Welcome to our harness racing preview and tips for Saturday, March 30th.
We've found four selections we're keen to back throughout the evening, with Albion Park and Melton the tracks we're targeting.
Find our preview and tips below!
Albion Park Harness Tips
Race 5 – 7:40pm AEST
Clintal Do has won his past two starts, one at Inverell and one at Albion Park. The latter was a 7.3m victory in 1:55.3, where his last half was much quicker than the 55.5 recorded for the race. He will be looking to use his closing speed to run down Its Just Kenny or Parisian Rockstar who are the best beginners on the front line. The former will be a threat in the race but the latter won’t after Clintal Do beat him home by 30.9m last start.
Melton Harness Tips
Race 4 – 7:32pm
The Shakamaker Classic looks a good race with two first starters and four horses that all won on debut clashing. Premonition is the veteran of the 2YOs in this field with three career starts under his belt for no wins. That hardly seems ideal meeting four horses that have already won, but Premonition is the likely leader in the race from barrier four and he was brave in defeat against Jilliby Nitro. The mile rate was 1:56.2 for the 1650m at Bendigo and the last half was run in 55.9 seconds with a final quarter clocked in 27.1. Kerryn Manning will give the gelding every possible chance.
Race 7 – 9:00pm
An intriguing M0 contest and I like the inside runner at double figures, Zuberi, who will be driven by Chris Alford. There is plenty of gate speed on the front line which is a concern because Zuberi could get buried on the pegs if a couple of horses manage to cross, or even one horse does, and then takes a trail. I do admit that Zuberi will need luck, but his form appears to stack up here. Two starts ago he was fifth in the Wangaratta Pacing Cup, beaten 6.3m. Joe Nien and Manganello finished ahead of Zuberi but only by a few metres. The price differential here is $17 compared to $6 for Manganello and $4 for Joe Nien.
Race 8 – 9:30pm
Lance Justice’s Rishi is racing very well without winning. He has been placed in three of his past four starts, including a last-start third in the Group 2 Melton Plate (2240m) won by Duke Of Wellington. His unplaced run in that time was a fourth behind Cant Refuse in the Group 3 Charlton Pacing Cup (2760m). Rishi beat home Wardan Express on that occasion and that horse will lead over the 1720m in this event. He can be hit and miss, and I much prefer the more versatile Rishi who can race with a sit or work outside the leader.
