Welcome to Weekend Winners, your one-stop tipping sheet for Saturday's big meetings.
STAR BET – DEPLOY (Rosehill - Race 5 No. 3) – There’s plenty to like about this Gerald Ryan-trained galloper on Saturday. We know he’s a winner having been victorious in six of his past eight starts and he looks to get all the favours again this weekend. The only other runner we would expect could be interested in racing hard on the speed is Dixie Blossom and she missed her first-up run a few weeks ago so we’re confident if she does land outside Deploy in the run, she won’t be keen to overdo it. Deploy’s first-up win was very good, he’s finished first or second in four previous second-up runs and he’s racing at a track where leaders that get the right run are always hard to run down.
VALUE TIP – HELLBENT (Moonee Valley - Race 5 No. 2) – He’s a tricky horse to catch but we’re confident this race will play right into his hands. There’s more speed here than in an episode of the Road Runner with Russian Revolution, Heatherly and Houtzen attacking from the moment the gates open and the key to Hellbent’s prospects will be he should have plenty of room to move as he works through his gears coming to the home turn. When he’s on he a genuine top-grade sprinter and we think the fact that Darren Weir has chosen to kick off in this race would indicate the horse is ready to run well. He’s performed well fresh when resuming over 1000m in the past and we’re happy to be in his corner at around $10.
HEART OF GLASS TIP – BLONDIE (Moonee Valley - Race 6 No. 10) – A couple of the younger members of the Weekend Winners team were quite taken by this lightly-raced filly when she won at the midweeks first-up. They did state that they didn’t think she beat much but they were impressed with the way she put them away over the latter stages. She won on debut at this track earlier this year then got put away after being injured in the Blue Diamond Stakes but the fact that the trainer thought enough of her to have a throw at the stumps is an encouraging sign. She should get a lovely run from the draw in this and at double-figure odds, we’re happy to be playing.
SECOND-UP TIP – MADAME LILY (Doomben - Race 7 No. 8) – This Matthew Dunn-trained mare produced an encouraging finish when unwanted in betting at her first start for the stable. Formerly trained in the powerful Peter and Paul Snowden yard in Sydney, Madame Lily was a consistent performer placing in five of her first six starts, including a city win last preparation over 1250m. On Saturday, she steps up to a more suitable 1200m trip and in her two previous campaigns she’s won and placed second in her second-up runs. Looks suited in a set weights class three event on Saturday and she’s had early support in betting this time.
OVER THE ODDS TIP – LAST WITNESS (Rosehill - Race 8 No. 11) – This horse is always over the odds and if Gibraltar Girl is a $12 chance in the Sheraco Stakes, we cannot understand how Last Witness is $16 in this race. We’re not potting Gibraltar Girl, just using her to show why this horse is such big odds. The two of them filled the placings behind Super Too last start when the filly broke the 1000m record at Randwick. Both Gibraltar Girl and Last Witness came from back in the field, something not many horses did that day. On Saturday, Last Witness steps back up to a more suitable 1200m trip and drops 2.5kg in a race where there should be a good amount of speed. All his recent form points to another good showing on Saturday and he’s great odds.
CHANGE OF FORTUNE TIP – D’HARMONY (Doomben - Race 9 No. 4) – This one looks big odds at around $20 on Saturday. Not a lot has gone his way in two runs this preparation but there’s been plenty to like about his two performances. First-up he was slowly away and overraced before taking off early and getting tired late when beaten less than a length in a harder race. Then last time out at the Gold Coast he copped a bump leaving the gates, settling well back before getting home strongly in an on-pace favoured race. Should be at his peak now, he’s previously a winner third-up and with the services of Jag Guthmann-Chester he only carries 55kg after the claim. He’ll give you a sight each-way.
