Bendigo Best Bets – Sunday, September 6 

HE’S REGAL (3) just missed when heavily backed on debut at Sale, finishing second over 1100m after being awkwardly away and bumping early.

The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding hit the front inside the final 100m before being narrowly denied.

He will be better for that experience and should strip fitter second-up, with Blake Shinn retaining the ride.

He maps to control the race and gets a good chance to go one better.

SARAPO (4) resumes over 1300m after a 17-week break and performed well fresh last preparation, finishing third over 1400m at Warwick Farm when beaten 1.19 lengths.

The Chris Waller-trained gelding went on to place in stronger races over 1600m and 1900m, showing he has competed well against better company.

He has trialled twice ahead of this return and should be ready to run well fresh.

Drawn favourably for Craig Williams, he can settle close and make his presence felt.

BOSS BUNDLE (1) is a former Hong Kong galloper who didn’t show much over there but looked a different horse when resuming for Team Hayes at Sale.

He ran into trouble over 1100m and still chased strongly from back in the field to finish third, adding plenty of merit to the performance.

He should take good improvement from that first-up run and looks suited by the rise in distance.

With Blake Shinn retaining the ride, he can take another step forward.

ICARO (1) found the line strongly from a long way back over a mile on the Hillside track last start to finish fourth, beaten 2.35 lengths.

The Michael Kent-trained gelding was scratched from a winnable race on Wednesday at Sandown.

Two starts back, he circled the field before letting down strongly despite difficulties to win by a neck at Seymour.

The wide barrier isn’t ideal but he’ll likely get back in the run anyway and did overcome a poor gate in his Seymour victory.