Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for Mornington on Saturday, March 21st.
It's Mornington Cup day in Victoria, with a free ticket into the 2020 Caulfield Cup up for grabs. The Mornington Sires', Mornington Guineas and Hareeba Stakes are also set to be run.
Over in Sydney, there are FIVE Group 1s on the card at Rosehill! Click here for our 2020 Golden Slipper day preview and betting tips!
Check out our race-by-race preview, tips and best bets for the day below!
Mornington Racing Tips: 2020 Mornington Cup Day
Best Bet: Race 7 - (14) Just Benjamin
Best Value: Race 8 - (11) Manolo Blahniq / (14) Kings Brook
Race 1 (Market)
(4) Albukhturi ran well on debut at Ballarat, where he probably should have won. The winner of that race was Lunar Fox, who then won again at Flemington in the G2 Sires Produce, where Albukhturi ran 8th. That's proven to be another good form race, with Larimer Street coming out of that race to run well in Sydney before winning at Moonee Valley last night. He's drawn much better today than what he was last start so ideally we'll see him settle a touch closer to the speed. Happy to have something on him at $5.00 rather than the two at the top of the market.
Race 2 (Market)
(8) Jamaican Hurry improved as expected last start when saluting in similar company down the Flemington straight. She's still a bit underrated here as she's around double figures in the market. This is her home track and she won third up last prep after also winning second up, so I think she's a real chance of making it back-to-back wins here. Draws well and with nearly $10 on offer, she has to be a bet. (7) Des Moines was very well supported first up when 3rd behind Diamond Effort. That was the third time she's run 3rd when first up, but she did come out second up last prep and win. (5) Done By Me resumes from a spell and trainer Phillip Stokes has a lethal strike rate at Mornington. If she's ready to go, she'll give this a good shake.
(8) Jamaican Hurry E/W
$9.50
Race 3 (Market)
(11) Too Good Too Hard returns from a spell here and Phillip Stokes wastes no time putting his main jockey Luke Nolen on board. She has three wins from six career starts, which was basically all in one prep. Her last start was a 2.7L defeat to Tofane and Pippie, which looks very good form for a BM78 race. Will probably need to come from back in the field from barrier 10 but if she's at her best, she'll be the one to beat. (2) Not Enough Effort has four wins from seven starts, and after a promising return first up last prep, he failed to go on with it in the G2 Caulfield Sprint. He has a good first up record and should be very competitive. (9) Raktoff is another mare with a great winning strike rate, with all four wins coming at this distance. Notably, her win over this track and distance last prep was over subsequent G1 winner Alabama Express!
(11) Too Good Too Hard
$3.40
Race 4 (Market)
(11) Sizzlefly promised the world but hasn't quite lived up to lofty expectations, which is quite a thing to say given she's won three times and banked $130k. She had somewhat of a stop-start preparation after her first three starts, but she's now had a decent spell and returns with one trial under the belt. She's undefeated first up from a spell and is undefeated at Mornington. All three wins have been at this distance and from the good draw, she's a great chance at $5.00. (8) Human Nature had the blinkers applied for the firsttime at The Valley last start and got the job done. Gets the tongue tie applied for the first time today and he should be up on speed so will prove tough to run down again. (4) Iknewshewasmine is looking for her fourth win on the trot. She'll lead from the low draw and that's typically advantageous at Mornington so she'll be in it for a long way. (5) Messerschmidt next best.
Race 5 (Market)
We'll need a good ride but (8) Mirimar finds a nice race today. He's run 2nd in both starts back from a break and third up with a run at 2000m under the belt, he looks well placed here. We saw Too Close The Sun come out of the race at Flemington he contested last start and win impressively at The Valley last night, which is a positive for that form line. He's drawn wide in 12 but hopefully he can slot in somewhere and get home over the top. (7) The Statesman went to the line untested first up at The Valley. He's a three-time winner at this distance and he's got a reasonably good second up record so he looks the value at double figure odds. (2) Salsamor is gunning for three straight wins. He gets in well with the claim and should be hard to run down from on speed.
Value: (7) The Statesman $11
Race 6 (Market)
(8) Chuck A Luck ran a big race in defeat on his Australian debut at Sandown, beaten 0.4L after sitting three-wide the trip. He's a Kiwi import that was Group 3 placed last prep behind subsequent NZ Derby winner Sherwood Forest.The step up to the mile second up will no doubt suit him and he's drawn a good gate in 4 to get a better run than he did last start. Looks hard to beat. (9) Themoonlitgambler resumed with a solid win at Pakenham. He's drawn wide in barrier 12 and will need some luck and a good ride, but he was a 3L winner second up last prep and looks well placed here. (5) Vegas Knight definitely has the talent to win this but he was a bit disappointing last start and draws an awful gate here. (10) Tooradin is still unexposed and has more to come.
Race 7 (Market)
I got it right with (14) Just Benjamin two starts ago, and got it right with (11) Aktau last start, and I'm jumping back in the camp of Just Benjamin to bounce back to the winner's stall today. He was brave in defeat after being caught three-wide without cover for most of the race last start. There was just over 2L separating him and Aktau last start and I think with the better draw today, he can turn the tables again and get the better of Aktau. He gets the blinkers applied for the first time today and with a ticket to the Caulfield Cup up for grabs, Anthony Freedman will have him ready to go. Aktau will relish the step up to 2400m and is the logical danger to Just Benjamin. (10) Future Score has a terrific record over 2400m and he comes off a good run behind Aktau last start. He draws the inside gate and drops in weight so looks the value at $9.50. (6) Vaucluse Bay should appreciate stepping back up in distance, he's never missed a place over 2400m.
Value: (10) Future Score $9.50
Race 8 (Market)
This is a lottery. (15) Diamond Effort won with a bit in hand last start to make it two from two this prep. The form is a little bit questionable but she looked to have another gear or two and she gets in with a good draw and the minimum weight here so should run well again. I think there's two good roughies in the race. (11) Manolo Blahniq is a $27 chance but I'm expecting a good run. He ran 6th first up behind Fabergino down the straight at Flemington, but he got home well late and recorded the second fastest final 200m of the race. He has a great second up record with four top-two finishes from seven starts, he gets back to his home deck and even though he's drawn horribly, he should be running home strongly. (14) Kings Brook was a pass mark first up, beaten 1.5L. Similarly, this is her home track and she draws a good gate for a soft run. Her best form would see her very competitive in this so if she can improve from that first up run, she can run a cheeky race at $34. (12) Prophet's Thumb is a scary runner having its first start for Anthony Freedman. Chances don't end there.
Value: (11) Manolo Blahniq $27 / (14) Kings Brook $34
(15) Diamond Effort
$4.40
Race 9 (Market)
Very tricky race to finish off with. Interested in having something each way on (8) Kiss And Cry. She won first up at Pakenham before a flat run last time out at Cranbourne. She won her only previous start at this track and trainer Cindy Alderson's horses always run well here. From 18 runners this season, 12 have placed and this is her only runner of the day. (5) Pierrless perhaps overdid it a touch in front last start and faded out to finish back in the field at Flemington. Luke Nolen takes over today and going forward at Mornington won't be a disadvantage at all. She could prove to be big odds at $16.
