Looking for Saturday’s Best Bets? The Ladbrokes form analysts have you covered with the horses to back across the nation this weekend!
Group 1 racing returns to the not-so Sunshine State this Saturday with the Doomben 10,000, and you can get involved in all of Craig Sheppard’s best bets in his hosted pot on the Ladbrokes app!
Further south, the Listed Andrew Ramsden takes centre stage at Flemington, while Day 2 of the Scone Cup Carnival sees the fillies and mares engaged in the Dark Jewel Classic.
Back for another week, Shep, Rebecca Hill, and Ryan Cook share their top tips ahead of this Saturday’s most important races.
Saturday’s Best Bets Multi
Craig Sheppard
Saturday’s Best Bet – Flemington Race 6 No. 11 King Zephyr
King Zephyr has been racing in sublime form this preparation with four wins from as many starts and is clearly my best bet on Saturday. The Grahame Begg-trained gelding amazingly won his first three runs back this campaign by 2.3 lengths, once at Pakenham and then twice on the Hillside track. Begg has Stradbroke Handicap aspirations for this guy and it’s easy to see why given how dominant he was last start when after racing three-wide over 1400m here, he lent down powerfully to put the field away by two lengths. He drops back to 1200m which shouldn’t pose a problem.
Best Roughie – Flemington Race 3 No. 4 Cindy Falls ($20 at time of publish)
Cindy Falls returns to the races for the first time since finishing down the track in the G3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes during the Spring Carnival. The daughter of Sacred Falls has had two jump outs leading into this and I liked that she was given a decent hit out in the most recent. She has a super first-up record of two wins and a half-length second from three resumptions. Her only Australian win came over 1400m here. The former kiwi will get back from the wide gate, but a solid tempo will aid her cause. Logan Bates’ 3kg claim is a plus.
Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 Best Bet – Doomben Race 8 No. 14 Benedetta
This is a cracking edition of the G1 Ladbrokes Doomben 10000 and I’m happy to be with Benedetta. The Jason Warren-trained mare rarely runs a bad race and has been racing well this preparation despite having some luck issues. She resumed with a third in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning before having no luck in the G1 Newmarket Handicap second-up. Her run in the G1 William Reid was excellent given she stormed home on a day when the track favoured on-pacers to finish a length second. It’s been four weeks since she found the line strongly once clear to finish 2.7 lengths fifth in the G1 All Aged Stakes, so she’s had a trial to keep things ticking over which produced an excellent piece of work. There looks to be an abundance of speed in the race which plays into her hands.
Andrew Ramsden Best Bet – Flemington Race 7 No. 12 Berkshire Breeze
Berkshire Breeze has turned his form around in recent times and can book his spot in the Melbourne Cup with a win in this year’s edition of the Listed Andrew Ramsden. The Ciaron Maher-trained grey gelding fought tooth and nail with Deakin two starts back in the Listed Roy Higgins over 2600m here but just couldn’t get past the talented horse and finished a neck second with third 4.1 lengths away. Last start in the Mornington Cup, the jockey said the track was too firm and he also copped a check late when finishing 1.7 lengths fourth. While the outside barrier isn’t ideal, Ethan Brown will have plenty of time to find a spot with cover.
Same Race Multi – Flemington Race 5 ($8.25 at time of publish)
- Top 4 – No. 2 Somewhere
- Top 4 – No. 3 Stylish Secret
- Top 4 – No. 4 Oxford Blue
I’m liking the look of this Same Race Multi for race 5 at Flemington. The three horses I’ve selected are clearly the top three hopes, in my mind anyway. Somewhere returns from Adelaide where he ran well to finish 2.6 lengths third to the talented On Display in the Listed Adelaide Guineas. He’s only lightly raced so has upside. Stylish Secret and Oxford Blue were second and fourth respectively over 2000m at Caulfield last start. Stylish Secret made a long run and was strong late while Oxford Blue had a torrid time racing three-wide outside the lead but still fought well.
Rebecca Hill
Saturday’s Best Bet – Morphettville Race 2 No. 3 Party Crasher
Party Crasher is quickly putting together an enviable record and he looks a smart horse on the way up. The Ocean Park gelding has now made it two wins and two second placings from just four raceday appearances and whilst he still does have a tendency to race a bit keen, he knows how to get the job done. From 1400m straight out to 2009m last start, he showed a strong kick over the final part to pull away and score by a length and a half. I think he’ll be well suited out to this trip and he can control the race off the inside draw.
Best Roughie – Scone Race 6 No. 5 Gumdrops
Gumdrops steps out for the time under new trainer Chris Waller. The daughter of Written Tycoon isn’t lacking it terms of class and she races very well fresh. She recorded her first stakes win when taking out the Listed Crockett Stakes just her third race start and she was victorious in the Group 3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes in her following campaign.
Nothing went right for her last preparation, luckless when resuming and she then pulled up suffering EIPH at her following outing. She lines up here off two pleasing trials and should find this easier than what she’s previously contested.
Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 Best Bet – Doomben Race 8 No. 12 Sunshine In Paris
Sunshine In Paris hasn’t been far away in all three runs this campaign and I like the fact that the blinkers are going on for the first time here. She didn’t have the best of luck when resuming in the Canterbury Stakes and finished off strongly after getting a long way back in the TJ Smith.
She was solid to the line last start when finishing third in the All Aged behind Jimmystar and Joliestar and it’s hard to top those formlines. A dual Group One winner, she’s a high-class galloper, she handles all conditions and gets James McDonald in the saddle.
Andrew Ramsden Best Bet – Flemington Race 7 No. 12 Berkshire Breeze
Berkshire Breeze has been racing well and comes off a solid effort to finish fourth in the Mornington Cup. The ghostly grey didn’t look overly comfortable as he cornered into the straight, on the wrong leg, he wanted to lay in and only balanced up 50m out. His prior start, he finished off strongly in the Roy Higgins, pairing off with Deakin, he was only beaten half a length and posted a fourth length margin back to the rest. He’s hard fit, he’s proven at this trip and gets the in-form Ethan Brown aboard.
SRM – Doomben Race 3 ($8 at time of publish)
- Top 2 – No. 1 Pisces
- Top 3 – No. 2 Goodlucktome
- Top 4 – No. 8 El Morzillo
Pisces has finished off strongly at his past two starts and he looks to have found a winnable race. McDonald goes back aboard, and the low draw can see him settle within striking distance. Goodlucktome is racing in red hot form, he won well over this track and trip carrying 61.5kgs two starts back, before finishing the runner up at Listed level last time. El Morzillo is a class filly, she drops back in grade after contesting the Victory Stakes when resuming and she’s won two from three second up.
Ryan Cook
Saturday’s Best Bet – Doomben Race 7 No. 2 In Flight
We’re getting a nice price for the in-form In Flight, who appears incredibly close to another win for Joe Pride. She loved the wet conditions a couple of weeks ago at Hawkesbury, hitting the line nicely to close the gap for second, beaten by the smallest of margins. Hard fit third-up and drawn an inside gate, she’ll be very hard to hold out I think.
Best Value – Doomben Race 1 No. 2 Victory Win
The Doomben mile has been a happy hunting ground for Victory Win, who won here two back in similar conditions. He tried hard last start at Eagle Farm over much further, but clearly found the rise in trip not to his liking. Rock-hard fit now for three runs back with Jamie Mott piloting from an ideal gate, the pair appeal at each-way odds if they get the right run into the race from midfield.
Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 Best Bet – Doomben Race 8 No. 8 Zarastro (Each Way)
On form, he’s far from the best horse in this race, but I love the recent trial win of Zarastro between starts. His win two back on the Gold Coast on Magic Millions Day was a strong piece of work, and he certainly lost no admirers first-up at Eagle Fark in the Listed Ascot Handicap where he was tasked with big weight. The soft conditions will suit and with a very likable second-up record, I think he’s a good each-way chance here with a forward showing expected.
Andrew Ramsden Best Bet – Flemington Race 7 No. 12 Berkshire Breeze
I’m backing Berkshire Breeze alongside Shep and Bec. He put in a strong performance in the Roy Higgins two starts ago before struggling slightly with the conditions in the Mornington Cup last time out. With a good freshen-up between runs and just needing some luck from the wide draw, he shapes as a solid bet to further his impressive Flemington record.
SRM – Doomben Race 6
- Win – No. 1 Sir Delius
- Top 3 No. 9 Caboche
- Top 4 – No. 11 Manzoice
Sir Delius is a deserving short-priced favourite making his Australian debut. His two lead up trials in Sydney really caught the eye, and with conditions to suit, he might give a few of these a galloping lesson as a Group 3 winner overseas.
Caboche won stylishly two back at Eagle Farm and was maybe a bit too far back to threaten in the Brisbane Mile three weeks ago. If he settles handy this time, he’ll be right there at the pointy end.
Manzoice hasn’t won for a while, but I’m happy to include him on his most recent run two weeks ago at Eagle Farm. He was just over a length off Rising Pacific from a similar gate, and now gets in nice and light with Craig Williams taking over.