Best Bets
Sizzling Belle was completely blocked for a run in the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m) last weekend and she’ll be extremely difficult to beat today. Looking back at her form, she’s finished second in the Group 3 Dark Opal Stakes (1200m) and just over four lengths off the winner in the Golden Slipper (1200m). She’s drawn ideally in barrier 3 and with better luck this afternoon, can get our day off to the perfect start.
Lipstick Lover has found career-best form since transferring to the care of Darren Weir and represents terrific value to win at Morphettville this afternoon. The former Queenslander won consecutive races over a mile and 1800m in March and early April and completed an ideal lead-in to this race with a comfortable win at Flemington, over 2000m a fortnight ago. She can find a position close to the pace from gate 3 and takes 4kgs from race favourite Savapinski.
Popular sprinter Rich Charm has won tougher races than this one down the Flemington straight and he’ll be hard to beat again this afternoon. He ran credible races for fourth and sixth respectively in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) and Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) through autumn and returned for a freshen-up for a smart win over 1200m at Caulfield in April. I like that he’s trialled in the lead-up to this race and he is undoubtedly the horse to beat.
Best Each-Way Bet
A horse that looks over the odds at Doomben today is the Darren Weir-trained Ulmann, who is hovering around the $10 mark. Ulmann has produced a number of outstanding and performances and results throughout his entire racing career and ran on well from the tail of the field and through traffic to finish sixth in the Listed Wangoom Handicap (1200m) first-up. He’ll have taken plenty of benefit from the run and has the ability to finish over the top of his rivals in this race.