Form Analysis by Craig Rail
Race 1:
OVERVIEW: It is a very open race to commence the program with many winning chances. SPIRIT OF ARION (11) defeated the classy filly Jilliby Illuminate on September 21 and finished a close third behind DHAULAGIRI (13) last time out so he should be competitive again. SKINNYDIP (12) is a smart pacer that is resuming since May. He chased gamely when third behind Captain Hammerhead at a recent Shepparton trial performance so he is not to be underestimated. BLAKE BOLAC (7) endured a tough run and went down fighting when third behind Rocknroll Walla at Geelong last week. He is racing in peak form and will give another forward showing. LAYDEN (9) possesses a powerful finishing burst and must be included amongst the leading chances. The Julie Douglas trained pair COURAGEOUS SAINT (10) and DHAULAGIRI (13) both cannot be left out of calculations.
EARLY SPEED: 7 (possible leader), 1,6
SELECTIONS: SPIRIT OF ARION (11), SKINNYDIP (12), BLAKE BOLAC (7), LAYDEN (9)
RATINGS: 11,12/ 7,9,10/ 13/ 1,4/ FIELD
SUGGESTED BET: SPIRIT OF ARION (11) each way
Race 2:
OVERVIEW: KEAYANG CHUCKY (6) produced a big finish to defeat IM READY JET (7) at Melton, followed with a fifth in the Kilmore Cup where he galloped away from the standing start and did well to finish as close as he did then he finished eighth in the Bill Collins Sprint last week after racing out three horses wide for the last lap. He is trotting in very good form and must be rated highly. IM READY JET (7) settled in the running line and was finishing off nicely when fifth in the Bill Collins Sprint. She is a very good mare and looms as one of the leading chances. MUFASA METRO (8) trailed the leader, used the sprint lane and chased hard when a close third in the Bill Collins Sprint. He continues to perform exceptionally well at the elite level but he will be relying on IMPERIAL MONARCH (1) holding a forward position at the start this evening. ONE OVER ALL (9) worked very hard in the early stages and had excuses at his latest fifth. He finished second in the Kilmore Cup prior so he is worth another chance.
EARLY SPEED: 4 (possible early leader), 1,2
SELECTIONS: KEAYANG CHUCKY (6), IM READY JET (7), MUFASA METRO (8), ONE OVER ALL (9)
RATINGS: 6,7/ 8/ 1/ 3
SUGGESTED BET: KEAYANG CHUCKY (6) each way
Race 3:
OVERVIEW: CANTFINDABETTORMAN (9) settled in a rearward position, came out three horses wide at the 700m and sustained a long run when a big winner over Like A Wildfire last week. He boasts an extremely good record and will prove hard to beat again. HELLUVA (5) finished third behind CANTFINDABETTORMAN (9) last week after being shuffled back on the markers mid-race. He likely to utilize his early speed to find a prominent position in the early stages and must be considered as a winning chance. TRIPLE EIGHT (6) finished unplaced behind the champion pacer Leap To Fame at Melton last outing and is likely to find this race to be more to his liking. He possesses a powerful finishing burst and he defeated HELLUVA (5) in the Lazarus FFA back in June. KOSIMO (3) finished off solidly for fifth last week and will take holding out in the run to the finish if he gains the right run in transit.
EARLY SPEED: 5 (possible leader), 2,7
SELECTIONS: CANTFINDABETTORMAN (9), HELLUVA (5), TRIPLE EIGHT (6), KOSIMO (3)
RATINGS: 9/ 5,6/ 2,3/ 8/ 4
SUGGESTED BET: CANTFINDABETTORMAN (9) to win
Race 4:
OVERVIEW: RAINBOW JESTER (1) is an outstanding New South Wales trained trotter that has won six of his seven starts to date, including the Nutrien Final by 34m at Melton in April. He is resuming since an emphatic victory at Group 2 level in July but he has won a trial recently at Goulburn so he should prove hard to beat. He isn’t the best to begin so barrier one might be a little tricky however. GATESYS GEM (3) has only been defeated once in five starts and that was in the Super Series Final, where there were several false starts and she became very stirred up. She recorded a slick mile rate of 1.57.5 at her latest victory so she must be rated highly. COMMODUS (8) sprinted very quickly to win the colts and geldings Super Series Final and has won two trials since. He is a very good colt and will take beating but he will be relying on RAINBOW JESTER (1) holding a forward position at the start. KEAYANG KURKI (2) won the fillies Super Series Final and is worth thought along with VYTIS (5).
EARLY SPEED: 3 (likely leader), 1,2,4,5
SELECTIONS: RAINBOW JESTER (1), GATESYS GEM (3), COMMODUS (8), VYTIS (5)
RATINGS: 1/ 3,8/ 2,5/ 9
SUGGESTED BET: RAINBOW JESTER (1) to win
Race 5:
OVERVIEW: JILLIBY WILLOW (10) gained the perfect trail behind the leader and missed out narrowly when third in the Group 1 Queen of the Pacific last week. She finished third behind Better Eclipse and Catch A Wave when she was resuming so she appears to be well placed in this field and must be respected despite a negative swing in the barrier draw. ROARFORROSCOE (8) worked very hard to hold the inside advantage in the early stages before taking cover at the 1600m when sixth behind Cantfindabettorman in the Popular Alm FFA last week. He will be relying on NICHOLAS CAGE (1) holding a forward position at the start but he will go close if he gains the right luck in running. ARGGGHHH (6) finished quickly from a rearward position when an eye-catching third behind Exotic Bushranger last week. He is a versatile pacer and is worth a ticket each way. NICHOLAS CAGE (1) has joined trainer Kyle Marshall and has performed well enough at the trials with a win and a third to suggest he should be competitive at his Victorian debut. He boasts a career best mile of 1.50.7 at Menangle so he has the speed to be in the finish.
EARLY SPEED: 1 (possible leader), 4,6
SELECTIONS: JILLIBY WILLOW (10), ROARFORROSCOE (8), ARGGGHHH (6), NICHOLAS CAGE (1)
RATINGS: 10/ 6,8/ 1/ 5,7/ 11
SUGGESTED BET: JILLIBY WILLOW (10) to win
Race 6:
OVERVIEW: KEAYANG GUCCI (3) had no luck when a game fourth in the Super Series Final then followed with a big victory at Kilmore, where she sprinted quickly from the second half of the field. She met a top field on Victoria Cup night and ran a close up third so she must be rated highly. ILLAWONG LARAJAY (7) is poorly drawn but is racing in career best form and warrants consideration. She was left stranded without cover mid-race and battled on bravely for second behind Exalted at her latest attempt. SEBASTIANS BOY (8) is resuming since May but he is a very smart trotter when he is able to put it altogether. He has won a trial at Shepparton recently and has winning claims despite the awkward draw. PICKET WIRE (2) is rising in class but is racing in peak form while the Chris Svanosio trained pair HEPHAESTUS PHOENIX (5) and ALDEBARAN MILEY (6) both have the ability to figure in the finish.
EARLY SPEED: 1 (possible leader), 2,5
SELECTIONS: KEAYANG GUCCI (3), ILLAWONG LARAJAY (7), SEBASTIANS BOY (8), PICKET WIRE (2)
RATINGS: 3/ 7,8/ 2,5,6/ 1,9,10
SUGGESTED BET: KEAYANG GUCCI (3) each way
Race 7:
OVERVIEW: If the emergency NATHAN STREET (10) gains a start, he will prove very hard to beat. BETA THAN LOVE (6) is poorly drawn but appeals on an each way basis. He finished fast when a close second at Wagga then had no clear run and was very unlucky at Charlton on Monday. CAN FEEL THE FURY (9) sprinted sharply from three back on the markers when a convincing winner at Bendigo then followed with a close second at Kilmore, where he hit the lead on the home turn and was run down in the last stride. He is racing well and looms as one of the leading chances again. IM SHADOW BOXER (8) finished off fast and just failed to pick up JILLIBY SELWOOD (12) at Geelong. He is awkwardly drawn but is a speedy pacer and should be finishing off strongly again. GOOD DAY (2) races best when he is able to lead so he is perfectly drawn to suit his racing pattern.
EARLY SPEED: 2 (likely leader), 5
SELECTIONS: BETA THAN LOVE (6), CAN FEEL THE FURY (9), IM SHADOW BOXER (8), GOOD DAY (2)
RATINGS: 10/ 6,9/ 2,8/ 1,5,13/ 12
SUGGESTED BET: BETA THAN LOVE (6) each way
Race 8:
OVERVIEW: AVANT GUARD (5) followed a third behind The Locomotive in the Super Series Final with a strong win at Cranbourne. He has won six races this season and should be competitive again from his reasonable draw. DICHOTOMY (11) worked forward to find the lead and was run down in the latter stages when fourth at Kilmore. She finished fifth in the Super Series Final prior and will appreciate a significant drop back in class so she is worth another chance. FOUROUTOFFIVE (9) settled in the second half of the field and couldn’t work into the race with the leader running fast final sectionals at his latest fourth. He won a heat of the Super Series three starts ago then finished fourth in the Final so he cannot be left out of calculations. ALDEBARAN BOYD (10) recorded fast time when he won at Geelong and is worth thought along with MORE WANTED (12), which gets into this race with a concession claim.
EARLY SPEED: 5 (possible leader), 4,7
SELECTIONS: AVANT GUARD (5), DICHOTOMY (11), FOUROUTOFFIVE (9), ALDEBARAN BOYD (10)
RATINGS: 5,11/ 9/ 10,12/ 7/ 4,6,8
SUGGESTED BET: AVANT GUARD (5) each way
Race 9:
OVERVIEW: KEAYANG OMAR (4) has been extremely unlucky at his past two attempts, where he was held up behind tiring horses and finished fast both times. He has been placed at his past four starts and deserves to break through for a win. SASSYOLA (10) faces a negative swing with the barrier draw but she has been performing well behind in-form horses including Judes Dude, Captain Maastricht and Terror Eyes so she should be competitive against this line up. JIMMY BREEZE (7) is an interesting runner. He won a maiden at his latest attempt but he recorded a slick mile rate of 1.55.5 and his trial form prior to his debut was very sound so he can take the steep rise in class. EMILY VINCENT (8) possesses a powerful finishing burst and came from a long way back when third in the Heidi George Classic at her latest attempt so she is worth a ticket each way.
EARLY SPEED: 3 (likely early leader), 4,5
SELECTIONS: KEAYANG OMAR (4), SASSYOLA (10), JIMMY BREEZE (7), EMILY VINCENT (8)
RATINGS: 4/ 7,10/ 8/ 5,9,11
SUGGESTED BET: KEAYANG OMAR (4) to win
