Friday night racing returns to Moonee Valley tonight with an eight-race card after the track hosted feature Saturday racing last week.
The track is currently a Good 4, with the weather fine and the rail out 3m the entire circuit, after being in the true position for last Saturday’s race meeting.
Looks a tough but competitive program tonight so hopefully we can find a few winners ahead of Saturday racing tomorrow.
Race 2 Three-year-old+ Maiden (1200m) @ 7:00pm
Sayumi
Looking forward to seeing this daughter of Sebring back for this preparation. She has shown she has ability, and she strikes a nice race here first-up to get her maiden victory. She comes into this off the back of two solid jumpouts and is drawn well from barrier two. Mighty Feat is drawn inside of her so she should be able to follow him into the race and with even luck, she should be able to show her nice turn of foot and be too good.
Suggested Bet: Back Sayumi to win ($4.40)
Race 3 Class 1 Handicap (1600m) @ 7:30pm
Night Passage
This looks a nice race here for her second up. She was excellent first-up behind Corner Pocket at the Valley two weeks ago over the 1200m. She got through the line well there and will appreciate the step up in distance to the 1600m. Her form over the mile last preparation was very strong with runs behind Affair To Remember at Sandown and Game Keeper in the Adelaide Guineas. She has a good second-up record, she’s drawn to get the perfect run in the race on paper and should be awfully hard to beat.
Suggested Bet: Back Night Passage to win ($2.70)
Race 4 Fillies & Mares Benchmark-70 (2040m) @ 8:00pm
Influential Girl
What an eye-catcher she was last start at Sandown, finishing a narrow second to Tralee Rose. While she was aided with a peach of a ride by Lewis German (who sticks for the ride here), you still can not discredit the way she hit the line. She's third-up here, comes in well at the weights with German's two kilogram claim and will improve by stepping out to the 2040m here. A distance where she has solid form over in the past.
Suggested Bet: Back Influential Girl to win ($5)
Race 7 Benchmark-64 Handicap (2040m) @ 9:30pm
Furioso
Looks a nice race here for this lightly raced three-year-old. He comes into this out of a Sandown Guineas run behind Allibor and Sweet Reply last start over the 1600m. After that run, he struck me as a horse who would improve when he got out in trip and he gets that here in the 2040m. He comes up against the older horses in this, but the race looks one he can certainly win if he makes natural progression from his last start and stepping up in trip. Well worth going with at the price.
Suggested Bet: Back Furioso each-way ($8 win, $2.60 place)
Race 8 Benchmark-64 Handicap (1200m) @ 10:00pm
Helavabel
Predicting that this four-year-old Gelding will show big improvement here. He ran fairly out wide on the track first-up behind Corner Pocket over the 1200m at the Valley. Night Passage was also in that race so we should get a good form guide if he can salute in race three. We should also know how the track is playing ahead of the last and if they’re able to make ground, he will be a big chance in this. He is lightly raced and should progress from this first-up run. Damien Oliver sticks for the ride and looks to get a nice run in the race from barrier three if they decide to be more prominent in the run this time out.
Suggested Bet: Back Helavabel each-way ($6.50 win, $2.20 place)
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