MOONEE VALLEY: FEEHAN STAKES - 3rd September 2022

Track: SOFT(6) - Weather: SHOWERS - Rail: TRUE

Betting Portfolio ($50): Few showers around on Saturday but probably not enough to affect the track which will stay in the genuine SOFT range. Last meeting here rail was OUT 5M and definitely favoured those on-speed, everyone has been assuming the pattern will be the same today, but we have actually had pretty even racing at this meeting the last few years so maybe hold back on that assumption for the first couple of races. Much talk about fields of only 6 and 7 for the two feature races in the Feehan and McEwen and does look a fairly average day for a punt, but wow don’t those apartments look great and that’s what is really important to race clubs these days. In the feature Feehan Stakes, it’s a really tough choice between the custom-built and bred 10-WINE CELLAR or the very handy 12-WORKSHOP (drawn in the basement), although it is hard to go past 9-PRIME STREET FRONTAGE and 7-CONTEMPORARY FINISH and always wary of the 15-MODERN LIVING. Rumour has it there is even a race track around somewhere where the 2-MR BRIGHTSIDE is going to start a short priced favourite and be hard to beat, but the 6-INSPIRATIONAL GIRL may be able to earn herself a house deposit. For the McEwen Stakes, the 7-COOLANGATTA has been trialling sensationally, and comes into this race as the 3YO with the big weight advantage, but does have pretty decent opposition here in the 2-IN THE CONGO who should be able to sit on-speed in clear running and the 5-AWAY GAME who has an excellent fresh form and may come over them late if they go too hard in front (just needs to get out from the inside barrier). So don’t think the favourite is any good thing at all here and liking the value about the other two who are both top notch horses. BEST WIN: Race 2: 3-IRISH FLAME $7 WIN Really honest type when ready to win and should be peaking today with the three runs this time in. Led and some suggestion they went too slowly here last start and that was on a heavy track and he is actually better on slightly firmer ground. Excellent track and distance stats and although the favourite the 4-DESERT ICON might get an easy lead here, think he is under the odds on his form and this guy is much tougher, and will sit just off the leader, so happy to back straight out at around $6 which looks quite appealing. BEST WIN: Race 5: 2-IN THE CONGO $7 WIN All the focus is on the 3YO 7-COOLANGATTA who is going to go around extremely short and does have the big weight advantage, but sheesh $5 looks pretty good about this one who has led and kicked in the very best of Sydney company and proven hard to beat time and time again. 1st up and 1000M may be a little on the short side, but has been winning barrier trials leading into this and like that he has drawn out and can race on-speed in clear running room and would much rather be backing him proven at this level than the favourite. BEST EACH WAY: Race 6: 10-VA VIA $4 EW QUINELLA: Race 6: 3,4,9,10,12 boxed x $5 = 50% Fairly open race and this one was excellent last start when was trapped four wide all the way on a track favouring those on-speed and fought out the race right to the line. Outside barrier may be a little tricky today and she could get caught wide again, but think $18 is pretty good odds coming off a good run last start and with improvement to come from the two runs in. Back each way and looks a good value wide quinella race with the 3-I’MLOVIN’YA and 4-LADY LAGUNA the main chances in the market, but the 9-NANAGUI might get support 1st up with jockey Kah on board and there is a really good roughie to watch out for here in the 12-BERRY BUBBLY who made really good ground late against these out wide last start, and might settle more forward here today from a good barrier and do something at around $31. BEST EACH WAY: Race 9: 4-GLOBAL GIFT $4 EW QUINELLA: Race 9: 4-GLOBAL GIFT#1,11,14,15 x $2 = 50% Well drawn, tough on-speed type who looks well suited here. Ended up a lot further back than intended last start and came wide around them and was making ground to the line and looks likely to get a perfect on-speed sit here today at around $7 and be hard to beat. Back each way and anchor in a quinella with the consistent 1-HE’S OUR BONNEVAL, the 11-CERBERUS returning from a good 3YO season who might run a race at odds, the strong finishing 14-PASSIONE coming home late and the 15-UNUSUAL CULTURE might race more forward from an inside barrier here today. BEST ROUGH: Race 7: 14-LAVISH GIRL $1.50 EW QUINELLA: Race 7: 4,7,12,13,14 boxed x $5 = 50% Fairly open race, but surprised that this one is going around at $35 as she ran in some good races over the Autumn and beat some good horses. Maybe the jump outs haven’t been that great? Or the wet track is an issue? Drawn well and she is likely to jump and go forward and although there may be some pressure up front think she is value based on her Autumn form. Back each way and another open race for a wide quinella with the on-speed 4-RANGES very hard to beat and the 7-CORNER POCKET a winning machine when right, Sydney visitor the 12-ENCHANTED HEART and in form Adelaide visitor the 13-CALYPSO REIGN. LAY OF THE DAY: Race 9: 10-ATTRACTABLE at around $4 Last race favourite in a very open field where you will probably want to look for some more value. We are actually following this one and thought the last run was excellent, but he was SCR last week at Caulfield from a 1400M race and now jumps straight from 1200M to 1600M here today which can be an ask. Might be looking for firmer tracks as well so see how wet this track comes up, but think you can probably shop for something at better odds to end the day. TURF DELI WONDER BET: Here we try and turn $5 into a deposit for a lavish Moonee Valley townhouse. FIRST FOUR: Race 3: 2,4 / 2,4 / 1,6,9,10 / Field x $5 = 7.8% One of the more open races of the day but we suspect the 4-SHALAMAN leads here again and was only just ran down late here last start and his main danger is the 2-MILLANE who was really good late last start, and they should probably fight out the finish. Placings maybe from the 1-SEBONACK or 6-LATIVAN, but often something at silly odds can lob into fourth in these sort of races and totally blow out the dividend so go the field for fourth and hope for a result. SUGGESTED QUADDIE: Races 6,7,8,9: 3,9,10,12 / 4,7,12,13,14 / 5,6 / 1,4,11,14,15 x $20 = 10% The second half of the program does have some big fields, but wary that the favourites might still win. Go wide in an open 3YO race in the first leg and barrack for the 10-VA VIA, 12-BERRY BUBBLY and although the 4-RANGES looks the one to beat in the second leg there are a few winning chances. Really hard to see anything outside of the two favourites winning the third leg so a lot may come down to finding a nice value winner in the last.

The Tips: Race 1: 2-MAJOR BEEL, 1-CASTILLLIAN, 5-RED SUN SENSATION Race 2: 3-IRISH FLAME, 6-MOHICAN HEIGHTS, 4-DESERT ICON Race 3: 4-SHALAMAN, 2-MILLANE, 1-SEBONACK Race 4: 2-MR BRIGHTSIDE, 6-INSPIRATIONAL GIRL, 1-SPANISH MISSION Race 5: 2-IN THE CONGO, 7-COOLANGATTA, 5-AWAY GAME Race 6: 10-VA VIA, 3-I’MLOVIN’ YA, 12-BERRY BUBBLY Race 7: 4-RANGES, 7-CORNER POCKET, 14-LAVISH GIRL Race 8: 6-MILITARY EXPERT, 5-UNCLE BRYN, 11-MAYFAIR SPIRIT Race 9: 4-GLOBAL GIFT, 11-CERBERUS 14-PASSIONE