Caulfield Racing Tips: Race 9-BMW MELBOURNE HANDICAP 1400 METRES 05.35 P.M.
Predicted Track: Dead (Dead @ Thursday – Weather Forecast: Showers/Warm). Rail: True.
Big O’s Oracle
4 – La Rocket
11 – Vandalo
1 – Miss Maren
La Rocket was beaten 4 lengths on debut but when the horse who beats you his Black Caviar and you’re running in a Weight For Age race, that reads like pretty good form to me. He’s definitely a better Valley horse but has won here previously and has the advantage of being able to settle handy here. Pretty reliable each way here in an open race.
Vandalo’s run behind Joku was much better than it looked on paper as he was posted wide without cover and yet stuck to his guns in the run home. He’s actually one of the better weighted horses of the day given he’s on the minimum and has run close up behind Miss Maren (carries top weight and is Group 1 placed) and Metropolitan winner Speed Gifted. One of the reasons he’s well weighted is because he not a regular visitor to the winner’s stall – gets his chance here.
Miss Maren probably wants a mile as opposed to 1400 metres fresh here but she has Jason Maskiell’s claim and produced a miraculous win when seemingly in a hopeless position when 1st up in the spring over a mile. Very talented mare who showed she could mix it in open grade last preparation and will be running on hard at the end of this.
Put a big circle around Moatize and watch what he does. Coming off almost a year off due to injury but we’re talking about a horse who’s Group 1 standard and ran an absolute cracker in the Melbourne Cup of 2008, along with winning the Group 3 SAAB Quality. Might find these too slick but they wouldn’t be running him if he wasn’t back to somewhere near his best.
Shaggy's Selections
15 - Side Splitter
4 - La Rocket
1 - Miss Maren
Side Splitter has been very consistent through his career to date and was game when getting swamped on the line over this distance last start. Gets a nice weight drop into this, race fit, drawn well and will give a tremendous sight.
La Rocket is another horse that has been competitive through his career. Very good effort first-up behind Black Cavier at WFA level and will be in this race for a very long way.
Miss Maren is classy and nicely in after Maskiell's claim. Flies fresh an dlikes this track....will be hitting the line hardest.