Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips from Thursday’s racing taking place at Pakenham and Gulfstream Park.
Pakenham Best Bets
Race 1: RESET ALL (5)
Trainer: Mark Webb
Jockey: B Mertens
RESET ALL has yet to strike in ten attempts but recent evidence of a frame finish at this course suggests he’s on the cusp of ending that trend. He’s carded to go off favourite for the opener and from a good gate can open his account.
Race 2: FAVELL (3) (Nap)
Trainer: James Cummings
Jockey: Brad Rawiller
The Godolphin-owned FAVELL, named after Rebecca de Winter’s sinister cousin in the du Maurier novel ‘Rebecca’, has everything going for him and on this foray out of Melbourne can deliver. Placed on his first two starts, he finished in mid pack at Moonee Valley two weeks ago, battling on steadily at the business end.
Race 4: THEE ONE (11)
Trainer: Danny O’Brien
Jockey: D Lane
THEE ONE has lit up the board on all three starts and sets the standard for the others to aim at in this Maiden plate. The daughter of Savabeel needs to overcome a tricky draw but the way she’s been finishing off her races suggests this could be D-Day.
Race 6: SIR HARALD (1)
Trainer: J Moloney
Jockey: J Childs
With a 50% strike-rate of being in the money, SIR HARALD can endorse the good impression shown when returning fresh and charging clear in the closing stages at Bendigo, but off a wide trip he then failed to menace at Caulfield. Back into the country, he has a good chance to show that run to be all wrong.
Race 8: CARPOOL KARAOKE (3)
Trainer: Anthony Freedman
Jockey: Matthew Allen
This 1600m handicap should see CARPOOL KARAOKE making a bold fist of going gate to finishing line. Those tactics were adopted with telling success on his debut here, and the booking of Allen is crucial with foes like Millie The Missile and Yanacocha ready to capitalise if the selection fluffs his lines.
Gulfstream Park Best Bets
Race 1 (Maiden Claiming)
MADAME MOON (7)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
Pletcher adds blinkers to the Malibu Moon filly MADAME MOON who has a lovely midfield post from which to go forward and give her trainer the perfect start to what could be a pivotal day in his bid to reclaim top the trainers’ standings here. Her recent third to Special Liaison over course and distance has been backed up, making her the one to beat.
Race 4 (Claiming)
FALSE ACCUSATION (5)
Trainer: Henry Collazo
Jockey: Marcos Meneses
A son of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame, FALSE ACCUSATION looks a more dependable selection than Rattle’m and can turn the tables on that foe from when they met here earlier in the season. The 6yo is a regular frame finisher and just needs a bit of luck to put one on the board.
Race 7 (Starter Optional Claiming)
BLUE BUFF (7) (Nap)
Trainer: John Servis
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Hat-trick seeker BLUE BUFF rates the best bet on the card for the powerful Servis/Castellano combination. The grey took advantage of an ease in grade to score here late last month and looks to have found a new lease on life since joining this yard at the end of last year.
Race 9 (Allowance Optional Claiming)
SOLDADO (1)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
Todd Pletcher might have shuttered his operation in New York but the closing days of the 2019-2020 Championship in Florida sees him engaged in a fierce battle with Mike Maker for the training title he’s won for a record 15 straight years.
Enter SOLDADO, the bargain basement ($8,000) purchase who in his short career has acquired a Beyer rating of 91 and looks destined to take a high rank in the US sprint division. Under Luis Saez the Verrazano colt will break from the rail in the six furlongs $52,000 contest. The danger is Mihos, a winner here 14 months ago and returning from a near six month lay off with blinkers added.
Race 10 (Claiming)
No1 PEACOCK KITTEN
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr
Jockey: Luis Saez
Before a below-par effort on his latest outing here in January PEACOCK KITTEN hadn’t put a foot wrong. The Kitten’s Joy entire was having a first outing for the Joseph stable and the drop in grade together with his trainer’s longer time in getting to know him should see him prove a but above these rivals.
