There's plenty of quality racing this Saturday with Flemington, Rosehill, Morphettville and Doomben all hosting meetings. Mitchell Lamb from tab.com.au has run the form and settled on his top selections across the country.
SATURDAY'S BEST
Morphettville Race 4 No.1 Savapinski (Tim Clark) - $2.60
Savapinski is a lovely middle distance mare. She's very much in the typical Tulloch Lodge in that she can carve out good sectionals in front, but at the same time find plenty when needed. And with only 10 career starts under her belt, she's still got plenty of upside.
She was a beaten favourite here a fortnight ago in the Queen Of The South after being used up a little early. She travelled well throughout, booted a couple clear after straightening and fought hard, but tired the last 100m as a couple who'd enjoyed nice runs grabbed her. I thought it was a fantastic effort second up.
This race now doesn't have has much depth as that and no doubt Tim Clark will do as he did there and look to lead, steady, and kick for home once they make the final turn. With the extra fitness under her belt and the step up to a mile and a quarter, I can't see them running her down this time.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Rosehill Race 2 No.1 Seaway (Blake Shinn) - $2.90
I'm a big fan of the upside this colt possesses and he's obviously building a very nice record only half a dozen starts into his career.
Now, this is somewhat of a test, for two main reasons. The first being that he'll carry 60 ½ kilos which is never an easy task, but of even more importance is the fact that he's down in trip from the 1550 metres from his comprehensive win last start at Canterbury, to the 1400 metres of this, which is almost always a negative for a horse that is probably going to win races over further than both those distances. But he does come back against his own age, the small field is ideal, and I think Chris Waller has a big opinion of him. Waller is looking at races like the Queensland and Sunshine Coast Guineas to get some black type, so he's probably done little with him the last fortnight just to keep that little bit of freshness in his legs, which will work in his favour for this.
Seaway is a very smart galloper and, for me, he's probably just too good for this lot, even with those couple of small potential negatives.
Doomben Race 7 No.3 Mr Sneaky (Mark Zahra) - $6.50
Reckon we'll see big improvement from Mr Sneaky at his second run in Brisbane after nothing went right for the Victorian-trained gelding a few weeks back at this track.
A wide gate and a heavy track were the two main culprits behind his undoing, as he was beaten some five lengths by In His Stride in the Ascot Handicap. Never appearing comfortable during the run, it was also his first outing in almost two months and first start the clockwise direction; so there were multiple reasons as to why he failed there and it was a forgiveable effort.
Fast forward to the BRC Sprint on Saturday and this appears to be much more suitable. Up in trip, he draws a more favourable gate and will get a better racing surface, plus he'll be better off fitness wise for that last run.
Anthony Freedman has him on a path to the Stradbroke and I think we'll see the four-year-old make a statement here and declare himself right in the thick of the chances for Queensland's premier event.
OVER THE ODDS
Doomben Race 8 No.11 Egg Tart (Leith Innes) - $11
She's been a costly conveyance for her followers for the past year, and there were plenty of them following her dual Oaks success at the back end of her three-year-old days. As such, this may well be the last chance Egg Tart gets from me; believe me when I say she's a mare I've been highly forgiving of as she was very good to me in that three-year-old prep.
You couldn't deny she's raced in some outstanding company since then, and as time has gone on you could argue that perhaps she's just simply not as good without some give in the track; at least to compete at the highest level.
But, I reckon she was stiff not to win the Hollindale as Jeff Lloyd couldn't quite get her fully into the clear for almost the entire Gold Coast straight; she was racing in very close quarters, which isn't her go at all.
So, she gets one more chance with me to turn the ship around, otherwise it may well be a quick end to this talented mare's career.
QUADDIE SELECTIONS
Leg 1 - 3,6,7,10
Leg 2 - 3,4,5,7
Leg 3 - 2,3,4,6
Leg 4 - 2,8,12,18,19
($100 = 31.25%)
Leg 1 - 1,4,5,12
Leg 2 - 2,3,4,11
Leg 3 - 1, 4, 6
Leg 4 - 1,3,10
($100 = 208.33%)
Leg 1 - 1,2,6,7,8,11,13,15
Leg 2 - 3,13
Leg 3 - 2,10,11,12,13
Leg 4 - 2,4
($100 = 62.5%)