Each week Racenet's video review analysts highlight a runner from each state to follow and here are the horses recently blackbooked that are racing around Australia on Saturday.
This new segment will be a weekly regular and we will follow the horses in their two subsequent starts to being blackbooked.
RANDWICK
KING DARCI (Race 3 No. 5)
The horse was blackbooked at the Rosehill meeting on July 1 and our analyst said - A consistent four-year-old with three wins and six placings from his 14-starts, King Darci settled on the fence behind the leader and battled on strongly in the straight when fourth to Calanda in the Benchmark 93 Handicap. King Darci's record suggests his best form is in the 1300 to 1400m distance range with all three wins coming over similar journeys. With a benchmark rating of 73 it isn't easy to identify where King Darci goes next start but a benchmark 85 at Rosehill over 1350m on July 29 would look an ideal third-up target with another run under his belt.
THIS IS THE SECOND RUN SINCE BEING BLACKBOOKED – LAST CHANCE
Odds $4.20 @ Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Betstar, Bookmaker, Ubet, William Hill, Luxbet, CrownBet, Unibet, Bet365
BRAZEN (Race 3 No. 2)
The horse was blackbooked at the Warwick Farm meeting on July 8 and our analyst said – There were a few runs worthy of blackbook status in the last at Warwick Farm on Saturday including Imanui and Time Out Of Mind but I am happy to follow this horse despite finishing second last. Returning off a long break, Brazen settled worse than midfield but never saw clear running in the straight, appearing to have something to offer. Brazen has won two of his three second-up runs so I am expecting him to be hard to beat wherever connections decide to take him next start. With a benchmark handicap rating of 76 there are a few options stepping up in distance in the weeks ahead. An open handicap at Randwick on July 22 over 1500m would look an ideal next start with a benchmark 80 over 2000m at Rosehill on August 12 a longer term target.
Odds $21 @Ubet, Bet365
ADMIRAL JELLO (Race 6 No. 8)
The horse was blackbooked at the Randwick meeting on July 22 and our analyst said – Liked the return to racing of this Kris Lees-trained galloper on Saturday. Admiral Jello settled towards the rear of the field and only saw clear running over the latter stages finishing his race off strongly when clear. Admiral Jello tends to peak third and fourth-up in a preparation but has finished in the placings both second-up runs. With a benchmark rating of 79 there will be plenty of races in the weeks ahead. A benchmark 90 over a mile at Randwick on August 5 looks an ideal second-up assignment or even a race like the Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) on August 3. Confident there is another win in Admiral Jello this preparation.
Odds$4.80 @ Ladbrokes, Betstar, Bookmaker
FLEMINGTON
OZI CHOICE (Race 9 No. 11)
The horse was blackbooked at the Flemington meeting on July 22 and our analyst said – He's always been a horse that needs his first two runs back from a spell with just the one win and one further placing from 10 starts either first or second up. He was solid fresh at the short 1000 metres and then took a good step on Saturday at Flemington in a much stronger race. He settled off the speed, couldn't go when the sharper horses sprinted but was doing his best work through the line. He's super adaptable, having raced well on all three metro tracks and now he's fit he'll put himself right on pace in anything over 1200 to 1400 metres. So long as the tracks don't get too wet, which hasn't happened for a long time in Melbourne, he'll be tough to beat at his next few starts.
Odds $16 @ Luxbet
DOOMBEN
TAP THIS (Race 5 No.10)
The horse was blackbooked at the Doomben meeting on July 8 and our analyst said – She was having her second outing for the John Meagher stable since transferring from Peter and Paul Snowden. Starting at $61 in a Class 6 over 1350m she settled just worse than midfield but was never better than three wide to the turn where she was held up slightly before running on smoothly without being unduly pressured by Bridget Grylls to finish fourth, two lengths from the winner. Last preparation she won a Gold Coast race over 2200m and ran fifth to Mackintosh in the Rough Habit Plate over 2000m. Her trainer knows plenty about training stayers and Tap This is still eligible for a Benchmark 75.
THIS IS THE SECOND RUN SINCE BEING BLACKBOOKED – LAST CHANCE
Odds $26 @ Ladbrokes, Betstar, Bookmaker
MORPHETTVILLE
No blackbook runners on Saturday.
BELMONT
DUTCH SPY (Race 4 No. 8)
The horse was blackbooked at the Belmont meeting on July 22 and our analyst said – Horses that race as rigs are sometimes avoided by punters but this is one that can get us a collect in the coming weeks. He comfortably accounted for the promising Enchanted Dream in a barrier trial earlier in the month to show he was on track for a profitable campaign and it was only a fitter animal that got the better of him first-up on Saturday. Dutch Spy is sure to derive benefit from that run on a rain-affected track and will be hard to hold out in a similar race over the coming weeks.
Odds $5.50 @ Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Betstar, Bookmaker, Ubet, William Hill, Luxbet, CrownBet, Unibet, Bet365
JUST MAGICAL (Race 5 No. 5)
The horse was blackbooked at the Belmont meeting on June 24 and our analyst said – This former Victorian galloper acquitted itself well in its first WA start. Drifting back worse than midfield Just Magical never shirked the task in the straight, making good steady ground before peaking late and finishing third. He was a stakes placegetter when trained by Lyn Tolson and Leonie Proctor and his final run before shipping west resulted in a fourth at Bendigo beaten less than three lengths by Cannyescent which is starting to look very good form. Expect Just Magical to break through soon.
THIS IS THE SECOND RUN SINCE BEING BLACKBOOKED – LAST CHANCE
Odds $8 @ Bet365
PROPERANTES (Race 5 No.6)
The horse was blackbooked at the Belmont meeting on July 15 and our analyst said – It wasn't a bad first-up run from a future perspective. After settling back in the field, Properantes was hitting the line about as well as any from the top of the straight until condition gave out passing the 100-metre mark. Given he carried 58kg even after the claim and those finishing ahead of him carried closer to the minimum it was a strong effort. Sure to strip fitter next time and will be hard to hold out over a mile or a shade further.
Odds $13 @ Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Betstar, Bookmaker, Ubet, William Hill, Luxbet, CrownBet, Unibet, Bet365
