Races

Michael Heaton’s Saturday Belmont Preview

Posted on | Posted by Michael Heaton

Michael Heaton’s Preview

Race 1

KELVIN looks primed to turn the tables on MAROCCHINO from their last-start encounter over this track and distance. He meets his rival 2kg better for only being beat a long-neck by him last time out and he was an impressive winner at his start prior. MAROCCHINO relished the step-up in distance at his last outing but rises in weight and is at risk of being caught three-deep from the outside draw. SNIPPY MISS has talent and the extra 100m shouldn’t pose an issue, while debutant MONTELENA has looked smart at trials but will have to be pretty good to win first-up over 1300m.

Numbers: 1 – 2 – 5 – 8

Suggested Bet – KELVIN WIN

Race 2

BEG TO DIFFER ticks a lot of boxes and appears to be the value runner of the field. He clocked easily the fastest closing sections in his race last week, backs-up off seven days, drops in grade from a 76+ to a 64+, won the last time Brodie Kirby rode him and is a dead-set swimmer in the wet. The progressive EYE ART continues to go from strength-to-strength and actually drops 1kg in weight from her impressive last-start win after the claim of travelling apprentice Patrick Scorse. UNENDING ‘s chances have been dealt a blow with the barrier draw but she’s flying at the moment and has been recording great figures. STORM DANCER hit the line well in his first test at a staying journey last start and should be better for the run.

Numbers: 2 – 3 – 9 – 6

Suggested Bet – BEG TO DIFFER EACHWAY

Race 3

DOUBLE JEOPARDY settled towards the top of a strong tempo last start and fought to the line the best of the on-pace brigade. He maps one-out, one-back here and meets his last-start rivals better at the weights after the claim of Chloe Azzopardi. ROUTE EIGHTY EIGHT is an enigma but is capable of reeling off tremendous sections and her peak figures are huge. She has claims if she can lob three-wide-with-cover. FESTIVAL MISS makes her race return and has strong form lines through some of the feature three-year-old races last summer. She should get a soft run three-back-the-fence but her chances may be hindered if the rail plays like the quicksand it has been of late. VITAL BLAST races second-up and comes out of the same race as DOUBLE JEOPARDY AND ROUTE EIGHTY EIGHT. It’s another who has recorded great figures without winning in its career to date.

Numbers: 3– 11 – 9 – 10

Suggested Bet – DOUBLE JEOPARDY EACH-WAY

Race 4

CAPTAIN STIRLING ran out of his skin well out of his class in two of his past three starts and looks well-placed dropping in grade with a 3kg claim here. He bumps into a future superstar in BATTLE STORM but his exposed form and figures are simply too good to not give this race a shake at each-way odds. BATTLE STORM has untapped talent and the turn-of-foot to get him out of trouble when needed. Clearly hard-to-beat. JINTANG resumes without a trial and profiles very well for a race of this nature. He should get a lovely run in transit and his figures suggest he can make his presence felt at odds. AMBIENTE is all class but is likely to be planted three-deep and without cover from the sticky draw in a high-pressured race first-up from a spell.

Numbers: 2– 13 – 6 – 1

Suggested Bet – CAPTAIN STIRLING EACHWAY

Race 5

FRIAR FOX made a very promising return racing first-up over 1600m last start and looks ideally-suited dropping in grade here. She’s a class mare and if she has taken any improvement from her last effort she should take some beating.  SEND MY LOVE had no luck first-up, has recorded huge figures previously and Pike jumps aboard for the first time here. Should be the big improver. SALON DU CHEVAL ticks a lot of boxes backing-up off seven days, dropping from 2000m to 1600m and finding the wet track he needs but maps very ugly from the outside draw. RESISTANCE keeps hitting the line well and is likely to flash late to fill another hole.

Numbers: 2 – 14 –1 – 6

Suggested Bet – FRIAR FOX WIN

Race 6

VALOUR ROAD comes out of a solid performance in the Group 1 Goodwood Sprint and looks well-placed here on the minimum weight. He should find the front relatively easily in a race without a great deal of natural speed and should prove hard to run down from there. ELECTRIC LIGHT gets a weight swing on MARKET RULER from their last-start clash and conditions should suit. MARKET RULER was simply enormous in winning last time out but rises in weight and is severely suspect at 1200m. LOCKROY resumes off the back of a nice trial without blinkers and should get a sweet run in the box seat.

Numbers: 10 – 3 – 2 – 4

Suggested Bet – VALOUR ROAD WIN

Race 7

MYSTERY MISS’s last start effort indicates that she’s back near her best. She looks primed third-up over a mile here and the addition of blinkers for the first time only helps her cause. FLIRTINI was huge last start and maps to have the option of pressing forward or tucking in behind the pacemakers. Should be in the finish again. FLOWER OF WAR is a progressive filly who should lead this field, meets TRUE ATTRACTION 2kg better from their last-start clash and will be a long way in front of him turning for home. TRUE ATTRACTION was likely to be the hardest horse to beat here a week ago but his outside draw means he is now likely to settle near-last which may cripple his winning hopes.

Numbers: 9 – 7 – 11 – 1

Suggested Bet – MYSTERY MISS WIN

Race 8

GREAT AGAIN won with authority in the pouring rain last time out and should get conditions to suit again here. He’s unbeaten in the wet, unbeaten at Belmont and drops 1kg in weight from a last-start win in this grade after the 3kg claim. MILITARY RULER was a sensational training performance to win first-up from a long time on the sidelines and another winning performance here wouldn’t surprise. He can lob one-out, one-back, goes well in the wet and Pike sticks. MRS BROWNS BOY would have undoubted winning claims again but may have to do too much work coming across from his wide draw, while NIKITAS had no luck in his WA debut last week, backs-up off seven days and has the addition of blinkers.

Numbers: 3 – 11 – 7 – 9

Suggested Bet – GREAT AGAIN WIN

Quaddie (Race 5 – 8)

1,2,14

3,10

1,7,8,9,11

3,7,9,11

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