Top bets from Clinton Payne for Saturday

Clinton Payne - Thursday October 5

Really struggled to get favourites beat when doing the form this week but expecting to end the day on Saturday on a good note.

Advertisement

FRENCH TUNE (Randwick Race 1 No 7)
I’ve got a bit of time for this progressive three-year-old colt by Your Song. He was looking the part at the trials prior to his debut run back in February when fourth behind Albumin in a maiden that’s proved a decent race. French Tune pulled up with a poor post race recovery and respiratory distress and was spelled. He again trialled well leading into this campaign but first-up this time he got the job done when defeating Poetic Charmer with a 2-3/4 length margin back to third at Canterbury recently. Not totally sure about the depth of that race but Poetic Charmer, which was also resuming, had produced two solid enough efforts behind Viridine in his previous campaign so I think the race should hold up. Stepping up to 1400m, French Tune should be able to dictate from the front here and provided they don’t overdo the early tempo, I expect him to take catching. Regent is the obvious danger and his form reads well but he’ll have to go right back from that gate and at the short quote, I have to take him on.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $7 @ Bet365

HOGMANAY (Randwick Race 3 No 1)
He’s an underrated horse and appears to be going as well as ever this prep. He’s got three runs under his belt now, the latest off a four week break so expecting his fitness level to be at a mark where he can show us what he’s got. Come into this out of the Sir Plush race a fortnight ago. He was no match for the winner there but he beat some handy ones home and this is a slight drop in grade. He’ll be better suited up to the mile now, from the draw he can put himself into the box-seat and he gets along well with James Innes Jnr so the 2kg claim is a real bonus. On a day where I struggled to find anything at good odds with confidence, I think Hogmanay will give us a good sight.
BET: WIN
ODDS $6 @ CrownBet, Bet365

SIR PLUSH (Randwick Race 5 No 9)
They changed the tactics last start and wow – he was a different horse. Allowed to stride, Sir Plush ran and he just kept running. It was an impressive win and looking back through his form it does read ok. In his two previous runs he was close up behind Isorich and Bonny O’reilly. This is a step up again but he’s dropping 3.5kg and staying at 1400m. If he repeats what he did last time, he’ll take some catching with the lightweight.
BET: WIN
ODDS $3.50 @ CrownBet

VIRIDINE (Randwick Race 6 No 3)
He was really impressive winning first-up. In the first two wins of his career in his debut preparation during the winter he didn’t know how to put them away but didn’t that change at Randwick three weeks ago. He paraded pre-race with considerable improvement to come but when Brenton Avdulla pressed the button in the straight he put them away in a few strides. The other part of Viridine’s racing manners that remain a work in progress is his aggression early but this time the inclusion of Snitzcraft and Shudabeen should ensure a truly run race which will help. He stalks the speed from barrier 2 and he’s going to be hard to stop if he’s gone forward as expected.
BET: WIN
ODDS $3 @ Ladbrokes ($3.50 Odds Boost), CrownBet, Unibet

DIXIE BLOSSOMS (Randwick Race 8 No 1)
Loved the way she got to the line in Golden Pendant when beating all but her stablemate Daysee Doom. That’s the right form race for this and the rise to the mile puts the ball in Dixie Blossoms' court this time. She has an outstanding record at Randwick, especially over this trip and she meets Daysee Doom a couple of kilos better this time compared with their last start clash. The barrier draw also favours Dixie Blossoms again, as it did in the Golden Pendant but the difference this time is Daysee Doom has never raced beyond 1500m so this is a new beast for her. I think Dixie is the best bet of the day.
BET: WIN
ODDS $4.60 @ CrownBet, Luxbet, Unibet

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 25
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Aquis Welcome First foals for Young Gun Officiating
A fast Group winning sprinter by Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame, Officiating (USA) was carefully selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure an outcross stallion for Queensland and his first foals are arriving this spring.
Invincible Filly Snares $100,000 Inglis Bonus
The least expensive filly by champion sire I Am Invincible sold at Inglis Easter in 2024, Wear the Crown always looked to have been well bought at $260,000 by Seib/Racing / Champion Thoroughbreds and she set about repaying her purchase price at Goulburn on Thursday.
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
Breeding to Win - 2025 Manikato Stakes
Racing at The Valley on Grand Final Eve in Melbourne - the southern capital doing what it does best, bringing people together in celebration of sporting greatness!
Horse Trading Stock Issues to Avoid
One of the key areas in thoroughbred taxation is accounting for trading stock and ensuring the tax closing value is properly ascertained. You’d be quite surprised of the enormous difference to the tax position of any racing player where trading stock problems occur.
Inglis Confirm Skybird for Everest Slot
Inglis is thrilled to confirm G1 winner Skybird (Exosphere) as our representative for the running of the $20m The Everest.
La Dorada Chasing Redemption at Valley
Last season’s champion NZ two-year-old La Dorada will be out to prove her ability against her Australian counterparts on Friday night when she contests the Gr.3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at The Valley.
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Richard Johnston has bred some very good horses under his Bylong Park banner including triple Group I winner Think It Over and an Anders three year-old he bred and races was an eye-catching debut winner at Hawkesbury on Thursday.