Sandown Hillside hosts an eight-race card on Wednesday, August 30th as we build towards the first Group 1 of the season on Saturday at Caulfield.
The track at Sandown is currently rated a Soft 7 and there is a light sprinkle of rain predicted so we should remain around that mark.
We have our latest horse racing betting tips and comments for every race below.
Sandown Hillside Racing Tips for Wednesday, August 30th
Best Value: White Devon (Race 3)
Best Bet: Crocodile Rock (Race 7)
Race 1
Tough race to start off with five of the nine runners coming into this first up from a spell. A number of these have no previous form to go off on wet ground either, so it's a tough race to have confidence in. I thought the Freedman horses could both go well here though and at the odds we can play both. PAGEANTRY won on debut before being beaten 3.45L behind Formality in the Summer. She then ran 3rd, beaten less than a length, in Listed grade in Adelaide before a luckless run at Moonee Valley the last time we saw her. Went around in a jump out recently where she was held up in amongst horses the whole way but looked to have a bit to offer. Williams takes the ride which is a positive sign and she draws well here. She goes on top from the stablemate SHAMAR who was scratched from a race last weekend in order to run here. She won on debut at Kyneton (although the form out of that race is poor) and then competed in a very strong form race last time we saw her. Kobayashi won that race, and the 2nd and 3rd horses were Plutocracy and Banish. Shamar won a trial at Pakenham but 4L leading into this so should be ready to go here. Just needs a good ride from the wide gate. $11 is a good price though. SO FAR SOKOOL undoubtedly has the talent to win this, but the query is the 1000m first up. FOX SWIFT came out of two very strong form races before bolting in last start at Moe on a wet track. Brings race fitness and wet track form. BLONDIE and MISS VIXEN can't be ruled out first up.
TIP: Pageantry / Shamar EW
Race 2
Two I'm interested in here but there are a few chances. Sticking with BONUS D'ORO for Weir/Rawiller after a solid win in BM64 grade at Sandown Lakeside last start. Steps up to BM70 grade here but she's going very well this prep and the win last start was good enough to suggest she can make the grade. The query is the wet track, but her only failure on wet ground was on debut, and she went for a spell straight after that. She draws awkward here so will get a fair way back, but we're getting $5.50 for a Weir horse that has two wins and a 2nd from three starts this prep. The second horse I want to be on is BETTYRAE RUBY at a bit of value around the $9.50 mark. She's had two runs back this prep, both of which were good, and now gets out to 1600m at her third run back for the prep. Her third up record is good, with a win and a 2nd from two starts, and she's placed in both starts on wet tracks. Inside gate could be a bit tricky given she tends to get back, but she looks a nice price in a race that looks to suit her. GOLD FONTEIN dropped back to this class last start and finished a narrow 2nd to the in-form Special Diva, while ANOTHER BULLSEYE's only win on turf came on wet ground so the track should suit her here.
TIP: Bonus D'Oro / Bettyrae Ruby EW
Race 3
Really quite keen on WHITE DEVON here at enormous odds. She's currently $27 and I think she should be about half that quote. Three starts ago she won in this grade over 1600m at this track, defeating All Day Every Day who then came out and won its next start. Failed next start on firm ground, and then finished midfield last start in BM78 grade. Big drop in grade back to BM64 and the key here is the wet track. Her record on good ground is 27 starts, one win, 10 placings. Her record on soft ground is 21 starts, seven wins, two placings. Gets a 3kg claim here so gets in well at the weights, she will go straight to the lead from the wide gate and I think she can repeat her performance under similar conditions from three starts ago. Happy to back her at $27 and $7 for the place. MINOAN SPIRIT is the better of the Weir chances and hardest to beat, while TORREGGIANATE steps out to 1800m second up here and can go well. Happy to take on SORRENATA who is none from three on soft ground.
TIP: White Devon EW (Best Value)
Race 4
LINA'S HERO looks hard to beat here after a dominant debut win at Sale. He won by 2.25L there and importantly, it was on a Soft 6 track, so we know he'll handle the conditions here. The barrier certainly makes things tough. We saw him sit three-wide on the speed on debut from barrier 10, so from barrier 11 here it's possible we see him go forward again. He'll need to get across given he rises in grade and weight here. Taking the $3 still on offer. MIGHTY BOSS won impressively last time we saw him at Sale. The form out of the race has stood up with Sky Punch winning its next race and being competitive in Saturday races in recent weeks. He's trialled well leading into this and draws for a good run in midfield. OUYANG FENG won well on the synthetic on debut and returns from a spell here. Draws wide and will get back but could be competitive. Craig Williams jumps on SOUFFRANT here for Weir after he won at Bendigo first up. Small bet on Lina's Hero here.
TIP: Lina's Hero
Race 5
Deep betting race. MOTOWN LIL has been backed into $2.70 here which I think is awfully short. She won two races last prep, both at this track over 1000m, but her record shows she always needs one or two runs to really come good. Those two wins last prep were her third and fourth run back from a spell, and the report from the jockey who rode her first up last prep was that she would benefit from the run. So I'm keen to take her on here and if she wins, so be it. I'll be backing two horses at much better odds. The first of those i UNIQUE LOVELY. Now, she also tends to need her first up run, but all of those previous first up runs were before the stable figured her out. She went on to win three straight last prep, two of which were in Saturday grade against some good horses. The trainer said they originally hoped that this race would be a "soft kill" for her but then realised the strength of the field was stronger than anticipated, but that tells me they've got her ready to win here. Carries a big weight but she's a great price at $7.50 I think. The other horse at good odds is ITS TIME FOR MAGIC who is on debut in Australia for Waller/Williams. That combination certainly raises eyebrows and this mare has competed in Group races back in New Zealand so clearly has some talent. Waller's Melbourne stable is going very well, and from barrier 1 she will get a soft run so at $9 she looks an appealing price. GWENNETH another to include first up from a spell.
TIP: Unique Lovely / Its Time For Magic EW
Race 6
SPEEDEOR at his best would towel this field up, but it's hard to know what form he's in first up from a 284 day spell which involved colic surgery. I find it very interesting that Weir elects to use 3kg apprentice Ethan Brown here given the ability the horse has. He was only carrying 56.5kg, so the choice to use a 3kg claimer to get him down to 53.5kg is a strange one and one that might suggest the horse isn't quite ready? I think he'll win but at $2 I can't jump in to the price. SUPER MAXI rates hardest to beat. He's got a good first up record and a good record at the distance. He's been doing all his racing in Sydney but resumes in Melbourne for a change. Generally the Sydney form holds up well in Melbourne and this horse also has form on wet ground. Won a trial leading into this so and looks to have found a winnable race here. The value could be Weir's second stringer LABUAN STAR but his fresh record is much better than his second up record. Value can be found in the price of RUNSON who started favourite in a strong Saturday race first up. Back to Wednesday grade here and his best would see him go close at double figure odds. Speedeor is the better horse, but not keen to jump in to $2 first up with other factors mentioned. Small bet on Super Maxi at $4.20, who will be wound up.
TIP: Super Maxi
Race 7
Very keen on CROCODILE ROCK here at the short odds. Returned from a spell with a decent run behind Alward who then went on to win again in Sydney and looks a legitimate chance for better races in the Spring. Second up last prep he jumped to 2400m and won easily with 61kg, so he should be able to replicate that with a similar path taken here. Best horse in the race, aiming for the big races this Spring, out to his best distance and happy to take the $2.05 on offer. The value in the race is UBIN THUNDERSTRUCK for Weir/Williams who should be able to improve significantly on a soft track here. Had no hope coming from the back of the field last start, and the form from that race has stood up since. Williams takes over from Ben Allen and with 54kg on his back he is a chance of featuring here. KAWABATA a place chance.
TIP: Crocodile Rock (Best Bet) / Ubin Thunderstruck EW
Race 8
There really doesn't seem to be many negatives with NIGHT'S WATCH here and more importantly, there's not too many horses in the race that are either in form or good enough. NIGHT'S WATCH made his Australian debut for Weir when winning at Bendigo in BM64 grade over 1300m on a Soft track. I think he can go on with it here, and just needs a good ride from the wide gate. KILMACURRAGH on his day would be good enough to win this but the early hype has since resulted in nothing. He would need to improve quite significantly to challenge here. DUKE OF NOTTINGHAM ran 2nd to Night's Watch last start and with a 3kg weight swing can probably run a place again. The wet track helps. RED GATTEAU has been racing in much weaker company but his past two runs have been dominant wins.
TIP: Night's Watch
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