Our five best best for Guineas Day at Randwick and Flemington
PUNTERS in Australia are loving life at the moment and Saturday is another example of why we have some of the best racing in the world.
Flemington hosts the Group 1 Australian Guineas which features a terrific field of staying three-year-olds, including the Tony McEvoy-trained Hey Doc which is the current favourite for the big race.
Randwick also features the Group 1 Randwick Guineas which should make for interesting viewing as the rain has fallen heavily in Sydney throughout the week.
Regardless of what the weather brings on Saturday, the horses on show are top quality and we have listed our top five bets for the day where punters could find some good value.
Flemington Race 2 – Heatherly
Heatherly is a talented mare which drops back in grade after contesting the Group 1 Lightning Stakes start.
The Ellerton/Zahra-trained four-year-old went forward at Flemington, but was found wanting over the final 200m when being beaten by Terravista. This is a fair drop in class for the daughter of Lonhro which has a scintillating record at this distance.
It has won three from nine with five placings over the 1000m distance and its run for second in the Moir Stakes is a great form guide for a race which doesn’t contain any superstars.
It ran 1.25 lengths behind Extreme Choice in September which is much better form than the rest of the field and it is a past winner at Flemington which is key.
Running down the Flemington straight isn’t for every horse, especially from the inside draw, but Heatherly has that experience and the +100 available at Ladbrokes.com.au should get punters off to a winning start.
Flemington Race 4 – Portman
Portman is an up-and-coming type which couldn’t be in better form this campaign. The Danny O’Brien-trained gelding has won three of its four starts this campaign and it’s going to take a good horse to beat it.
The progeny of Makfi are running hot on both sides of the Tasman and Portman looks another good type for the booming sire. It scored an easy 2.25-length win on this track last start when it carried only 52.5kg, but it only rises up to 54kg for this.
Craig Williams takes the ride which is another positive and whilst it’s coming up against a talented field, we believe it’s going places this autumn.
Currently +160 with CrownBet.com.au.
Randwick Race 2 – Menari
It’s never easy weighing up form for heavy tracks, but Menari looks to have plenty of ability and should be considered as a serious winning chance.
The Gerald Ryan-trained colt was a stylish winner on debut at Randwick where it drew clear over the concluding stages, but nothing went right for it last time out.
The quality two-year-old was held up for the entire straight as the $1.80 favourite and punters will be wanting to get their money back. That run came behind Pariah which has subsequently run second in the Blue Diamond Stakes and that form should hold up.
It won a trial to prepare for this and if it can handle the wet track the +160 at Palmerbet.com.au will look like silly money.
Randwick Race 3 – Scarlet Rain
Scarlet Rain is one of the better bets on the card at Randwick and the odds are outstanding.
The Waterhouse/Bott-trained filly is a winner of four from six starts and the statistics continue to work in its favour.
It is unbeaten in two starts at Randwick and it has good form on rain-affected tracks. The three-year-old filly by Manhattan Rain scored an easy heavy-track win last year and it wasn’t far behind a nice type last start at Rosehill.
It carried 62kg last start against a better field than this and considering the current second favourite Glenall failed to win in rating 71 grade last start, the odds are incredible.
Take the +220 at CrownBet.com.au and watch those odds tumble over the next 24 hours.
Randwick Race 8 – Elle Lou
The Chris Waller-trained mare was a strong winner at Rosehill last start and it’s won of the better wet track performers in Sydney.
The five-year-old mare has won six from eight starts on a slow surface and it drops nicely in weight after carrying 59.5kg to victory last time out.
There is a lack of winning form in this race with only one other runner entering as a last start winner. Look for Elle Lou to sit off the pace and warm up late.
+360 at Bet365.com is a fair price for a runner which will give punters a good sight.