Sandown Hillside best bets & quaddie tips | March 15, 2023
| What | Sandown Races |
| Where | Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 |
| When | Wednesday, March 15, 2023 |
| First Race | 3:05pm AEDT |
The Melbourne Racing Club will host a very competitive eight-race program at Sandown’s Hillside track on Wednesday. The track is currently rated a Good 4, and with no rain on the forecast, we expect to be racing on a perfect surface all day. The rail will go out to the +13m position for the entire circuit, which could see the track play favourably to leaders over the shorter races.
Best Bet at Sandown: Helix
The Clinton McDonald-trained Helix brings the best form to this Benchmark 64 Handicap after winning by a good margin on debut and then losing by a half-length in the $300,000 Future Stars Series Final second-up. On February 16, this three-year-old gelding was dominant on debut at Pakenham over 1200m, defeating Zoupurring by 2.5 lengths in the 10th heat of the Future Stars Series. Following his debut victory, this son of Flying Artie jumped as an equal second favourite in the Future Stars Series final, where he settled behind the leader and was left a little flat-footed at the 300m mark. When he picked up and began to fade, he demonstrated that he could go with the eventual winner in Marble Arch but faded in the final 50m. Blaike McDougall has partnered this talented gelding in both of his career starts and will do so again on Wednesday. McDougall will have this gelding outside the leader or in a one-one position from barrier four, which should be advantageous, and if he can let down like he did on debut, Helix will be difficult to beat.
Best Bet
Race 3 – 
#4 Helix (4)
3yo Gelding | T: Clinton McDonald | J: Blaike McDougall (60.5kg)
Next Best at Sandown: Aspen Colorado
Aspen Colorado, trained by Lindsey Smith, is coming off a very nice first-up win this campaign at Moonee Valley over 1514m, where he came from the back of the field to defeat Alphaville with a massive weight of 61kg in a Benchmark 64 Handicap. This five-year-old son of Sea The Moon has only raced 11 times, recording three wins and four placings; however, he appears to have returned a much more furnished and better horse this time in after his first-up win. This gelding also has a strong second-up record, with two wins and one placing from three starts, so with him being second-up on Wednesday, we should see him in top form and ready to go back-to-back. Damien Oliver rode this gelding for the first time last start and he will stick on Wednesday as he will go to Sandown for just the two rides, with this being his second of them after riding a debutant for James Cummings in the fourth race. If Oliver can get this guy to jump better than last start and hold a position in the mid-field, he will be powering home late to play a prominent role in the finish.
Next Best
Race 8 – 
#6 Aspen Colorado (5)
5yo Gelding | T: Lindsey Smith | J: Damien Oliver (60.5kg)
Best Value at Sandown: Acappella Moon
In the fourth race of the day, a full field of 14 two-year-old fillies will compete in the 1000m scamper, and we will be backing the Clayton Douglas-trained Acappella Moon, who broke her maiden last start over 1000m at Morphettville on February 18. At her most recent start, this daughter of Sebring Sun went straight to the front and led the field to the home turn before booting clear and putting up a winning margin with 200m to go before tiring late and falling in by a long neck on the winning post in front of the fast-finishing Kristobel. Sheridan Clarke will take the ride on Wednesday, and with her 3kg claim, she should be able to overcome the wide barrier (14) and push forward to take the lead. If Clarke can get this girl to settle better and not have to push the button until the 300m mark to kick a couple of lengths clear, she looks like a great bet at $10 with online bookmakers.
Best Value
Race 4 – 
#1 Acappella Moon (14)
2yo Filly | T: Clayton Douglas | J: Sheridan Clarke (59kg)
Wednesday quaddie tips for Sandown races
Sandown quadrella selections
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
- 2-4-8
- 3-6-10
- 1-2-3-7
- 3-6-8-13
Investment: $144 for 100%