Sandown is the focus in Victoria this Saturday with nine races to pick from.
The wet weather continues to make life tricky from a betting perspective, with the track rated a Heavy 9 and the rail out six metres.
For a race by race look at the entire program, check out our Sandown Tips & Preview down below.
STARS OF DOM (7) saw some good late support when she was specked at odds on debut here over the track and trip last month.
The filly to Exceedance did not disappoint when running on late into second, establishing a nice patient position off the speed early on.
She handled the wet track well over the late stages and has a little less work to do this time from barrier five. Fitter with improvement still to come, she appeals in an open race to kick things off.
AFTERBERNA (9) is worth sticking with, especially on a truly rain-affected track.
We saw this filly by Cosmic Force relish the heavy conditions fresh at Pakenham in early May, then heading to Caulfield Heath where she went down swinging in a blanket finish, beaten only narrowly in third.
The low gate is a big plus on Saturday and she still has plenty left to give third-up.
STREET LARK (10) is an honest mare stepping out to the mile now third-up.
She loomed a likely place-getter at Caulfield Heath two weeks ago over 100m shorter, quickening along the fence before weakening slightly approaching the line, settling for fourth in the end.
On the plus side, we saw her come out and win by more than a length over the mile at Ballarat last spring. She’s a query in the wet, but the claim and the low barrier are two big positives.
CLEVOR TREVOR (2) is one of the better bets on the program.
Patrick Payne’s three-year-old brought up his hat-trick at Caulfield last month in similar slippery conditions, handling the rise in grade superbly when winning by close to a length.
He had some work to do that way from a wide position and will need to repeat the dose with a wider gate to his name on Saturday. Proven in the wet now and still imprving with racing, he looks set to run another nice race third-up.
BIG SWINGER (6) has enjoyed another three week gap between runs for Charlotte Littlefield.
He was a long way back last time out over the track and trip, eventually making big headway to run third and finish within a length of Meridius.
Ben Allen gets in with a little relief at the weights thanks to the claim and just needs to settle handy to the speed this time to be a genuine threat from the inside barrier.
BAZABALL REWARDED (10) appeals coming back a level.
She tried her hardest up on the speed in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes at Caulfield two weeks ago, just weakening late over the final stages to settle for fifth in the end, beaten 3.7 lengths.
That was just her second run back from a spell, and we did see her win rather nicely fresh at BM84 level.
Drawn to set up close to the speed again from the low gate, she should be very tough to catch with some decent wet track form on her resume.
SIMURGH (5) is a very talented stayer on the rise for the Hayes boys.
He goes around in search of his hat-trick on Saturday having won narrowly ahead of Skippers Canyon in a similar race over 400m shorter at Caulfield a fortnight earlier.
His wet track form gets a big tick of approval and he still looks open to good amount of improvement heading into his fourth-up assignment.
Happy to give GILDED WATER (1) another chance after a total forgive run fresh over the track and trip last month.
Ciaron Maher’s gelding raced keenly and was found to have some issues post race, but his previous efforts at the trials suggest he’s more than capable of bouncing back.
Draws well, handles the wet going and should be a big imprver second-up, as he has been in the past.
THEBELMONTGANGSTER (14) has been knocking on the door for a while now for Team Freedman and company.
He was a touch flat two back at Warrnambool when finishing 12 lengths off but bounced back nicely in very wet conditions here over the track and trip three weeks later, pipped right on the post by the winner Silent Shares.
There was a good margin back to third that day and he’s measured up nicely on wet tracks so far during his short career. Looks due for a win and should have no trouble landing on the speed again from barrier six.
