Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for Bendigo Cup day on Wednesday, October 31st.
We have tips for all 10 races below, as well as previews for four races that stand out on the day (including the Bendigo Cup).
BENDIGO RACING TIPS
R1 – Winning Partner
R2 – Scipio (previewed below)
R3 – Mr Genoa (previewed below)
R4 – Bolek
R5 – Layel
R6 – Barood (previewed below)
R7 – Lord Sundowner EW
R8 – Furrion (previewed below)
R9 – Tavistock Abbey EW
R10 – Jaws Of Steel / Lucky Fish EW
RACE 2
Going with the second-favourite Scipio here at $3.50. He’s had two runs back from a spell now and has put the writing on the wall leading into today. First up he only really got going in the last 100m and then went down by a nose over 1200m at this track last start. Third up now, blinkers go on for the first time and he should be hard to beat. Jawwal is the obvious one to beat after recording three 2nd placings from as many starts this preparation. UK jockey Jim Crowley takes the ride. The value could be Suburbia, who has been off the track for seven weeks since his debut behind Mickey Blue Eyes and Prince Of Caviar, which has turned out to be a strong form race.
RACE 3
Darren Weir could have another useful former-WA galloper on his hands here with Mr Genoa. Formerly with leading trainer Adam Durrant, he trialled strongly leading into his debut, where he was backed off the map and beat the older horses as a 2YO. He hasn’t been seen since but makes his stable debut for Weir today and finds a very winnable race.
RACE 6
Interested in this South Australian raider Barood, who has come across once before to tackle a race at this track and distance, which he won at big odds (but was backed in betting). He opened this preparation with back-to-back wins in Adelaide, before a couple of below par performances. He then went back to the trials before returning to form with a strong effort at Murray Bridge last time out. Now returns to Bendigo with Yendall booked to ride and looks a solid each way chance at $6.00.
RACE 8 – BENDIGO CUP
Tough race to bet into. I simply can’t get Furrion as short as $2.20 but I can’t be with anything else to beat him. The obvious concerns for him are the fact both defeats in his career have been when stepping up to 2000m, and he now steps up to 2400m for the first time. He takes on a couple of Group-performed horses with form at the distance so with all that in mind, $2.20 seems very short. With that said, the form out of his win two starts ago has proved very strong through both Best Of Days and Runaway – they both won their next starts – and he didn’t get a great deal go his way in the Cranbourne Cup last start. Dal Harraild made his Australian debut in the G2 Herbet Power Stakes behind Yucatan, beaten just over 6L. He at least brings the 2400m platform into today’s race and will be much better suited second up. Also gets the blinkers applied for the first time in his career and he has some reasonably strong staying form back in the UK, which we know if superior to the local form. My query is whether he’s looking for further than this at this stage of his career. His last win over 2400m was back in 2016 and he’s since done the majority of his racing over 2800-3200m. Lord Fandango could be the one that poses the biggest threat. He ran a great race first up before being beaten 5L in the Herbet Power last start. He now comes into this third up and has the 2400m run under his belt to have him peaking for today’s race. The blinkers come off and Damian Lane is a notable jockey booking. It’s been a fair while between drinks which is the main concern but he finds a winnable race with a lack of depth today. Furrion goes on top but I can’t back him at $2.20. I’d expect him to drift in the market.
