3 minute read
We return to a drier Moonee Valley than the one we left under water two weeks back.
Not only are we returning to a drier Moonee Valley but the rail switches back into the true. Green light punting.
Our best comes away from the features. The second on the card is the lowliest according to grade but it is made up of interesting runners (the overall card is a bit like that. It doesn't look to have the star power or depth of ratings that we saw at Caulfield last week but there are stacks of interesting bits and pieces scattered throughout the day) and one in particular takes our fancy off a most impressive display last time out.
That horse is Shandy, who won doing cartwheels at Sandown and the performance was backed up by the clock. That was the second time in as many starts this campaign that substance has backed up style and she won't have to do much better, if at all, to add a third win here.
Skyman fits a similar mould, having shown plenty in two wins this time in, but he looks sure to stand her a start and those map favours tilt things the way of Shandy. Then there is Thought Of That. What is Thought Of That??? Who knows...
From exciting horses on the rise in race two we roll on to the last - where there are none...
There are some well-performed horses engaged but none that look to be heading anywhere in a hurry and they include our each-way play Sir Pippin.
Sir Pippin may be going nowhere in a hurry but he's among friends here and he's last three runs all give him a great hope of winning this. He was behind early favourite Creedance at Flemington back in July but closed well in a very slowly run race and he has followed that up with a pair of good ratings where again he has been left with plenty to do.
A wide draw here may see him left with a bit of work to do again but he gets Craig Williams to help offset that and the quick turnaround from last week could well be a plus for him. He gives him a fitness edge against the other key chances here and while he hasn't backed up in his career to date his sharpest turnaround (12 days) resulted in his most recent win.
He's around 8-1 in betting at the moment (there's a good chance we see better than that between now and jump time) and that looks a bit too big.
THE MELBOURNE MAIL
Bet Of The Day: Race 2 #14 Shandy @ $4.00
Each Way Play: Race 9 #11 Sir Pippin @ $9.00
