Belmont 17/08/2019

Conditions

Rail – 6m
Track – Soft 7
Forecast – Max 15, chance of showers in the early morning, windy

Race 1 – Westspeed Platinum Maiden – 1200m – 11:48pm

Sherpa Lass has trialled very well but hasn’t raced before, so she could be needing the race day experience. Paty’s Forecast has shown a hint of something last preparation and trialled well leading into this race. Alien from Mars had a nice run last start and should be fitter going into this race. Sassational has been knocking on the door for a while and could get up here.
10 – Sherpa Lass
5 – Paty’s Forecast
6 – Alien from Mars
1 – Sassational

Race 2 – Singapore Turf Club Trophy – 1200m – 12:27pm

One of the strongest races I’ve seen and definitely the hardest race to tip today. Long Beach had a nice run last start and is second up here after his first time at the races last start. Platinum Bullet beat Long Beach last start to win but is 1kg worse off here. Apache Pass seems like a very good horse and did win last start. Some Sort seems to be flying this preparation and has won two trials on a soft track.
4 – Long Beach
5 – Platinum Bullet
1 – Apache Pass
3 – Some Sort

Race 3 – TabTouch – Better Your Bet Handicap – 2100m – 1:07pm

Zaratite finally gets a start and this looks like a very good race. Here Comes Lenni got too far back last start but could potentially bounce back with a better barrier here. Magic Las Vegas has good form behind both of my top two picks and is running well himself. Defiantly is another horse that got too far back last start but if he can get a clear running that shouldn’t be an issue.
3 – Zaratite
2 – Here Comes Lenni
8 – Magic Las Vegas
6 – Defiantly

Race 4 – Nathan Bennett 40th Birthday Handicap – 1400m – 1:47pm

Uni Time just an impressive horse and is one to follow. Cryptic Love showed a very impressive turn of foot last start. Express Flirt is a consistent horse who’s second up record is good (3:1-0-1). Get Over It is a horse who does well on a soft track (4:2-1-1) and should do better from an inside barrier.
6 – Uni Time
8 – Cryptic Love
7 – Express Flirt
3 – Get Over It

Race 5 – Belmont Newmarket – 1200m – 2:27pm

Great Again is racing consistently. He also loves a soft track (6:4-2-0) and Pike jumps back on board. Tamasa is having his first start in WA so perhaps one to watch but he did perform very well in Victoria and loves a soft track (3:1-2-0). Multiverse has had both wins this preparation at 1200m and he does well on a soft track too (4:3-0-0). Lockroy won last start and has been racing well this preparation, but his soft track record makes me nervous (13-1-4-0).
5 – Great Again
7 – Tamasa
6 – Multiverse
3 – Lockroy

Race 6 – D’Orsogna Handicap – 1200m – 3:05pm

Final Hearing is down in grade and trialled well. His first up record is also good (2:1-0-1). Lookout is on the one-week back up but has been performing well. Why Choose Her’s only win and place have been on a soft track (2:1-0-1) so she could surprise here. Truly Belong raced well last preparation and does run well on a soft track (5:1-1-1).
2 – Final Hearing
6 – Lookout
11 – Why Choose Her
1 – Truly Belong

Race 7 – Brendan Kane 60th Birthday Handicap – 1000m – 3:40pm

Essential Spice has been racing very well and her distance record is good (8:3-3-1), as is her track/distance record (7:3-3-0). Pym’s Royale has a 3kg swing on Essential Spice so he could surprise. Festival Miss is a very consistent horse who has only placed outside of the top 3 twice. Floyd has never placed outside the top 3 at this track (6:2-3-1), has a great track/distance record (4:2-3-0) and is also placed on all soft track starts (3:0-2-1), so he’s a threat.
5 – Essential Spice
3 – Pym’s Royale
7 – Festival Miss
2 – Floyd

Race 8 – Crown Perth Handicap – 1400m – 4:20pm

It’s no surprise to my followers that Free Trade is on top. I just love this horse and he better soft track record than Taxagano who he ran third to last start (3:2-1-0). Taxagano has placed inside top three all starts this preparation and if the rain has started to fall by now, he’s one to watch, having won on a heavy track (1:1-0-0). Neurological beat Taxagano 4 weeks ago and Taxagano’s races look to be carrying the form here. Chix Pic ran second to Taxagano last start but has never raced on a soft or heavy track.
12 – Free Trade
7 – Taxagano
3 – Neurological
8 – Chix Pic

Race 9 – Vale Beaux Art Handicap – 1600m – 5:00pm

I just have a feeling about Next Stop The Moon, but he has also won his past two starts on a soft track. The Escort is racing well this preparation and does well on a soft track (8:2-2-1). DeceptionGame got too far back last start so I’m willing to forgive that run. Divine Shadow is up in class but does look to be a horse with some ability.
7 – Next Stop The Moon
8 – The Escort
1 – Deception Game
9 – Divine Shadow

Best Bet

Race 3 – Zaratite

Confidence rating

Once again there are quite a few evenly matched races. Combined with the rain, my confidence isn’t very high. Biggest worries are race 2 and my second picks in race 1, 4, 5 and 8, especially given last week when my second picks did better than by top picks.