Welcome to our horse racing preview of Sandown Hillside for Wednesday, 6th September, where we have a cracking eight-race card to look forward to. The Sandown track has come up as a Good 4 and with minimal rain predicted we should remain in the Good range. We may even see an upgrade throughout the day to a Good 3.
For a midweek meeting this is stacked with quality and we have betting tips and comments for every race below.
SANDOWN RACING TIPS
Best Bet: Positively High (Race 6)
Best Value: Indian Thunder EW (Race 1)
Race 1
This is an absolute corker to start things off! I can make a genuine case for seven of the nine runners here, but I do think they've priced the race wrong and I think we can take on a couple of those at shorter odds. SUPERHARD bolted in on debut at Pakenham after a Smerdon plunge, but the strength of that race is seriously questionable. He won by 2.25L, but beat Solgaze (a 12 start maiden) and (an 18 start maiden). So for him to be $4.60 is way under the odds in my opinion. BEL SONIC was also impressive in winning first up on the Geelong Synthetic and comes up $4.80 here. He at least ran 3rd behind Merchant Navy on debut which is clearly strong form, but the horse he beat at Geelong has since come out and ran 3rd in a Cranbourne maiden, so again I have reservations over the form. WRITTEN CHOICE is the best of those at the top of the market, in my opinion, as his form has at least stacked up. He won a midweek race over this track and distance two weeks ago, and the horse he beat then came out and won his next start at Geelong on Sunday. Damien Oliver takes over for the ride on Written Choice, replacing 3kg apprentice Brandon Stockdale, so he ticks plenty of boxes. $3.30 is short enough though. I'd prefer to be backing a couple at longer odds here who have the form on the board and are proven at a level beyond maiden grade. INDIAN THUNDER is currently $16 with UBET fixed and that looks an enormous price. This horse won in Listed grade in Adelaide in May, and first up he was very well backed into favourite in a Saturday race won by Azazel (Azazel then ran 4th in Listed grade next start). He was well beaten but pulled up with mucus which explains the poor performance. He's had a month off, and given he was well backed in a strong Saturday race, I think he must have been going well. Happy to be on him again here. FULLY MAXED is the other I'll be on. This horse bolted in over this track and distance first up from a spell, beating Bowerman who then won his next start. Forget his run two starts ago when caught wide at Caulfield with 60km/h winds, and look at his last start when working home very nicely from last on the turn to finish 2.35L behind Jukebox. Back to the scene of his first up success, he gets conditions to win again here at $11. WAIT FOR NO ONE ran a great race first up behind Azazel before being caught wide last start. He is Group 3 placed behind Property and Pariah which is tremendous form for a race like this. He can bounce back. GRADNIOSO possibly looking for further but don't dismiss.
TIP: Indian Thunder EW (Best Value) / Fully Maxed EW
Race 2
Interesting race that can be a trap to bet into with three first starters. I'll be sticking with WASSERGEIST who is knocking on the door for a win. First up had no luck when trapped three-wide the whole race, and last start was beaten a nose by a handy horse in Aberro. Settled a long way back that day and was held up at the top of the straight but Williams sticks with him and he finds another winnable race at $3.20. The really interesting runner here is WEATHER WITH YOU who comes over from NZ for the powerful Murray Baker stable. When he brings horses to Australia you always have to take notice (he's the NZ trainer with the most Group 1 wins in Australia). This horse is on a VRC Derby path. I think he will go very close here but the 1400m may just be a touch sharp. One to follow into the Spring. ETIKAAL is a value chance here after a solid first up performance when 3rd over 1100m. He was beaten by Bel Sonic that day, so if Bel Sonic runs well in the first race then expect Etikaal to have market support. Jumps straight to 1400m here, but it is noticeable that Oliver jumps off to ride Weather With You. Expecting him to go well at $12 though. RED CHOUX'S comes straight to town after two 2nd placings at Swan Hill and Warrnambool, both on heavy tracks. Strikes a good track for the first time here and I certainly wouldn't be discounting him here as we've seen Weir use this method many times before for great success. Lane is a positive booking. VILLERMONT is the debutante that I'll be keeping safe for Maher/Nolen.
TIP: Wassergeist / Etikaal EW
Race 3
Very deep race with $6 the field and seven horses rated between $6 to $10 in the market. I'll be backing two here. The first is INDERNILE who comes out of a very strong race behind Esperence who is considered a legitimate Caulfield Guineas contender. He has shown plenty of promise ealry in his career, and drops from 60kg to 57.5kg here so he should be going close at $6. The second horse is BENNY GOES BERZERK at $6.50. His two runs back this preparation have been very good and he's put the writing on the wall that he's ready to win. Last start he came from last on the rail and was held up until the 200m mark, before finding room and flying home late behind Night's Watch. Night's Watch then went on to win his next start in this sort of grade so I think the form can be followed. Benny has won his only previous third up run and from the good draw today he should be able to settle closer. MANDALAY BAY is first up today, sporting blinkers for the first time. Can go close. ARTIE'S DREAMWINNER has been well supported with Craig Williams taking the ride today. He should be on speed from the good gate and will be there for a long way. SAMMY THE BOSS can't be ruled out for Weir/Yendall at double figure odds.
TIP: Indernile / Benny Goes Bezerk EW
Race 4
Pretty keen on two horses in this race. SIMPLY INVINCIBLE comes up poison odds for mine as the $3.80 favourite. Craig Williams takes the ride which is why he's so short, but he's never placed from four starts at the distance and has only placed once in seven starts on a good track! Possibly needed the run last start after a 47 day break leading into it, but I just can't be taking those odds for this horse. Keen to back FASTLANE TO HEAVEN who has been racing in easier grade but has been going better than his form suggests. First up he was 0.6L off the winner, second up he was 0.4L off the winner, third up he was stuck four-wide without cover in a strong race behind Night's Watch, and then he bolted in last start at Wangaratta. Obviously this BM70 is much stronger than a BM70 at Wangaratta, but he's been going well this prep and he draws a lovely barrier here to get a smooth run. Happy to take $4.20 rather than $3.80 about Simply Invincible. The value is STONE WARRIOR who has always promised to be a decent horse but has never quite delivered. He's first up from a spell here; he's never missed a place fresh and won first up last prep over 1300m. The good track is the key to him running well here, and he finds a very winnable race at $7.50.
TIP: Fastlane To Heaven / Stone Warrior EW
Race 5
Looks to be just three chances here with PETITE'S REWARD, AMADEUS and MAGNATTI. Petite's Reward comes out of a strong race behind Sullivan Bay and Lyuba in Saturday grade, where she led carrying 51kg and hung on to finish 3rd. Goes right up in the weights here and I'm prepared to take her on at the price. Amadeus is the one I'm most wary of. He's first up from a spell and has finished in the top two at both previous first up runs. Last prep he ran 2nd to Crystal Dreamer first up at Werribee. Crystal Dreamer then went on to four races in town, before running 3rd in Group 3 company last weekend. So that form is outstanding for this. Williams rides, big chance. MAGNATTI is the one I'll be on though. She went to Adelaide for a strong race first up - the Lightning Stakes - and was well supported at double figure odds before the jump. She was then vetted in the barriers and dropped out to be beaten 6L after leading. Her trial leading into that race was very good, and she's since had 39 days off. That suggests that she didn't pull up all that well from the race, and I can forgive her for the performance given she was vetted at the gates. If she ran well in that race she was going to line up in the Group 2 Carlyon Stakes two weeks ago, so the drop back to Wednesday grade, with blinkers on first time, should see her hard to beat. Taking $3.40.
TIP: Magnatti
Race 6
Very keen to back POSITIVELY HIGH here and save on DINNER LAKE. Positively High won in good style first up over 1400m and then charged home last start over this track and distance from well back in the field to finish 3rd. Blinkers go back on today, draws much better in barrier 6 so shouldn't be as far back in the field, and gets a 3kg weight swing on PRIA ECLIPSE who finished 2nd in that race (0.2L ahead of Positively High). Happy to lock in $2.90. Dinner Lake did very well to run 2nd last start over 1400m at Sandown Lakeside when sitting three-wide without cover with 60kg for the whole race. The horse he ran 2nd to was Bonus D'Oro, who then came out and won again at his next start, beating Pria Eclipse. Dinner Lake was beaten 1.25L by Bonus D'Oro, while Pria Eclipse was beaten 2L by the same horse. When you consider Dinner Lake sat wide, gets in 3kg lighter here and draws well, while Pria Eclipse carries 1kg more and draws wide, there's a pretty strong case to be made that Dinner Lake shouldn't be behind Pria Eclipse in the market. Locking in $2.90 for Positively High and saving on Dinner Lake at $5.50 (you could even back both to win a decent amount). MUTIN and SASSOON others to consider.
TIP: Positively High (Best Bet)
Race 7
Tough race. NACAR will relish the extra 200m here and also the bigger track on the Hillside course rather than the Lakeside course. From barrier 11 he will get a long way back but he should be able to wind up today and charge home. The price on offer is just a touch too short for me to entertain. I think he'll go very close to winning but I just don't have a great deal of confidence in the race and therefore don't want to take the short price. CARRAIG AONAIR won nicely over a mile last start and steps up to 1800m here. Williams sticks with him and Ben Hayes said after his last win that he doesn't like wet ground, so with this being his first start on god ground on a turf track, we may see him improve again. He'll be further forward than Nacar in the run and I'd rather be on him at $5. CLAIRVAUX bounced back to his best last start over this track and distance in harder grade. Gets in with the same weight today after the 3kg claim, but doesn't have Williams on board. His best runs have actually come at this track and distance, so that may be the key to him. His problem is consistency so it's risky trusting him to string two good runs together, especially with the 3kg apprentice taking over from Williams. PABLO'S EXPRESS can bounce back after a poor performance last start. He pulled up lame after being caught wide so assess him on his previous form, which should see him go well.
TIP: Carraig Aonair
Race 8
Not a race I'm keen to get involved in. PETITION looks very hard to beat based on what she showed in her debut preparation, but first up over 1300m at $1.85 looks hard to entertain. RED IS THE ROSE resumed in Sydney but was beaten 4L. She was only beaten 2L behind I Am A Star and Ellicazoon last prep over 1400m so if she brings that kind of form she will go close. But again, not really keen to take on Petition when we are only getting $5.50. MY NIKITA is first up in Australia for Weir. She's never placed first up and carries 60kg here, but the booking of Damian Lane is a positive one. GOLD BLUSH is Weir's other chance in the race and may actually outperform her stable mate at better odds. She won her first two starts last prep before failing as favourite over 1600m at this track. Resumed with a 4th placing, beaten 0.8L at Donald, and comes straight to town now, which Weir regularly does with success. Wouldn't rule her out. I think Petition will win, but hard to take the $1.85. Possibly Gold Blush EW if looking for value.
TIP: Petition
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