Bendigo Racing Tips for Saturday, April 1st

A solid nine-race card at Bendigo this weekend featuring the Gold Bracelet, Golden Mile and Bendigo Guineas.

The track is rated a Good 4 and and we have betting tips and comments on every race below.

BENDIGO RACING TIPS

Race 1

My initial thought is that SEBRING SUN is horribly under the odds and I'd be quite surprised to see him win this. STAR STEALER looks the pick of the Weir horses to me after a luckless run in Adelaide last start when he probably should have won. Needs a good ride from the barrier but the apprentice is in hot form and the horse gets in with just 53.5kg after the claim. TIGIDIG TIGIDIG is in career best form having won three straight races (who would have ever thought we'd say that?). Harder again here but goes forward and carries just 53kg so not without a hope at $7. The value could be MARWOOD first up from a spell. This horse typically gets over longer but he's placed in all three runs over this distance and has won three from four first up. $10 looks a decent each way price.

Tip: Star Stealer / Marwood EW

Race 2

SACRED SHAM looks a good bet here after a solid win on debut followed by another good performance in midweek grade at Sandown last start. He was only beaten a nose on that occasion and with the rise in grade here he drops in weight which should see him a good winning chance once again. The value could be WRITTEN TYCOON who returns from a spell and Tom Dabernig was adamant this horse was much better than what we saw last prep when he simply didn't come up. Trials have been good, draws well and the claim gives him a good winning chance here at good odds of $9.50. ASHLOR the other to consider.

Tip: Sacred Sham (best bet) / Blue Tycoon EW

Race 3

Tough race here after the scratching of Limestone. Hayes/Dabernig have three entered here and it could pay to keep an eye on the market for a lead as to which of theirs is best suited here, but I think WAIT FOR NO ONE will give a good sight here from the inside barrier. He should jump and lead or box seat and he comes out of much stronger races. The interesting runner for mine is JE SUIS TYCOON who really trialled impressively leading into this. Was under a strangle hold and looked to have plenty to offer, so with a good ride from the wide barrier she could run a big race. SUN QUAN has been heavily backed leading into this but will need a smart ride from the outside barrier, while Gai Waterhouse's SPEED STREET has also had good support.

Tip: Wait For No One / Je Suis Tycoon EW

Race 4

Two I'm mainly interested in here. The first is SNITZELWOOD who was our best value bet of the day last start when absolutely hammered in the betting. He kept his good third up record intact and looking back through his career, once he wins he tends to keep winning. Steps up to 2400m for the first time but I think he'll handle that and the claim brings him down to 58kg which is a winnable weight. The other horse that really grabs my attention is HANS HOLBEIN who comes into this second up after finishing 4th first up over 1600m. He hasn't won from 5 starts when first up, but he has won second up which suggests to me he will be much better suited today. He steps up sharply from 1600m to 2400m which will suit him much better and the notable factor for me is the stable has chosen not to claim and have instead booked Brad Rawiller. That tells me that they rate his chances today and I'd suggest having something on at $9. Prepared to take on RICHARD OF YORKE at the price today - he bolted in last start but that was on a Soft 6 and I think he's far superior on wet ground than firm ground.

Tip: Snitzelwood / Hans Holbein EW

Race 5

Tough race with a few winning hopes but really like the way BROADWAY AND FIRST is going with back to back wins. He bolted in at this track and distance two starts ago when carrying the same weight as he does today, and followed that up with a convincing win in the Mildura Cup last start. Undefeated at this track, draws well and I think he can win again. ASHDAM won last start before the jockey weighed in light but he is flying as well. Two starts ago finished 2nd to Burning Front and finished ahead of Smart Dart which is good form for this race. Tough gate but the claim brings him down to a winnable weight. CANNYESCENT and ORIENT LINE have claims, while the big watch is on Chris Waller's IRISH OPTIMISM who has his first start in Australia. 

Tip: Broadway And First

Race 6

Quite like the odds about QUILATE here despite the rise in grade. Won quite cosily last start which followed up a luckless run in Group company. Two starts ago she finished 0.8L behind Jalan Jalan but was held up for 200m in the straight, yet Jalan Jalan is $4.40 while Quilate is $7.50. Quilate was very strong through the line last start and should really get a great run from the barrier here so think she's great each way odds. JALAN JALAN is impossible to catch but I sacked her long ago and at the price she won't be getting any of my money. Granted she has been better this preparation and should be around the mark; it's also worth noting her two wins have come on soft tracks and even though she's placed in 6 of her 11 starts on Good tracks, she's never won one. WHISTLE BABY looks ready to peak after two solid runs to start her campaign. She always takes a couple of runs to hit her straps so with two runs under her belt and the step up to 1400m she rates a winning chance. The value could be GIVE US A GO who also comes into this third up from a spell. Similarly, she generally takes a couple of runs to hit her straps and at the end of last prep finished 0.8L behind the likes of Demonstrate and Sovereign Nation. She might need a soft track, however.

Tip: Quilate EW (best value)

Race 7

This really is a race I'm not overly keen to bet into. BURNING FRONT is looking for his sixth straight win but unlike his previous couple of races, he's not weighted very well, has a bit more pressure up the front and has a wide barrier to contend with. Those three things make me hesitant to jump in at the price, despite him being the obvious form horse of the race. If HE OR SHE found his best form he'd go very close to winning this, but he put in a stinker last start and draws poorly here so will go a long way back. ZEBRINZ is flying and really put the writing on the wall last start. The step up to 1600m is what he's been crying out for but the horse just struggles to win, with just one victory in the past 18 months. SHOW A STAR draws perfectly and will either lead or box seat. He was luckless two starts ago before winning last start in a decent race, and with just 54kg on his back he'll be there for a long way. PLOT THE COURSE and WAR LEGEND are others to include in a deep race. BURNING FRONT is very hard to oppose, but I'd rather have an each way bet on SHOW A STAR than back Burning Front on the nose at $3.50.

Tip: Show A Star EW

Race 8

Absolute lottery this race! ACHI BABA comes down from Sydney and I'm guessing that is to avoid the wet tracks that he's failed on at his last two starts. He has been running in harder company and previous to those two failures he was in good form. Typically the Sydney form holds up in these sorts of races so no surprises to see him win here. MILWAUKEE bolted up last start in BM64 grade when up in distance and put up on the speed. From barrier 2 I'd expect similar tactics here and although this is harder he won with authority last start and can feature once again. The one I'll be having something small on at the odds is MANDALAY BAY who won his first two starts last prep before finishing midfield behind Group 1 winner Hey Doc in Group 2 company. He comes into this first up from a spell over 1400m but he has won a trial leading into it and I think his ability could be enough to see him figure in the finish here. he may be looking for longer but definitely one to keep an eye on. KAZIO and WATERLOO SUNSET others to include in a difficult race.

Tip: Mandalay Bay EW

Race 9

A few that interest me in this. HARADAFULL comes off a year-long break and has just had the one trial leading into this. His form prior to the spell was outstanding with two wins from two starts last prep, but he must have had issues having been off the track that long. He could be the one to watch going forward but you probably have to take him on here off such a long break. SADAQA is racing in quite good form despite not winning. The form behind Mubakkir and Zebrinz has turned out to be quite useful and he was held up at a crucial point of the race last start. he gets a 2.5kg weight swing on Top Me Up here and with the good draw today might just be his day. PAY UP BRO is ready to peak third up from a spell. He's won two of his three races when third up from a spell and won over this distance with 60kg at this stage of last prep. The killer for him is the Good track; he's had 13 starts on Good tracks for 0 wins. His three wins have all come on Soft or synthetic surfaces. Dare I say it but the value in the race could be BRADMAN at $18. He's impossible to catch (although we were on him at $10 when he won last!) and he has a few things in his favour today. He gets in with just 54.5kg, draws well and has won over track and distance. Taking on Unbreakable who has never placed second up and also taking on Top Me Up. I'll back both Sadaqa and Bradman, but very wary of a number of others. Good luck if you're still alive in the quaddie!

Tip: Sadaqa / Bradman EW