Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Bendigo on Saturday, March 28th.
It's one of Bendigo's feature meetings of the year, with the running of the Bendigo Gold Bracelet, Bendigo Guineas and Golden Mile.
The track is a Good 4 with the rail True.
Find our race-by-race preview and betting tips for the meeting below!
Bendigo Racing Tips: Saturday, March 28th
Best Bet: Race 1 - (2) Grand Promenade
Best Value Bet: Race 3 - (8) Barthelona
Race 1
(2) Grand Promenade is a deserved favourite here, shooting for his fifth straight win. He hasn't won by much in his past three starts, but he certainly knows where the post is. I think he'll be better suited today with the 2400m run last start under his belt. He had to do some work throughout that race and still was too strong, and that was his first attempt at the distance, so he has a better platform coming into today. He draws wide and carries the weight but this isn't an overly tough field and he should be able to win again. (3) Andrea Mantegna can definitely be thrown into your numbers at $21. He's had two starts this prep and both have been pass marks. His third up record is two wins from three starts, so we should see him peaking today. Gets a nice run from barrier 4 and Teo Nugent takes 2kg off so he is a good roughie. (10) Garbhan can improve.
Value: (3) Andrea Mantegna $21
(2) Grand Promenade
$2.50
Race 2
We've got a full field of 16 here and it's an absolute lottery. There's three horses I'll throw up at each way odds here. (2) Beautiful Flyer has been absolutely flying since about June lst year and she picked up where she left off with a terrific effort first up in Adelaide. That was behind Runson in Listed company and Runson came out of that race and ran 2nd in the Hareeba Stakes at Mornington last weekend, beaten a nose on the line. So the form is pretty reasonable. She would probably prefer the ground to be a bit softer and the real query is the stable change from Len Jarvis to Pat Caboche. But if there's nothing wrong with her, she can run a big race here. (9) Lucky Fish is another horse that's been racing in Adelaide. A change of tactics to lead has turned his form around in recent starts. He's got a great record at this track and distance with two wins and a 3rd from three starts. Should be able to find the front again and could take some catching. Don't be surprised to see (10) Sikorsky run a big race fresh. He showed good speed in his recent jumpout and cruised to the line in front.
Value: (9) Lucky Fish $11 / (10) Sikorsky $10
Race 3
(9) Simply Optimistic is an interesting runner here for Kiwi trainer Brendon Hawtin. He took a while to figure things out but he's won four of his past five starts, including a win at Rosehill in Sydney last time we saw him back in June. He's obviously a horse that's had issues because he's first up for 42 weeks today, and prior to his last run he'd had 40 weeks off. He's won three of his four first up runs so he clearly handles the long breaks well and races well fresh. He'd be very hard to beat at his best here. (6) Redcore trialled well for this and he's also coming into this fresh off a very long break. He's won two from three at this track and distance so he should give a bold showing. (8) Barthelona could run a big race at $27. He's got a good first up record, with two wins and three placings from seven starts. He won his only previous start at this track and distance and I thought the improvement he made from his first jumpout to his second jumpout was good. Mike Moroney has a great record here at Bendigo so include him as the value. Be wary if the market comes for (11) Something Silver, first up without a jumpout or a trial.
Value: (8) Barthelona $27
(9) Simply Optimistic
$5.50
Race 4
(6) River Night broke through for a deserved win last start at Caulfield, leading all the way in the Redoute's Choice Stakes. Prior that she was only run down late by Ilovemyself at Flemington. I see no reason to jump off her today with $6.50 on offer. (7) Masseuse could prove to be the value. She SP'd favourite against River Night last start when beaten a length, and that was after a luckless debut. Jockey change with Mark Zahra taking over today and $7.50 could prove to be a luxury given her recent starting prices. (9) Madam Mischief was a dominant winner on debut and could measure up.
Value: (7) Masseuse $7.50
Race 5
(1) Adelaide Ace carries 60kg here, which is 4kg more than any other runner, but he has a distinct class edge on the rest of these. He won in G2 company two starts back before losing out to Conformist at Moonee Valley last time out. That's the superior form line for this race and if he can come across to find a position on speed, he'll be very tough to hold out despite the weight. I'm prepared to give (3) Skiddaw one more chance with the step up to 2000m and blinkers on for the first time. He was very well backed last start but was plain and ultimately disappointing. He gets one more go. (2) Don't Doubt Dory gets a very big jockey change and has done little wrong in four career starts.
Race 6
Wide open race once more. A couple at big odds once again is the play here. (3) Mirette is a very classy mare on her day. She's struggled in her past two runs, suggesting there's been issues, because previous to that she was airborne. I'll give her a chance to redeem herself today because she flies second up from a spell. She's never finished out of the top two from three starts. She loves dry ground, goes well at the distance and if she was at her best she'd be very hard to toss in this. (9) Miss Mandito is another to include. She's had two runs back from a spell and has gone pretty well without much luck. First up, she didn't get much room late, and second up she motored home from the back of the field in the G3 Vamos Stakes in Launceston. The winner Deroche goes very good so it's not the worst formline going around. All four career wins have been at this distance and she's won third up previously. Decent roughie at $19. (8) Snogging has a huge finish on her when she's at her best. She's a bit of a non-winner and first up the query is whether she will be forward enough. (2) Fabric has to be respected, while (13) Vanuatu won first up last prep at this distance. Mirette and Miss Mandito the main two at big odds.
Also backing: (3) Mirette $13
Race 7
(7) Riddle Me That was a good winner first up at Pakenham despite having no luck, and he was brave once again when beaten a length by (3) Spend last start despite being trapped wide throughout the race. He's drawn tricky out in barrier 11 but with any luck, he should go very close in this. He's returned in superb order. (5) Heirborn is Anthony Freedman's only runner of the day and he looks good value to win this. He was rolled at short odds first up at Pakenham but I suspect he will improve significantly with that run under his belt. He started $5.00 in the Carbine Club Stakes at the end of last prep and also has form around Alabama Express and Hilo. If he produced form anywhere near that he'd win this. (13) Vegas Jewel is first up since finishing midfield in the Kennedy Oaks. I'm always a huge negative for fillies resuming off a run in the Oaks, but she's very classy and first up at 1400m today she could run a bold race. (2) Star Surprise was enormous last start at The Valley.
Race 8
I will be absolutely spewing if (15) Princess Jenni comes out and wins this because I thought she was a good thing last week at The Valley and she crabbed around the corner like a cripple and was ultimately extremely disappointing. She comes here third up on the one-week back up and although she drops from a G2 to a Listed race, on last week's effort I have to oppose her. At best she is a saver bet. Again, a wide open field with plenty of value so there's a few at double figures to have something on. (17) Iconoclasm gets a run and he's worth a spec at $20. He hates wet ground so forgive him for his poor showing first up at Flemington. He's only placed once from five starts on rain-affected ground, but has nine wins from 19 starts on good ground. He'll get conditions to suit today, Damian Lane jumps aboard and he's certainly got the class to win a race like this. (7) Gold Fields ($18) didn't get everything go right for him last start when he was held up in the straight. He failed to quicken once the split came for him but the race was over by then. It might be worth giving him another chance here. (10) Sikandarabad ($16) was well beaten first up but he gets the blinkers back on today and he tends to improve from his first run back to his second run back. We have to go back to the start of last year to find his last win though.
Race 9
(12) Big Night Out looks a good way to get us home at Bendigo. Both runs back from a spell have been good and he's put the writing on the wall for this race. He gets the much-needed step up to 1400m today, which is the distance he excelled at last preparation. He's drawn wide in barrier 11 but with even luck, he should be winning this. (14) Jumbo Ozaki looks the logical danger. He saluted narrowly last start after being backed as if unbeatable. He should improve from that given he was six weeks between runs, but I'm pretty happy to oppose him here. (6) Strategic Demand was good first up from a long spell and he can be thrown in numbers at $34 here.
Value: (6) Strategic Demand $34
