BEST BET: GREAT LEVELLER (Race 6)
EACH-WAY: MORIALTA (Race 2)
VALUE: BARTENDER BLUES (Race 5)
RACE 1 - 12:45PM Balaklava Prime Dental Maiden Plate (1400 METRES)
SILENT DON is well-bred, being out of former handy mare Silent Surround, and started with McEvoys before joining Ashton Downing. He won a recent Morphettville jump-out. YA HELLA has been around the mark, placed at two of his past three, and looks a danger. LA FEMME has been placed at six of 16 while stablemate ORIRIS ran well at Strathalbyn two runs back.
SELECTIONS: SILENT DON, Ya Hella, Le Femme
RACE 2 - 1:20PM Balaklava Transport Maiden Plate (1050 METRES)
MORIALTA is first-up since December and was beaten 4.1 lengths behind Deep Speed last campaign. He did enough in a recent Murray Bridge jump-out to warrant an each-way ticket in a race like this. LOMAX comes off a good effort when runner-up behind Valuables Witness at Murray Bridge. He’s been well found early but looks short enough despite a nice barrier. GHETTO could be some value here on the back of a recent handy jump -out. His form was only OK but he looks an improving type. MELHOOPEN has a couple of trials under her belt, the latest winning at Morphettville, and wears the blinkers for the first time. ZIPADEE ran well here behind Better three starts back before failing at Port Augusta. I GOT STRINGS has been placed at her past couple and has been specked at odds.
SELECTIONS: MORIALTA, Lomax, Ghetto
RACE 3 - 1:55PM Country Living Homes Distance Maiden Plate (2200 METRES)
Key scratchings here make VICTORY BANDIT the one to beat. She was well tried at Strathalbyn last time on the strength of a good effort behind Ecumenical two starts back in Listed grade and was probably hoping to be running against the better fillies on Saturday. BRIABELLA looms as the danger although she has had a few chances, having placed at her past three. Stablemate GONDOLIER has placed at 10 of 23 starts and draws a good barrier. PENONG was runner-up behind Mr Pocket at Gawler back in November and he draws to get a nice run from the inside. STAYING STRONG ran OK at a massive price last time, while AQAAREB has been placed at seven of 16 starts.
SELECTIONS: VICTORY BANDIT, Briabella, Penong
RACE 4 - 2:30PM Agfert Benchmark 54 Handicap (1050 METRES)
Keen on the chances of SITTING BULL, who was a Murray Bridge winner back in September and also placed in stronger company when third behind Bray Street Boss. He has jumped out well and draws a nice gate. MAJESTIC MISSILE looks a danger resuming, but has plenty of weight and draws wide. OUR BENEVENTO was favourite here two runs back behind Hateech and has won here previously. He has changed stables and draws a good gate with Todd Pannell riding. ZEDUKI defeated Sellix when wining a Murray Bridge maiden back in November and comes out of a stronger race behind Lunar Hero at Morphettville last time. MAGIC PHANTOM has won three races and the stable is going nicely.
SELECTIONS: SITTING BULL, Majestic Missile, Our Benevento
RACE 5 - 3:05PM Plains Producer Rating 0-58 Handicap (Heat 15 Autumn Series) (1300 METRES)
Happy to have something on BARTENDER BLUES at a price. He’s a former Victorian who has trialled ok behind Shop Til I Drop and is a Pakenham winner. The stable has a good record with horses from interstate first-up. I’ve been in the corner of HI SMOKEY a few times and he has been around the mark since winning his maiden at Naracoorte, but looks vulnerable from a wide gate. SYLVAN CREST ran well behind African Awesome last time and has been in the money at three of five starts here. RISING THUNDER was a Murray Bridge winner two starts back, while GRAND HOST maps well from a good draw and was runner-up at Naracoorte last start.
SELECTIONS: BARTENDER BLUES, Hi Smokey, Sylvan Crest
RACE 6 - 3:40PM John Pearce Rating 0-58 Handicap (Heat 16 Autumn Series) (1300 METRES)
I’m going to give THE OLYMPIAN another chance here. He loomed large at Naracoorte behind Thanasi and his best form is good enough to beat these. KORUTO is a clear danger on his Strathalbyn maiden two starts back, before a handy effort there behind Wide Awake last time when he drifted a long way back. CASHIN’ CHEX was sent out favourite first-up from a spell at Strathalbyn and his two trials leading in where handy enough to be prominent here. HAHNDORF is back in class on his latest behind Oh Mo and that form looks good enough for this. CALL ME DEXTER is a winner at his only start here.
SELECTIONS: THE OLYMPIAN, Koruto, Cashin’ Chex
RACE 7 - 4:15PM Atlas Event and Party Hire Rating 0-62 Handicap (Heat 14 SA Sprint Series) (1050 METRES)
Pretty keen on the chances of GREAT LEVELLER, who is a Morphettville winner and has placed behind some nice horses like Mileva and Quietly Discreet last campaign. He draws perfectly and looks well placed. Really liked the run of TRYGVE at Morphettville two starts back and he was again finishing off well behind Lunar Hero last time. The long straight here should suit and he’s a big price. MAGNO is a winner here and raced well last campaign. He maps well from a good gate with Todd Pannell riding. DAWN SALUTE strips fitter here and was a Morphettville winner in August. Likewise VON SAGA, who was a Morphettville winner last August and has trialled OK. NARRATIVE STAR was a Gawler winner four starts back and would be in the finish here on his best.
SELECTIONS: GREAT LEVELLER, Trygve, Magno
RACE 8 - 4:50PM TPI Association SA Rating 0-62 Handicap (Heat 12 Provincial Super Series) (1600 METRES)
Open race to finish. MAVETTE has won three of his past five and will find this a drop in class on last time when he battled back strongly behind Echo Boomer at Morphettville. MUSTARI was a winner here two starts back and finished off strongly behind Rex Goliath at Strathalbyn last time. KALAMON grows a leg here, having won three of four starts, and finished off well behind Frankel Star at Gawler last time. Stablemate GRACIEBIRD ran well behind Echo Boomer first-up from a break and should take plenty of benefit from the run.
SELECTIONS: MAVETTE, Mustari, Kalamon
IMAGE: Great Leveller is Lincoln Moore’s best bet at Balaklava today.
