3 minute read
Scott Embry provides his best bets for the Thoroughbred meeting at Belmont on Wednesday, 20th March 2024. Brought to you by the TABtouch Blog.
RACE 1 Best Bet
BANOTHER STRIKE won in this grade two starts back by over 1L and then carried this kind of weight in a C1 mile at Pinjarra when attacking the line hard beaten a half head by Wozzeck. Should get a lovely tow ball run into the straight on the back of Zenique and from there expect he can push his way into the clear and to victory. QUEEN NARDI drops out of the Ascot 1000 Guineas and only carries 2kg more in a 3 year old 0MWLY than a Listed fillies event after the ZJP claim. He has ridden her to all three wins and gets a great chance to kick one home in town. BONDI'S FUTURE could be on a 3 day back-up from a Geraldton win Sunday. ZENIQUE next best.
Numbers: 1 – 3 – 2 – 4
Suggested Bet – ANOTHER STRIKE WIN
RACE 2
SHOOTING SPIRIT finished 1.5L off them first-up in the Pinjarra 3 year old Magic Millions and then was one of many horses who got horribly held up and knocked around from barrier 1 and leader's back on a rail out day at Ascot. That was the meeting where you wanted to either lead or breeze and the horses leader's back just didn't get into races. All things considered it was a handy effort and he's racing like 1400m will suit. Gets his chance here. SIMPLY THINKIN' and CRIMMO both come through the same 950m trial at Lark Hill. Both are capable of winning more than just C1s this campaign. ALWAYS AWESOME broke his maiden well but will need a good steer from an awkward draw.
Numbers: 3 – 6 – 1 – 2
Suggested Bet – SHOOTING SPIRIT WIN
RACE 3
KIMBERLEY ROSE was scratched from Saturday to save for this and if she brings her impressive Lark Hill trial performance to the races expect she'll measure up. Always a risk getting involved in a debutante, especially when the raced brigade have handy form reference lines (especially Battle Commander) but she covered the ground like a filly with plenty of natural ability. BATTLE COMMANDER finished second to Bustling last start and he went around odds on in a deep 2 year old event on Saturday. Great form and probably gets across to at least the breeze. Big danger. YUWILL BE THE ONE only trialled over 400m but looked good. WANT A WINNER also scratched Saturday to save for this.
Numbers: 12 – 1 – 13 – 7
Suggested Bet – KIMBERLEY ROSE WIN
RACE 4
CHAMPEZE looks to have found the perfect race to cross, lead, dictate and then kick hard into the corner. She's been racing well all preparation and this looks a race without a lot of speed or pressure. Love Brad Parnham in front. KRAKEN TIME was held up for the vast majority of the 1000m straight race on debut and never really got a clear crack at them. His trial win over Ahyeahrighto (who won on debut) was strong and thinking that both 1300m and racing round a bend are both really in his favour. Hard to hold out. WEST COAST EXPRESS has trialled well on numerous occasions. FINAL TRADE was impressive in the same recent Belmont trial.
Numbers: 12 – 6 – 8 – 5
Suggested Bet – CHAMPEZE WIN
RACE 5
SUNBRONZED looks to enjoy a great map here, following a hot speed that's likely to be set between Torpedoman, Looks and Cross Statement. Shaun McGruddy has long been coined 'King of the Box Seat' (think Gemma's Son in the Bluff Knoll) and Sunbronzed has had no luck at his last two when wide throughout on both occasions. Great chance to bounce back from an ideal run. PATRON OF KINGS has blinkers applied, comes back in grade and returns to a track where he is 3 from 3 undefeated. Logical danger. CAPRE OMNIA has his first start in WA and wears blinkers for the first time in his life. Trial was sharp. TORPEDOMAN will look to run them into the ground.
Numbers: 7 – 3 – 4 – 6
Suggested Bet – SUNBRONZED WIN
RACE 6
DANUBE RIVER brings alternate form to this wide open C3 fillies & mares 1200. She resumed in a fast run 58+ at Albany and was doing her best work late. She drops 1.5kg here with the claim of Luke Campbell, she should be able to hold a better spot in running from a more favourable draw and there's a genuine tempo expected behind Divine Flirt/Forever Classic/Cocktail Party. One of many chances. SIBERIAN SIREN's form jumps off the page but she's been 47 days between runs and now 32 days between runs. Wide draw also a big unknown. ALBRIGHT ran a ripper first-up splitting subsequent winners Angel Undercover and Scorpion Ruler. SEDUCE ME has never actually raced in a C3 in her life.
Numbers: 4 – 2 – 7 – 3
Suggested Bet – DANUBE RIVER EACHWAY
RACE 7
SPORTS TALK gets his chance dropping back into a C1. Since resuming in this grade off a year's long spell he has raced in 3x C3s and most recently a 60+ Graduation when finishing fourth behind Forever Boy and subsequent Westspeed Platinum winner Lord Gannicus. He's been building and building this preparation and this looks winnable for him. WHY ME is only an Albany maiden winner but if you go off the prior run behind Angel Undercover and subsequent 60+ Grad winner Wubin Gold you'd be all over him. Hard to beat. KISS A PRINCESS wasn't suited last start in a sit and sprint. HERO HUNTER tried hard behind some handy 3 year olds last week.
Numbers: 6 – 7 – 4 – 1
Suggested Bet – SPORTS TALK EACHWAY
Quaddie (Race 4 – 7)
6,8,12
3,4,6,7
1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9
4,6,7
Click here for Wednesday's TABtouch Belmont Markets.
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