Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for Bendigo Cup Day in Victoria on Wednesday, November 1st.
We have a 10-race card to look forward to in the lead up to Derby Day this Saturday, which kicks off the Flemington carnival.
The Bendigo track is rated a Good 4 with the rail true. We have every race covered below with betting tips and comments.
BENDIGO RACING TIPS
Best Bet: Race 1 Boom Chicka Boom
Best Value: Race 8 Big Memory
Race 1
Very keen on the Mick Price-trained BOOM CHICKA BOOM on debut here. This horse has just had the one trial leading into this race and he was given a very quiet time of things in the back half of the field. This isn’t a deep field and Mick Price gave this horse a good push during the week, and when he gives a horse a good push they generally don’t disappoint. Think he can take care of this field but he’ll need to come from the back of the field after drawing barrier 8. The obvious danger is FLASH CASH who has run 2nd at three of his four starts to date. The one unplaced finish came behind I Did It Again and Bandipur in a good race at Caulfield, and he ran 4th on that occasion. He resumed with a narrow defeat at Moe and should be right in the finish second up here. PREMIO MOMENTO could be the value after having no luck last start.
TIP: Boom Chicka Boom (Best Bet)
Race 2
If VINDLAND can bring his early two-year-old trial form to the races today he’ll be very hard to beat. He trialled particularly sharply in both Adelaide and Sydney, but that failed to translate into raceday form as he failed in two starts. Those races have proven to be strong, however, with the first won by Arctic Angel and the second won by She Will Reign. He’ll need to be at his best first up from so long off the track with just one recent trial under his belt, but he looks a talented type in a weak race here. Hardest to beat looks to be Darren Weir’s CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, who has placed in two of three career starts and should be ready to peak third up from a spell today. The Hawkes-trained newcomer SINJAREE has jumped out at Flemington without being overly impressive. Watch the market with him. PERFECTIONIST could be the value after an eye-catching run first up over 1000m. Jumps quickly to 1400m and should be included at double figure odds.
TIP: Vinland
Race 3
Tricky little race with just the five runners to go around, and these sorts of races with small fields are often dangerous. I tried hard not to find BIG PHIL on top but I just couldn’t be satisfied with any of the others. Big Phil has had four starts this prep; he was luckless first up when caught three-wide, won second up, was held up the entire straight third up, and ran 2nd last start. He’ll likely go forward from barrier 5 and he’ll be tough to beat, but I couldn’t jump in at $2.50 in this field. KNOWABLE has been racing in some nice races and went close last start at this track after covering ground. It’d be no surprise if he broke through again here but he’s a hard horse to trust. HELL ON EARTH dropped back to BM58 grade last start and should have won but was caught four-wide the trip. He was struggling in BM70 grade prior to that. SERENADE THE STARS is the interesting runner and in all likelihood, will turn out to be the best horse in the race. He won two races in a row by 4L back in the UK over 2000m and 2400m, and makes his Australian debut here as a gelding. 1600m first up might be a touch sharp for him. MAGELLAN has only placed once from eight starts on good ground so taking him on here.
TIP: Big Phil
Race 4
This is a tough race with a few legitimate winning chances. My gut feel is to take on MISS BENEDETTA today. She’s won two from three races when second up from a spell but I think she might still need one more run. She ran 2nd first up last prep, while she finished 5th first up this prep when unwanted in betting. Her second up win last prep was also at Warrnambool during the carnival, which is when Weir’s horses grow a leg. She carried 58.5kg that day with a senior rider on board, but today with 59kg she has an apprentice on. The booking of the apprentice strikes me as saying she isn’t ready to win. She may prove me wrong but we’ve got to take on one or two of them at the prices. VILLA ROSA has always promised a bit and she broke through for her second win last start at Mornington. The query from that win is how strong the opposition was and the strength of the form going forward. The horse she beat has since run poorly. I’ll be having a saver on her. BALANCING ACT is the one I’ll be backing after much deliberation. This horse ran fair first up in a very strong race before going to Sydney last start and dumping the rider at the start. She typically needs that second up run anyway. She really improves at her third run back from a spell, and she’ll get a good run from the inside barrier with top jockey Damian Lane booked to ride. The obvious query is the 61.5kg but she should be right in the finish. FLYING SPARK is consistent and goes well at this track, while AMARETTO has a good record at the distance and could be a value chance at big odds.
TIP: Balancing Act
Race 5
THRONUM looks awfully short here. On exposed form, there’s no doubt he’s the best horse in the race, but he’s had 403 days off the track. His three-year-old form includes placings behind Tango Rain and Divine Prophet, as well as a win in The Rosebud. His final two starts as a three-year-old saw him finish third last in the Golden Rose and last in the Stan Fox, and he’s since changed stables from Gai Waterhouse to the Lindsay Park team. That’s a big positive, but it’s still hard to be confident taking $1.65! He’s had no public trials since January. If he were to bring his best form he’d win, but at that price you can leave me out. Happy to have something on GO DOWN who is also first up off a long spell. He has a terrific first up record and first up last prep he won by 5L over this track and distance. $6 available and that looks a reasonably tasty price. The value is DEL PIERO who is racing consistently well and caught the eye getting home late last start. Up in class but down in weight with a senior jockey on and can go well. PAINTE is first up for Darren Weir and is sure to have improved, keep a very careful eye on the market.
TIP: Go Down / Del Piero EW
Race 6
PIRAPALA was far too good for a maiden field on a Monday at Tatura last start and delivered on some early promise he showed back in Sydney. That was his first start for the new stable and although Monday form at Tatura rarely measures up to Wednesday form in the city, the win was dominant. He’s in the right stable to go on with it now and he should be able to measure up here. He has been $2.10 out to $2.40 in early betting which is a slight concern, so keep an eye on the market because the stable is a betting stable. The biggest unknown in the race is WRITTEN IN STONE, who has plenty of ability and returns here as a gelding after an unsuccessful campaign last time in work. The booking of Damian Lane is particularly noticeable, given most of Weir’s other runners throughout the day are to be ridden by John Allen, Dean Yendall or apprentices. This horse may need a touch further than 1100m but the gelding operation may do the trick. FROM THE CLOUDS drops back from two strong city races to midweek grade here and should be ready to win third up. SHAUQUIN didn’t get a great deal of luck first up but the drop back in trip is a query. FROMPARIS IN LOVE was well backed first up but had no luck. She improves second up but her record at the distance is poor. Siding with Pirapala but big watch on Written In Stone.
TIP: Pirapala
Race 7
Keen to be with I HAVE ARRIVED here who bolted in on debut in a big field at Ballarat. He draws wide here and they will go back from that barrier but Mick Price was very bullish about this horse during the week, saying he was a very good colt and he could win even though he’s drawn wide. The step up in trip looks ideal and if Callow can give him a good ride, he should be motoring home late. METSON comes out of a strong race last start behind Eptimum, who has since gone on to win again at Moonee Valley and will line up in the Coolmoore this weekend. The horse that ran 2nd was Sam’s Image, who also came out and won his next start, so the form has really stacked up. Draws well in barrier 3 and can go close. It’s a deep race with the likes of SAUCY JACK and ROYALE EFFORT also in with claims, while SO FAR SOKOOL could be the blowout. Happy to have a good each way bet on I Have Arrived at $5.
TIP: I Have Arrived EW
Race 8
Just seven horses going around for the Bendigo Cup here, headlined by 2016 Melbourne Cup 4th placegetter Qewy, who also won the Geelong and Sandown Cups when he was last in Australia. He’s been the horse that’s firmed in the betting, with the stable saying he’d need to win this race well to warrant a start in next week’s Melbourne Cup. There’s a few queries with him this time around. His form before flying to Australia wasn’t as good this year, and after running 4th in last year’s Melbourne Cup, you’d think the stable would be very keen to line up again. The fact they’re saying he has to win this race well for them to run him in the Cup suggests to me he’s not going as well. Regardless, they will roll forward with him here and make it a genuine staying test, which could unravel a few of our horses. KIWIA looks the genuine threat and has been targeted at this race for a while. He’s only had one start at the trip, and he was lucky to win it, so he’s no good thing either. BIG MEMORY could be the smokey at $8. He’s fourth up here and he won a 2600m race at Flemington fourth up last prep. FOUNDRY won a very low Group 1 in Sydney two starts ago before failing badly last start. Hard to know what to do with him. Backing both Qewy and Big Memory.
TIP: Qewy / Big Memory EW (Best Value)
Race 9
Looks a race at the mercy of Darren Weir but it’s hard to know which of his horses will win. ANOTHER COLDIE and NIGHT’S WATCH both come out of the same race behind Fox Hall at Cranbourne last start. Visually, Night’s Watch was the more impressive, and I’d say he’s the better horse going forward, but Another Coldie gets the better jockey booked to ride, so it’s hard to be sure. I’d expect Another Coldie to go forward from barrier 9, while Night’s Watch will settle further back from barrier 3. I think the value in the race is SAVAJU who bombed the start last time out. She’s won three from six at the track and finished behind the likes of Divine Quality and Pedrena last preparation. Weir also has ROYAL ACE in the race but he typically peaks second up before dropping off third up. MR CHURCHILL likely needs a mile, while AS BAD AS TYSON is having his first go at the trip.
TIP: Night’s Watch / Savaju EW
Race 10
This is a very tough race to end the day. SOJU WARRIOR is first up here and first up last prep he bolted in at Kilmore when breaking his maiden tag. He then went on to demolish a field in Adelaide over a longer trip. The 1300m first up today should suit and he should be very competitive. SADDLE THE SUN is unbeaten after he followed up his dominant debut win at Ballarat with a smart win at Cranbourne last start. He draws awkward today but may go forward from the gate, and he’s shown that he’s more than capable of stepping up to this class. I wouldn’t want to take any lower than what we’re currently getting and $4 looks about minimum for mine. THE PASSAGE is also first up and has a good fresh record. Weir runner have tended to peak at their second and third runs back from a spell so I’d be cautious here. The blinkers come off and he draws wide, so he’ll go back, and while he’s got the talent to win this, he might need the run. GOT THE MOVES won two in a row before a slightly unlucky 3rd last start. Hard to know where he positions from barrier 1 but he steps up to 1300m for the first time. I’ll be taking him on. BENNY GOES BEZERK has had money come for him early and that’s been the story for the past few starts. He drops back from 1600m to 1300m here, which is the distance he ran particularly well at earlier this campaign. Barrier 6 should see him get a good run, and I’ll be having something on each way, but if he fails today he may be in the sack book. WHYYOUASK has a good first up record but has never placed on good ground.
TIP: Saddle The Sun / Benny Goes Bezerk EW
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