Races

Michael Heaton’s Saturday Belmont Preview

Posted on | Posted by Michael Heaton

RACE 1

IN GOOD NICC was stiff first up then was some win second up. She got a long way back in a seemingly impossible position for a 2YO but she was able to reel off slick late figures to win super impressively and the extra 100m looks like it’ll only be more beneficial. ACE QUEEN SUITED did it tough when wide throughout in the same race but now draws the inside and gets a 3.5kg swing on In Good Nicc. She was a soft-5 track winner from an inside draw two starts back. OPTIMUS PRIME resumes with Pike aboard and showed enough in his debut race campaign. BLUE TANG was solid on debut on a rain-affected track and can roll forward to ride the speed.

Numbers: 1-7-2-9

Suggested Bet – IN GOOD NICC WIN

RACE 2

MILLSTEE was a big run first up when making a stack of late ground in the fastest closing sectionals of the meeting after missing the start by a couple of lengths. Liked her quiet trial leading into that run, like the fact she’s going 24 days between runs and like her stepping to 1200m on a soft track. MAI ALOHA promised a lot early doors before some underwhelming campaigns but she’s returned in good form this time in. If she backs up from her tough effort on Wednesday she’ll have claims. GIRLS DAY OUT resumes off the back of a nice trial win and looks the likely leader. 1200m might be at her limit but she’s a consistent type and usually flies fresh. DESERT DANCING caught the eye first up over a distance short of her best and she’s a handy mare at her best.

Numbers: 7-6-3-4

Suggested Bet – MILLSTEE EACH-WAY

RACE 3

KEEP ITA MYSTERY hasn’t won in the best part of 16 months but he’s placed at 9 of his 12 starts since then, he ran home in just about the best figures of the Belmont season so far last start and he now gets Pike on for the first time. His sit-sprint style suits Pike down to the ground and he looks ready to finally break through third up. WATTO’S MARK is a nice 3YO resuming and his recent trial win was impressive. He should get a gun run camped just off the hot speed in a position to strike. LORD SHIVA will have to burn hard from his outside draw but he’s going great guns. He’s looked the winner at his past couple starts before getting gunned down in the shadows of the post and he gets a 3kg swing on Baby Pearl now. UNDER INFLUENCE is a former multiple track/distance/grade winner and was back to his best on Wednesday. Love a horse backing up off 3 days and he can play a part if he steps out again.

Numbers: 2-7-4-10

Suggested Bet – KEEP ITA MYSTERY EACH-WAY

RACE 4

TWO TIME CHARLIE was very stiff at this track/grade/distance a fortnight ago when getting held up at crucial stages in the straight whilst travelling like he was going to fight out the finish. He flew late once the race was over, has drawn a bit better this time around and he clearly relished the step to a mile so he’ll be a big chance here if he can get the right flow into the race. TERRITORY MAN raced like he was looking for further last week and now steps to 1600m off a quick back up and gets blinkers on for the first time. He ticks a lot of boxes. GOD’S GRIN has to make the leap out of Westspeed Platinum grade which isn’t easy but she’s a highly consistent 4YO, will carry only 54kg and maps well. WITH DISCRETION looks ready to win and is beautifully weighted after the claim but this looks a tough setup from the extreme outside alley.

Numbers: 12-1-13-7

Suggested Bet – TWO TIME CHARLIE EACH-WAY

RACE 5

LANFRANCO drops out of the 3YO features and looks well placed dropping in grade and distance with 57kg after ZJP’s claim. He ran a nice third to Vatican Storm and Hot And High in the Raconteur Stakes at 1400m two starts ago before looking stretched in a fast-run 1600m and then getting squeezed up as the meat in the sandwich between Herault and Hot And High on straightening didn’t help. YES I KNOW makes his WA debut only 7 weeks between runs and brings intrigue. He’s only the winner of a Geelong Maiden and a Geelong BM64 but he’s a highly consistent son of So You Think, he loves a wet track and he was super strong through and after the line in his recent Belmont trial. SEARCHIN’ TIMES is a 3YO filly with some X-factor but she was scratched last week with an elevated temperature and now resumes first up, no trial. HEY PINO is humming and knocking on the door for a deserved win. He’s contested higher grade at each of his 4 starts this prep but is likely to be back or wide from a tough gate for Chanel Cooper to navigate.

Numbers: 3-10-5-2

Suggested Bet – LANFRANCO WIN

RACE 6

WESTBOUND was arguably the run of the race in the Raconteur Stakes two starts back when dropping from 1800m to 1400m and storming home in big late figures to finish fourth before a luckless run when posted three-deep the trip in a hard-run Belmont Guineas. He ticks a lot of boxes here stepping to 2000m from a better gate and is the highest rated horse in the field. SPECIAL COUNSEL brings alternate form but won with a sense of progressiveness both two and three starts back and you can be forgiving of his effort last time out when he didn’t get a run to suit. He now gets Pike and gives the impression he’ll get 2000m. SPELLBORN was sectionally very good in the Belmont Guineas at $81 and looks suited by the rise in distance. KING OF THE TOWN looks the logical leader and is proven at the staying trip. He looks capable of making a race of it if he gets it cheaply enough in front.

Numbers: 2-8-4-9

Suggested Bet – WESTBOUND WIN

Same Race Multi – Westernize (Top 2) + Special Counsel (Top 4)

WESTERNIZE was huge in the Raconteur Stakes before a luckless run when wide throughout in a hard-run Belmont Guineas. He’s now drawn a better gate, looks the best suited by the step to 2000m and gets CJP on. SPECIAL COUNSEL brings alternate form and was a forgive run last start but looked very progressive in his two wins prior that. Pike and Team Williams must always be respected in these races.

RACE 7

LADIES PRO had a less-than-ideal lead up to the Belmont Guineas when racing five weeks between runs after getting scratched on Raconteur morning and she was a good effort when making a sustained run from a long way back. She gives the impression the 2000m is within reach, gets Pike back on and is the best weighted horse under the set weights conditions against her own sex. LIKE CLOCKWORK was huge in defeat both two and three starts back before a completely luckless run in the Belmont Guineas where she probably should’ve been right in the finish if she had clear air. 2000m is the big question but class will take her a long way. THINK PINK DAZE hit the line really well over 1600m after getting momentarily held up last start and she should enjoy a soft run. ESTA MIRANDO has always looked like she’d get a trip and would have claims if she races off the 3-day back up.

Numbers: 1-3-5-4

Suggested Bet – LADIES PRO WIN

Same Race Multi – Ladies Pro (Top 2) + THINK PINK DAZE (Top 4)

LADIES PRO was five weeks between runs going into the Belmont Guineas after being scratched on Raconteur Stakes morning and she was a good effort to make a long, sustained run into fifth. She gave the impression she’ll get 2000m, gets Pike aboard now and is the best weighted filly in a race against her own sex. THINK PINK DAZE hails from the same stable, hit the line really well last start and should get a soft run throughout.

RACE 8

SUPERSESSION has looked back near his best over the past 6 weeks and showed last start that the 1400m is within reach. He hit the line better than anything to run a slashing second to the in-form Awesome Boy at this track/grade/distance and whilst he loses Lucy Fiore who has been getting along with him particularly well, he drops 1kg after Holly Nottle’s claim and gets a positive weight swing on four rivals he beat home. AUTO CRUISE is an exciting mare who has won her past three starts over two preparations and she’s never finished out of the top two in her career to date but she’s clearly had an interrupted preparation with multiple scratchings over the past month. OLYMPIC PARK a natural improver second up off a lengthy layoff and with the addition of blinkers and Pike. NOTEWORTHY is going well, backs up off seven days and should land in a nice position.

Numbers: 4-11-13-6

Suggested Bet – SUPERSESSION EACH-WAY

Quaddie (Race 5 – 8)

2,3,5,10,15

2,4,8

1,3,4,5

4,6,7,11,13

300 combinations

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