Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Sandown Hillside on Saturday, November 16th.
It's 2019 Zipping Classic Day, with 10 races on the Hillside course, also featuring the Sandown Cup and Sandown Guineas.
The track should race in the Good 4 range with the rail in the True position.
Check out @Tim_Tips' race-by-race preview below.
Sandown Racing Tips: 2019 Zipping Classic Day
Best Bet: Race 5 - (2) Crystal Dreamer
Best Value: Race 3 - (5) Oasis Girl
Two-year-old race to kick things off. We managed to snag both winners of the two-year-old races during Cup week at Flemington at good odds, so hopefully we find the winner again. I'm keen on the Anthony Freedman-trained (3) Hanseatic which has been backed into favouritism. He trialled at Moe leading into this, where he was beaten five lengths by (1) Celestial Sol, but he wasn't asked to do much at all. Celestial Sol took off in the straight after being given a bit of leather, and looked very green in doing so, but Hanseatic looked particularly professional in behind, coasting to the line ahead of two others without being put under any pressure. He draws wide here but that's not such a bad thing over 1000m at Sandown. The Lindsay Park team took out both juvenile races in Cup week and must always be respected in these races. They saddle up (8) Divine Caprice, which has had two career runs to date. She was unlucky on debut at Flemington when held up most of the straight, before a disappointing effort last start, though she did pull up lame. Has been freshened up, gets the blinkers on for the first time and looks big odds at $21. Mick Price won this race last year, he saddles up (15) Safeeya.
Value: (8) Divine Caprice $21
Race 2 - Sandown Cup (Market)
The Sandown Cup comes up early in the day and looks a competitive, if uninspiring affair, with just eight runners engaged. I think this looks a really nice race for (4) Azuro. He ran 3rd in the Hotham Handicap behind Downdraft and Carif on Derby Day and he gets an all-important step up to 3200m today. He's had three starts at the distance for two wins and a 0.4L 2nd, which was in this race last year. Mark Zahra goes on, draws well and looks the one to beat. (6) Saunter Boy could be the value at $15. He's been well beaten in two starts so far this prep but he's got a reasonably good third up record and might be ready to peak here up in trip. (1) Sound ran midfield in the Melbourne Cup and was cut in half in the Caulfield Cup prior to that. He appears to be going well enough to give this a crack because it's a pertty poor race in truth. (2) Haky will lead and if they let him get it his own way he might just keep going.
Value: (6) Saunter Boy $15
Two horses I'm pretty keen to back here. (2) Xilong is my clear top pick but I think (9) Oasis Girl is a terrific chance as well at $8.00. Xilong beat Li'l Kintra first up in Adelaide, Li'l Kontra then went on to run 4th in the Coolmore behind Exceedence. Xilong then beat Garner by 5L, Garner then came out and won his next start at Flemington. Last start, Xilong ran 3rd at Flemington behind Akari and Betcha Flying, which was reaosnably strong Sydney form, and she was only beaten 0.4L. Getting back onto firmer ground has to be a positive here and she is the clear top pick on her form. Oasis Girl should arguably be undefeated from three starts this preparation. She had no luck whatsoever first up behind Broadwayandfourth first up at Ballarat, but she's bounced back to win her next two starts. I think the form out of her wins has and will stack up. Damian Lane jumps back aboard her today and she draws well in barrier 6, so I suspect she'll run a very good race at each way odds.
Value: (9) Oasis Girl $8.00
I love (1) Widgee Turf but I'm going to take him on today under the conditions of the race, which sees him carry 3.5kg more than any other horse. I wouldn't say he's at all hopeless - he's won 11 of his 34 starts, has never finished out of the top two from four starts at the distance and won his only previous start at the track - but I just favour a couple of others at the price. (5) William Thomas has promised plenty throughout his career and he really gets his chance to win a blacktype race today. He was brave under the 60.5kg weight last start and drops to 54kg today with barrier 1. He's better suited on firm ground so he goes on top. (2) Gold Fields is racing in terrific form. He comes off a last-start win in the Sale Cup, where he defeated Mandela Effect, and Mandela Effect then came out and won at Flemington during Cup week, franking the form. He'll go forward and give a terrific sight at each way odds and looks the value. (4) Music Bay hasn't had any luck all prep but gets a huge jockey change today with Craig Williams replacing John Allen. She might be better on a bit of a softer track but she'll get her chance with Willo in the saddle.
Value: (2) Gold Fields $8.00
My best bet of the day is (2) Crystal Dreamer, which looks a very attractive price. I took $5.50 and he's now into $4.60 which isn't surprising. He won first up at Caulfield after a year off the track and backed that up with a luckless effort in the G2 Caulfield Sprint last start, where he didn't get a lot of room. He comes into this third up from a spell and he's won three of his six previous third up runs. He's undefeated at the track and distance, loves firm ground, gets Damian Lane aboard and looks extremely hard to beat at good odds. (6) Thermal Current could be the value. He's also third up and he had a slightly interrupted run down the straight at Flemington last start. He could give this a shake on the one week back up.
(2) Crystal Dreamer
$4.60
Interesting race and nothing really jumps off the page to me. (4) D'bai goes on top but basically because if he's right then he doesn't really have too much else to beat. We saw him earlier in the year in Sydney for the All Aged Stakes, where he didn't get a good run, was well beaten and pulled up lame. Word is that he didn't travel back the best, so they've given him plenty of time to come right before kicking off his campaign over here before going to Dubai. He's finished in the top two in five of his six starts when first up - the run back in April was the anomoly. He's a Group 2 winner over a similar distance so if he's at his best, he'll take some beating. I think the value is (7) Order Of Command and I can't quite see why he can't run a good race here. He was solid in defeat behind Kemalpasa down the straight during Cup week. Danny O'Brien is flying, as is Craig Williams, and he'd only need to run up to that to be competitive. (3) Home Of The Brave looks the leader and he was only 1.7L off Pierata and Trekking last start. That's the best form in the race. Won't be getting too heavily injvolved here.
Value: (7) Order Of Command $10
Race 7 - Sandown Guineas (Market)
This is the race of the day, in my opinion. (11) Affair To Remember was a complete horror show last start, and a similar story the start before that too. She was backed in from about $9.50 to $3.90 last start and got held up early in the straight before charging home from the back of the field to be beaten less than a length. Jockey change today sees Jye McNeil take over from John Allen and she draws nicely in barrier 5. I have to butter up again today after last start. (4) Heart Of Puissance is also a horse of mine and one I think has enormous ability. I was very keen on him last start at The Valley and he got the money, but did so very greenly, hanging badly off the turn and ending out in the middle of the track. He didn't handle the track at all and probably would have won by 2L had he gone straight. He needs to improve his professionalism but he's got an engine. His first up win was ludicrous in the way he won despite having nothing go right. He's right in this and will be getting my money. (10) Pretty Brazen comes out of a 1400m race during Cup week, where she hit the line strongly behind Akari and Betcha Flying. It was a fairly quickly run race and she finished off well. Her figures should see her right in this. (1) Banquo is unlucky not to be undefeated this preparation and comes into this on the back of a 1400m Listed win at Flemington last weekend. He can go forward and offset the wide draw and is another that can win without surprising. Affair To Remember and Heart Of Puissance are the two for me.
Also backing (4) Heart Of Puissance $5.00
(11) Affair To Remember
$3.60
Race 8 - Zipping Classic (Market)
This is a very uninspiring edition of the Zipping Classic. I'm hoping the reapplication of the blinkers can spark (1) Humidor back into the winner's stall. He's been disappointing this preparation but he didn't have any luck in the Mackinnon Stakes last weekend and he showed glimpses of a return to form in his runs prior to that. Back up to 2400m today, blinkers back on, Damian Lane back on and he meets a very weak field. (5) Southern France brought reasonably good European form to Australia but he was poor in the Melbourne Cup, which was his first start in the country. If he was to run up to his Irish St Leger form then he'd be very competitive. (6) Dal Harraild is the horse I've been with all preparation and I think he could be the value here. He was luckless last start when caught wide without cover throughout in the Geelong Cup. We've seen that prove to be exceptionally strong form and prior to that he ran well behind Surprise Baby. Blinkers off, Ben Melham on, he could be the surprise packet.
Value: (6) Dal Harraild $11
This is a wide open race with any number of winning chances. I'm actually going to stick with (7) One More Try here. She was my best of the day last start but went terribly, despite being backed in from big odds to start the $4.20 favourite. Prior to that her two runs at the start of her campaign were absolutely super. Craig Williams is a jockey booking that catches my eye and the blinkers go back on today. I'm going to forgive her for the poor run last start and if the blinkers switch her back on and she can get back to her form from a couple of starts ago, she'll give this a good shake, and we're getting each way odds to find out.
Quite simply, if (5) Setting Sail turns up at his best, this is as good as over. He's won four of his nine starts in Europe and they've targeted this race a long way out. He won by 6L first up last prep from an 81-week break and went onto win a 2000m handicap at Newmarket, before another two handicap placings at York and Goodwood. Drawn well, lightly raced and really doesn't face any superstars here. I expect him to be winning. (3) Plein Ciel finished off well last start and is ready to win.
