000 SA Fillies Classic (2500M)

Place: 7. DARN HOT MISS ($51 at time of publish)

DARN HOT MISS (11) is enormous value for a place in the SA Fillies Classic on The Goodwood card for Wangaratta horseman Ben Brisbourne.

Too Darn Hot is the sire of the moment, and this filly is bred for success.

She’s been very good of late securing her second career win last time out in an easier handicap race over 2050m at Wodonga on April 22 when carrying 56kg to a one-length victory.

Rises in distance but think she’ll see out the 2500m. Has run top two in her past four assignments and deserves a shot at a Group race.

Likely to settle midfield and finish strongly.

It’s a tough assignment against some proven staying types but she gets Connor Murtagh, who is airborne now, coming aboard to help her.

Can’t see her winning but she can chase a few down the closing stages for a better-than-expected finish.

Place.

Gosford Race 7 (2:45PM AEST) – Listed $300,000 Gosford Gold Cup (2100M)

Each Way: 4. NAVAL COLLEGE ($6 at time of publish)

While not exactly a “roughie”, NAVAL COLLEGE (10) isn’t on the first two lines of Gosford Gold Cup betting so still qualifies for mine as a value Each Way play in the Big Dance qualifier.

Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald are enjoying a flyer this autumn and think that can continue on Saturday.

It’s been a while between drinks for the six-year-old import whose last turf triumph was back in January last year.

Still, he was competitive at Group 1 level in last year’s Doomben Cup and looked solid fresh when fourth to Bois D’Argent in the Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick last time out.

That race produces a few in this event and looks a good form line to follow.

This horse is the improver out of that, fitter for his resuming run, and boasting a strong second-up record (5:2-1-1).

Goes up in weight but has carried more to be competitive at this distance against tougher rivals.

Handles the Slow going and gets conditions to suit.

Each Way.

Morphettville Race 6 (3:12PM AEST) – Group 3 $220,000 The Cummings Stakes (1600M)

Each Way: 5. FINE FUTURE ($9.50 at time of publish)

FINE FUTURE (3) looks well placed to go back-to-back here.

The Murray Bridge trained son of Fine Needle is working his way through the grades and has the confidence of a last start win from last weekend.

On the quick back-up and is fit and firing.

Carted 60kg to a solid one-length victory at the track over 1800m in a BM70 on Derby Day and comes back in weight and distance.

Drawn ideally in gate three with 55kg and Jamie Melham retains the ride.

Boasts a 50% winning strike rate from four starts at Morphettville and is a consistent galloper with upside.

Will be making up ground late and can surprise in the Group 3.

Each Way.

Gosford Race 8 (3:20PM AEST) – Listed $500,000 The Coast (1600m)

Place: 14. THUNDERLIPS ($21 at time of publish)

THUNDERLIPS (9) is a forgotten runner at a big quote in The Coast that can give this race a shake-up third-up.

Bjorn Baker’s progressive Zoustar gelding resumed with a mid-field sixth to Green Fly at Rosehill over 1400m on Soft going before improving notably to salute with 60kg at Kensington on April 25 by a narrow but still convincing margin off an on-speed run showing plenty of grit.

They find another Soft track to their liking here and have previous winning form at this stage of a prep.

Up in grade but drawn well with options for Winona Costin in the run and the drop right back to 53kg will have them flying.

Every chance to run out the mile now after some close calls at the distance in the past including a fourth only 1.6 lengths beaten when Sneak Preview won the Dubbo Cup in record time last September.

Place.

Gold Coast Race 6 (3:32PM AEST) – Group 3 $200,000 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m)

Each Way: 1. BOSUSTOW ($15 at time of publish)

BOSUSTOW (5) shapes up as a value running lining-up in the Gold Coast Guineas for the Neasham/Archibald stable who are going great guns.

The talented and consistent Blue Point colt returns to the races down under, and he was last seen finishing runner-up in open age company across the Tasman when second to Here To Shock in the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa in early February.

Prior to that he was an upset Magic Millions Guineas winner here at the Gold Coast so is proven at the track.

Here To Shock franked the form out of New Zealand with a Group 1 Canterbury Stakes second in March to Royal Patronage and now it is this colt’s turn to continue on with it also.

Yet to win first-up but is drawn for a dream run from gate five with Josh Parr sticking in the saddle.

He’s bred for success so what he lacks fitness-wise he makes up for in pedigree.

Needs to be good if he’s to come from the back and win over this distance but think he’s up to the task.

Each Way.

Gold Coast Race 7 (4:08PM AEST) – Group 2 $500,000 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800M)

Place: 13. MISS JOELENE ($26 at time of publish)

MISS JOELENE (13) lines up in a great edition of the Hollindale at big odds for Kelly Schweida and is worth more of a look than the bookies are giving her.

This ultra-consistent daughter of Russian Revolution doesn’t know how to run a bad race, and her past eight starts have produced a top 3 run.

She was a gun filly last winter posting back-to-back thirds in the Group 2 The Roses on a Soft (6) at Doomben before her placing at big odds to Socks Nation in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) on a Good (4) at Eagle Farm to prove her versatility.

Things came undone for her when third-last in the Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara back down to just 1400m, which was a strange move from the stable and one she’s subsequently atoned for.

Working her way back up through the grades now, won January’s The Wave at the Sunshine Coast and more than held her own only going down a quarter-length to Encoder here in the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy (1800m) in a run full of merit.

Saluted first-up in mid-April over 1350m in a handicap at Doomben defeating a good field including multiple Group 2 winner Cifrado before her close second to Tenzing on April 26 in the Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m).

Getting up to a more suitable trip, presents fit third-up, proven at the Gold Coast, is an elite-level placegetter and Cejay Graham in the saddle who she knows well.

Don’t love the 57kg for her at WFA, which she needs to prove she can handle, but at the price happy to give her a go!

Place.

Morphettville Race 8 (4:30PM AEST) – Group 1 $1,000,000 The Goodwood (1200M)

Each Way: 11. GENEROSITY ($11 at time of publish)

GENEROSITY (5) was underrated last time out in the $5 million The Quokka in WA and ran a huge race to finish third only a half-length beaten in the lucrative slot race, and we’d tipped her to do so!

Obviously at 50/1 she was enormous value at her home track, and she has to go to another level here travelling east for The Goodwood, but Simon Miller’s four-year-old daughter of Divine Prophet looks value again for another run in the money and I’m not getting off her just yet.

She’s yet to race in Adelaide but has a lovely 1200m record (9:2-3-1) and brings in some strong interstate form lines.

Down from 56.5kg to just 52.5kg so should be flying with that weight, and this is a race known for some recent upsets.

Ideal barrier five draw and Lucy Fiore retains the ride.

Can surprise.

Each Way.

Place: 5. SIR SWAY ($41 at time of publish)

SIR SWAY (4) is one of a host of outsiders in The Goodwood betting markets that can run better than the odds suggest for mine.

The local Murray Bridge trained Sir Prancealot four-year-old is building a consistent career record and is an eight-time winner from 17 starts to date.

A Morphettville specialist (10:5-1-2), he’s proven at the course and distance in easier grade and has run top two in five of his past six starts.

A black-type winner here back in March saluting from barrier 14 of 14 to beat Prairie Flower home in the Listed Manihi Classic (1100m) before a second when up notably in weight behind Aviatress in the Listed Matrice Stakes at 1200m.

Disappointing eighth in the Group 3 RN Irwin (1100m), albeit still only three lengths off the winner Asfoora, before a nose second behind Volcanic Express in the Listed Hills Railway (1100m) at Oakbank on April 19 boxing on well.

Carries 55.5kg here which is an excellent weight for him and with Jake Toeroek aboard from a favourable barrier four draw he’s drawn to get the run.

On pace and could hold for a run in the money.

Place.  

Good luck punters!