Australian Analyst – Harness Racing Best Bets 19th September
Harness racing best bets and tips for Saturday.
A big weekend of harness racing is upon us and four Vicbred Super Series Finals for the 4YO pacers and trotters will be the highlight.
Melton hosts two Group 1 and two Group 2 Vicbred Super Series Finals on Saturday night. The Mimosa Homes Free For All also looks an intriguing race on the program with plenty of winning chances. It concludes with the return of Rockinwithattitude, but she is very short and expected to win, so we won’t cover that race in this preview.
At Menangle, we see the return of New Zealand Trotting Cup champion Kingman as he clashes with Hi Manameisjeff. The Eureka favourite Loucasso is expected to win the Woodlands Stud 3YO Pace, while pacing and trotting Carousel Finals will be run.
Read on for our harness racing best bets for Saturday night.
Melton (Saturday, September 19)
Race 1
HOORAH PHILTRA (4) should fly the gate to lead and there looks to be more incentive to hold that position as most of the front line are lesser favoured runners in the event. Last week, he crossed and handed to Catch A Wave before using the sprint lane to finish third. If he repeats last week’s effort, he will go very close.
WORDS NZ (2) jumps up in grade but has run well in three Australian starts. Chris Alford will drive again and he would love to cross Lougle and trail Hoorah Philtra. The mare ran a slick last half, breaking 54 seconds at her most recent effort. She has won three from seven at the sprint distance which suits. Lots of others can win too, with METEOR MOTH (9) and SIR JIMMY (10) two of the better hopes in the race.
Selections: 4-2-9-10
HOORAH PHILTRA (4) to win & WORDS NZ (2) to win
Race 4
MISS ARI (3) will enter the Group 2 Vicbred Super Series Final for 4YO mares as an underdog with three powerhouse runners in the race, although all three have drawn poorly. Chris Alford should send Miss Ari to the fence and wait for cover on an appropriate rival, with Alex Ashwood’s Wicked Confession the most likely to challenge early. Miss Ari finished third behind Let Her Roll in the heat, beaten 2.2m after racing three back on the pegs. At double figures, she is worth an each-way ticket.
WICKED CONFESSION (7) is $10 into $2.80 with punters expecting Ashwood to find the lead with his talented mare. She won at Wagga two starts ago in 1:51.5 and then finished second in the heat of this series when racing outside The Art of Success. Emma Stewart has dominated the previous pacing finals at Melton and now has a strong duo in THE ART OF SUCCESS (11) and LET HER ROLL (13). Both are good enough to work hard and still win.
MISS ARI (3) each way
Race 5
FAIRPLAY (4) looks the most likely leader as trainer Emma Stewart has a stranglehold on the race with six runners, plus an emergency. He has a winning streak of five. During that time, he has won a pair of races in 1:51.9 and 1:52.8, before winning his heat in 1:56.7, 54.6. If he can find the lead, he will be hard to run down but can still win from the breeze or moving line with cover.
APOLLOSTORM (3) sees Chris Alford pick up the drive and he won well two starts back defeating Le Cardinal. He was miles back in the heat, racing five back on the fence, before sprinting home well to finish third behind Fairplay. Stablemates STORMS COLLIDE (1), FOX DAN (8) and THE LAST TRIP (9) can all win if they get a good run in transit. COASTAL DRIVE (10) could run a place if everything went his way.
Selections: 4-3-1-9
FAIRPLAY (4) to win
Race 6
ALRIGHTY (10) and I AM HELLBOUND (12) are most likely going to fight out this Vicbred final and the market reflects that with odds of $1.80 and $2.40 respectively. They both won their heats in dominant fashion which makes it hard for the rest of the field to turn the tables. I don’t have a strong preference for either runner, so I am trying to find a place hope, with a small winning chance if everything went his way.
KARBINE (8) tried to make a run from the tail of the field and was the widest runner in the home straight. He ran a similar last half to the winner I Am Hellbound and comes up with a draw to get a soft pegs run. If the gaps open up at the right time, he could finish into the placings. IJUSTCALLEDTOSAY (13) has each-way claims too, more so for the place.
Selections: 10-12-8-13
KARBINE (8) each way
Race 7
GATESYS GEM (7) gets the barrier draw advantage and Nathan Jack should send her to the front. She found the lead in her heat and drew away late to win by 10m from Jilliby Dreamlover, with another 10m back to Little Miss Morgan. Gatesys Gem has won six from 10 at Melton and looks extremely hard to beat as she should have the advantageous run of the race.
I AM WILMA (11) is the other heat winner, leading throughout to win by 9m ahead of Prohibited Grace. She will have to cover some extra ground here to win, but if the favourite is to be beaten, then this is the mare most likely to do so. Next best is SKYBELLA (1) and JILLIBY DREAMLOVER (12).
Selections: 7-11-1-12
GATESYS GEM (7) to win
Menangle (Saturday, September 19)
Race 1
HI MANAMEISJEFF NZ (9) trialled exceptionally for this first-up run and he should work to the front and prove hard to catch. He is very short in the market though, so I would prefer to look elsewhere in the race.
KINGMAN NZ (11) hasn’t been able to replicate his 2025 form thus far, but a new campaign awaits the Victoria Cup and New Zealand Trotting Cup winner. His trial behind Hi Manameisjeff didn’t tell us enough as he was back in the field, so I prefer to see him have a run first.
RIPP (2) has the gate speed to hold most of his rivals before trailing – the best scenario would be racing behind Hi Manameisjeff. If he could have that spot, he has place claims in the race, with the smallest of knockout chances. JORGE STREET (7), MAX DELIGHT (8) and HEZA PUNK ROCKER NZ (10) could all run into the placings if things pan out.
Selections: 9-11-2-8
RIPP (2) each way
Race 5
PALLADIUM NZ (6) looks the real deal and looks to have the Carousel Final at his mercy. He won the Group 1 Queensland Derby from the breeze and was freshened up before dominating his heat by 10.4m in 1:52.9, 54.1. That was significantly quicker than Nymbal’s victory in his heat. The speed map will be interesting because I am not entirely sure if Lexus Lou or Nymbal will give the front away, but Palladium can probably win this several different ways.
NYMBAL NZ (3) finished fourth in the Queensland Derby won by Palladium but could win this if he gets a better run. LEXUS LOU (1) was brilliant over the mile in 1:49.8, so it won’t be a shock if he wins, although he disappointed over the 2300m as he over-raced terribly.
Selections: 6-3-1-8
PALLADIUM NZ (6) to win
Race 6
LOUCASSO (7) is the superstar of the field and there is a stack of hype surrounding this colt as he tries to win The Eureka later in the year as a three-year-old. He was sensational at his return to racing, winning in 1:49.5. It can be expected that he will find the lead again and look to dash home quickly.
ALERT BAY (5) was equally impressive when finishing second to Loucasso, beaten 2.8m. The only concern here is whether Andretti lets Alert Bay get across to the fence so that he can hand up to Loucasso. If that map occurs, the Quinella looks to be fairly straightforward. THE QUEENS GAMBIT NZ (6) and REWATCH (8) look next best, although the draws are against the pair.
Selections: 7-5-8-6
Exacta: 7 / 5
Trifecta: 7 / 5 / 6,8
Race 7
ZENITH STRIDE USA (8) was an excellent winner last start, making it a last-to-first victory in the final 400m. He may be driven cold once again but will be finishing powerfully if that’s the case. The American-bred trotter hasn’t raced much for an eight-year-old and it would be great if he could land back-to-back wins.
SUNNY GEE (10) was a nice run two starts back when third to Zenith Stride from the breeze. He then found the rise in class too much when beaten convincingly by the Italian trotter Gandhi Mail. He has each-way claims. LOTUS LOUISE (11) and VALTINO (12) have winning claims in the race too.
Selections: 8-10-11-12
ZENITH STRIDE USA (8) to win
Albion Park (Saturday, September 19)
Race 2
CATSEYE BEACH (1) should relish a drop in grade from recent FFA events where Attachment has proved too good. He should easily hold up from the inside draw, as he did two starts ago when beaten 5.2m in the FFA. Angus Garrard will likely try and run the opposition into the ground as this horse often runs quick mile rates and only moderate last halves and quarters for this class of horse.
AIR EXPRESS (8) has each-way claims and will be hoping to trail Catseye Beach. Most of his recent form is good and he should acquit himself well. EXCLUSIVE HUSTLER (3) has been close in recent events and looks a big threat in this race. SMARTER THAN YOU (9) has won two of his last four starts and is good enough to win.
Selections: 1-8-3-9
CATSEYE BEACH (1) to win
For complete harness racing fields, click here.
by Trent Orwin for Harnesslink
Comments