Wednesday’s Bendigo meeting shapes as an appealing eight-race program, with fine weather forecast to ensure ideal conditions throughout the day.
The track is rated as a Good 4, and with the rail positioned out 5m, runners should enjoy a fair surface where positioning and timing will be key.
You can’t skip lunch, but you can skip ahead and check out my Bendigo selections below.
CHERRY HILLS (1) debuts here and looks set for a bold showing following several jump outs and a trial.
The Team Hayes-trained filly will have no problems with 1300m first-up given she was given a solid hit out to win a 1400m trial in her most recent piece of work.
Prior to that, she easily accounted for her rivals in a 1000m jump out where she jumped straight to the front and was never headed.
Luke Currie was aboard in the trial and remains for the race ride.
| 1. Cherry Hills (7) 57kg |
KANDINKSY (6) looks hard to beat in this 1300m Maiden following his cracking first-up performance at Seymour.
The Price & Kent Jnr-trained gelding wanted to get his head up in the air and was forced to race wide early but still put up a tremendous fight to be picked off on the line.
There were just under four lengths back to third, and the form from the race has held up, with the winner narrowly beaten in a photo at her next start and the favourite, who was beaten by 9.4 lengths, subsequently winning.
He’ll strip fitter second-up and maps to get a great run for Mark Zahra.
| 6. Kandinsky (5) 59.5kg4×2 |
This is a very tricky race to be confident about given the first 14 acceptors are all first starters.
For that reason, I’m going with one that has race experience in HOME INVASION (15).
The Waterhouse & Bott-trained filly was unlucky not to finish closer than 1.51 lengths fifth in the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes in October given she was held up badly in the straight.
She’s had numerous trials and jump outs since then and been given time to mature.
I was impressed by her most recent piece of work where she showed good speed to lead all the way.
Jordan Childs is a great front running jockey and will give her every chance.
| 15. Home Invasion (7) 56kg5x |
VARADERO (9) will take great benefit from his excellent debut over 1125m at Geelong.
The Michael Shepherdson-trained gelding was no match for Marsept, but fought on gamely despite being lame in his off foreleg to finish 3.25 lengths second.
Marsept had finished a length second to Extragalactic her previous start, which is excellent form given Extragalactic missed winning the Group 1 Goodwood by a chin hair.
He’ll strip fitter second-up and should enjoy a nice run on speed.
| 9. Varadero (5) 59.5kg2 |
COULDTHISBETHEONE (1) is racing in terrific heart with two wins from his past three starts.
The Matt Laurie-trained gelding was truckloaded last start over this distance at Pakenham and duly saluted thanks to a powerful run down the centre of the track.
He does his best work on dry tracks and won his only previous start at the track.
He’s drawn well and gets his chance for Jake Noonan.
| 1. Couldthisbetheone (2) 61.5kg67141 |
CLEVOR TREVER (4) finished runner-up in his first two races before breaking through impressively third-up.
The Patrick Payne-trained gelding looked to be under pressure prior to entering the straight at Seymour before letting down powerfully to win over this distance by 1.75 lengths.
He was sent for a spell following that win and returns here on the back of an excellent 3.5 length 1000m Caulfield Heath trial victory.
Billy Egan should land in a stalking position behind a solid speed.
| 4. Clevor Trever (5) 59kg221x |
PRINCE TYCOON (2) returns to the races for the first time since suffering a bleed and finishing a long way back in the Vobis Gold Eureka Stockade at Ballarat late last year.
The Busuttin & Young-trained gelding looks ready for a bold first-up showing following two jump out wins.
This is the easiest class race this guy has faced in his four races since winning on debut at Caulfield over this distance.
He’s drawn to enjoy a great run for Ryan Houston, who claims 1.5kg.
| 2. Prince Tycoon (2) 62kgx538x |
DRAMATICUS (10) had no luck when resuming over 1250m at Morphettville Parks where he was held up for a good part of the straight to finish 1.69 lengths third.
The Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding impressed two starts ago at Donald when letting down strongly to win by 1.75 lengths with third three lengths away.
Unfortunately, bad luck returned last start over this distance at Pakenham where he enjoyed a beautiful run but got trapped on the fence behind the leader until a furlong to go at which point he stormed home to miss the win by a whisker.
He’s rock hard fit and maps to get a sweet run.
| 10. Dramaticus (4) 59.5kg3×312 |