The Oakbank Carnival wraps up this Monday with an eight race program. The weather is fine, the track is good (4) and the rail is in the true position for the entire circuit.
Race 1. (13:30) SAJR Hurdle (120) 3200m
I’ll be surprised if they beat 1 Tangara (Bet Now: $6.00). Couple of these come through the race he won at Terang last time over two miles and he was dominant in winning. He jumped beautifully, looked to travel sweetly and really, from the 800m mark onwards, he was never getting beat. Repeat that effort and he’ll be winning.
2 Fledged…(Bet Now: $5.50) ah he’s a bludger, but you could say that about pretty much all of these. He comes through the Tangara race where he too looked to travel well in the run but when the pressure came on, he didn’t handle it as well as most and his jumping late was really poor. With his A Game, he can win.
5 Casiraghi (Bet Now: $10.00) makes his jumping debut for the in form Grant Young team and I think he can run well. He is a real one batter on the flat, as we saw last time out over the 2150m here behind Bon Elise, but his recent jumps trials here have been encouraging enough to suggest he should do well at this jumping caper.
Race 2. (14:05) Phil Hoffman Travel Maiden Plate 1050m
I’ll cop the tip with 11 Yankee Eyes (Bet Now: $2.70). Tony McEvoy has a first starter engaged here but Jamie Kah rides this girl, a daughter of All American on debut. She trialled over 1000m on the Parks track last Thursday and went very well to the eye behind Little Less Noise in running second, beaten a length. Draws okay and should run well.
3 Hildalgo (Bet Now: $4.60) is an Akeed Mofeed gelding on debut for Goldin Farms and Richard Jolly. The Akeed Mofeed youngsters are starting to fire at the moment, namely via Sunset Watch for Team Hawkes, but this bloke looks to have his share of talent also. Thought he trialled up well a couple of weeks back at Morphettville and he finds a very winnable race here.
9 Once In A Lifetime (Bet Now: $5.00) is a daughter of Not A Single Doubt on debut for the Tony McEvoy team. Jamie Kah rode this girl in a trial last Thursday on the Parks track and she didn’t exactly set the world on fire when running last, so interesting to note she doesn’t ride. Loses nothing though with Holder steering. Definite market watch.
Race 3. (14:00) The Press Gallery Maiden Plate 1050m
No bet race for me because this lot, as a whole, can’t be trusted. For the sake of a tip, I’ll go with 7 Mental As Anything (Bet Now: $16.00). Ron Daniel trains this five year old mare, who is a maiden after 27 starts, but has been placed on 13 occasions, and she does try hard…just doesn’t win. Ran over 1100m at Naracoorte last time out and attempted to lead all the way when third to the heavily backed and talented Kodakhan. She’ll lead and give a sight.
12 Good Nic (Bet Now: $2.50) is the best horse in the race by a mile but it’s just a matter of where she is at fitness. Eight weeks between runs since running third, and just a fair third to be honest, as a short priced elect behind Vod. If she’s right, she probably wins, but I wouldn’t want to be taking anything silly short.
9 Blue Balloons (Bet Now: $21.00) could be one to include at a bit of odds. Kristi Evans trains this filly, who is first up here after a two run prep to kick off her career in the Spring. She didn’t set the world on fire in each career outing, but the form out of those two races has been quite good. Draws well, and Eran Boyd does ride the stable horses well.
Race 4. (15:15) Ecycle Solutions Steeplechase 3250m
3 Zuhayr (Bet Now: $6.50) is looking for further and he gets it here. He’s just found the two miles too short at his past couple where he has been tailed off early but picked up and been good late, the latest at Terang behind Tangara in an eye catching effort. He led all the way to win here three years ago, but is a different horse. He’ll give them a start, but he’ll be strong late.
1 Now And Zen (Bet Now: $1.65) looks beautifully placed back to this level. Just has to contend with the 70kg impost. He ran in the Von Doussa last time out where he chased hard all the way but was no match for the class and brilliance of Zed Em. Meets a field with clearly less depth and Allen sticks. Hard to beat.
4 Pentomatic (Bet Now: $5.50) comes through a steeple at the Bool where he looked to do things quite nicely in the run and loomed large to win approaching the last couple but he just lacked the class to go with I’ll’ava’half and battled away for third. Similar to Now And Zen, drops big time in depth and did trial well here last week.
Race 5. (15:50) The Jericho Cup Prelude (82) 3600m
If 9 Spur On Gold (Bet Now: $5.00) runs up to his win last Wednesday at Strathalbyn, they won’t be beating him here. He won like Winx. Jamie Kah barely touched the horse and he won with absolute and ridiculous ease. First up run a total forgive and he looks as if he’ll eat up the 3600m, plus he gets the claim…ticks the boxes.
3 Our Yangtze (Bet Now: $3.00) is the best horse in the race but it’s just an unknown for mine as to how well he is going. Looked his race last time out over 3000m at Sandown but he was very one paced and didn’t find much at all when third to Choysa. Alarming drifter in betting noteworthy and didn’t pull up 100% post race. Has had a tick over trial over the jumps at Cranbourne to sharpen him up, a technique used with great success by the stable.
5 Dane Hussler (Bet Now: $3.60) is another that is gearing up for the jumps season. She won this race a couple of years ago and while she isn’t going as well as she was back then, I think she’s going well enough to threaten these. She comes through the Choysa race at Sandown where she tried hard but just couldn’t reel them in when fourth. Trialled well over the jumps at Cranbourne and is proven here.
Race 6. (16:25) Melba's Handicap (64) 2150m
1 Dance Of Heroes (Bet Now: $4.60) on top but with not much confidence. Grant Young trains this bloke, who is on the quick back up after racing over the 2250m on the Parks track last Saturday where he just got too far back in a slowly run affair and couldn’t sustain the run behind Sagaab. That form reads well though and the claim for Crowther is a big tick.
2 Star Wars (Bet Now: $3.20) is another for Grant Young that is on the quick turnaround. He ran on Wednesday at Strathalbyn and looked a bit one paced to my eye but he kept coming and found the line well enough behind Tahnee Tiara. Think he wants further, which he gets here, and this isn’t a strong race at all.
12 Desert Duel (Bet Now: $31.00) brings really good form here and I think he’ll run a beauty. He ran over 2000m at Donald last time out and got a fair way back in the run but he stuck on really well in defeat I thought behind Super Rockstar. Doesn’t have the greatest of strike rates, but recent form does read well for this.
Race 7. (17:00) Neutrog Handicap (70) 1400m
Looks a good race for the former Hong Kong gelding 7 Cronauer (Bet Now: $4.50), who is fourth up for Michael Hickmott. He ran over 1200m at Swan Hill last time out and tried hard but was no match late for Our Mallee Hoff. That was his first run in five weeks, so there should be room for improvement and he looks well placed here to my eye.
2 Exalted Traveller (Bet Now: $3.20) is a very consistent galloper for the Grant Young team. On the quick back up after racing on the Parks track last Saturday where he sat on speed most of the way and looked to travel well throughout. Gave a really good kick but Tatoosh, who was heavily backed, nabbed him on the peg. Horror draw but on form is the one to beat.
5 Danouli (Bet Now: $10.00) was completely unwanted in betting when resuming on the Parks track a tick over two weeks ago where he got mile back in the run yet finished off with real purpose late when third to Comfortable. Hasn’t run well at Oakbank before but on that resumption, it’s hard to ignore him here.
Race 8. (17:40) Bickfords Handicap (Class 2) 1400m
6 Pluckit (Bet Now: $3.80) for me in the get out. He comes through the Comfortable race on the Parks track back on March 17. He got a little bit lost in the run and ran his race in patches but his finale was very good late for fourth. Gets in well with the claim for Alfred Chan, draws well, upside, talented…happy to be with him.
5 Going Gaga (Bet Now: $4.60) was heavily backed when racing at this track/distance a fortnight back and the punters got it absolutely spot on as he sat on speed, looked the winner in the run and kicked on to indeed get the win. Much more depth here, which is the concern, but he’s in form and should get the run of the race.
I reckon 8 Vikings Reward (Bet Now: $18.00) is going really well this prep but he just hasn’t had the luck. That was clearly evident a few weeks back at Morphettville when getting no luck in the straight when appearing to be going easily behind Iconoclasm. Hopefully the ‘Fawke Lift’ can get him clear air and see what he can do.
Best Bets & Quaddie Tips
BEST BET: Race Five Number 9 Spur On Gold
NEXT BEST: Race One Number 1 Tangara
VALUE: Race Four Number 3 Zuhayr
Quaddie Tips (Races Five Through To Eight):
Leg One: 1, 3, 4, 9, 10
Leg Two: 1, 2, 4, 9, 12
Leg Three: 2, 5, 7, 12
Leg Four: 5, 6, 7, 8
$50 Investment= 12.50% of the dividend if successful
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