RANCHO MONTOYA (Saturday - Sunshine Coast Race 1 No 2)
Got out to the mile last time, which is what he had been craving, and went bang with a good win against the older horses. Back to his own age group here and gets four kilograms off his main rival Mishani Bullitt. All of his runs so far have been on tight tracks at Ipswich and Doomben and I reckon he will grow an extra leg around the expansive Sunshine Coast track. With only six rivals, I can see him getting plenty of room and simply blowing them away in the straight. I reckon he will start shorter than his current quote and he's my banker bet of the day at the Sunny Coast. If he's good enough for a looming trip to Melbourne, he's good enough to be winning this.
BET: WIN
ODDS $2.80 @ Sportsbet (Powerplay)
SNITZEL'S JOY (Saturday – Sunshine Coast Race 3 No 11)
Arguably should have gone close to beating Girl In A Million (who is the favourite here) last time, after being checked badly in the straight as was just gathering momentum. The speedy Girl In A Million is $4 here, yet we are getting $14 about Snitzel's Joy so I'm more than happy to be on. Tiffani Brooker's claim helps and she is riding in good form, so am hoping for her to get to the one-out one-back position or close enough to it. Girl In A Million is the one they all have to catch but the Sunny Coast track is a different beast entirely to Doomben. Keen to speck this Snitzel mare each-way and play her in quinellas with Girl In a Million and The Ambassadore.
BET: EACH WAY
ODDS $14 @ Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, CrownBet
HELAROCITY (Saturday - Sunshine Coast Race 7 No 1)
Huge win at the Gold Coast last start after being tailed off last and then storming home to win over 900m – you don't see too many do that around the coast track. I'm convinced he is flying and the step up to 1200m around the expansive Sunny Coast track will be ideal for him. Is no slouch, having won seven from 12. Has won before second-up. The three-kilo claiming apprentice helps enormously as this gelding now gets in OK with 58kg and he's been used to carrying some big weights anyhow. Should get a beautiful run from a good gate and be hard to hold out.
BET: EACH WAY
ODDS $6.50 @ Sportsbet, CrownBet, William Hill
JETSONIC (Saturday - Sunshine Coast Race 8 No 12)
Want to preface this by saying I've got huge respect for the resuming Deep Image but reckon he is a type who takes a run or two to get into the swing of things and will also be better over longer. Tony Gollan's sprint gelding Jetsonic hasn't won for a while but showed he was knocking on the door with a fast-finishing third after missing the start behind Impregnable recently. Jetsonic was a horse who was involved in a float accident last year but there will be no accident if he wins here. Has never raced on the Sunshine Coast before but he is a type who takes a while to wind up so you would think he would love this track where every horse gets its chance.
BET: WIN
ODDS $11 @ Bet365
ABILITY (Sunday – Caulfield Race 9 No 2)
What did you say? 60.5kg and starting from the carpark? No worries mate! I reckon Robert Smerdon's sprinter is one of the next big things in Aussie racing so I simply have to be on when I'm getting $6.50! There should be plenty of speed in this from the likes of Faatinah, Gun Case and Malibu Style to allow Ability to settle back and swamp them late. His fresh record is good and he has had some good jumpouts in preparation for this. You can look at all the times and sectionals and facts and figures you want but sometimes a bloody good horse is just a bloody good horse and I reckon Ability is exactly that. Robert Smerdon doesn't seemed convinced that Ability is up to Group I spring standard – but I reckon he's underselling him. Even if Smerdon is right, Ability is well and truly up to blowing them away in this race on Sunday.
BET: WIN
ODDS $6.50 @ Sportsbet (Powerplay), Ladbrokes (odds boost)
