Punt like a Pro, without the know!
South Australia · Wednesday 20 May 2026
Our top pick won 3 of 8 races at Balaklava. Every pick, our analysis and the full results are below.
top pick wonanother tip wonno tip won
Lynch is the standout based on his recent trial win at Murray Bridge with Todd Pannell aboard. The Hickmott stable and Pannell combination is proven, and despite the wide barrier, his trial performance suggests he has the ability to overcome it.
Arizona Dreamer benefits from the inside barrier and recent trial form. The Jolly stable is reliable and the light weight is an advantage. A forward position from barrier 1 makes this a strong place chance.
Damizer has shown improvement in recent trials and benefits from barrier 3. The Stokes stable is a positive and the light weight helps. A place chance in a competitive maiden.
Brewster Buck has shown consistent trial form and benefits from barrier 2. A strong each-way chance.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Damizer | 3 | Harry Grace | P Stokes | 55.5kg | $4.20 |
| 2nd | 6 | Arizona Dreamer | 1 | Caitlyn Munro | R & C Jolly | 53.5kg | $4.60 |
| 3rd | 3 | Lynch | 8 | Todd Pannell | Michael Hickmott | 57.5kg | $3.40 |
| 4th | 1 | Brewster Buck | 2 | Jackson Murphy | Stephen Theodore | 57.5kg | $3.90 |
| 5th | 4 | Power Plan | 5 | Jason Holder | A J Gluyas | 57.5kg | $13.00 |
| 6th | 5 | Samstorm | 4 | Sophie Potter | Dylan Caboche | 55.5kg | $13.00 |
| 7th | 2 | Last Drinks Johny | 6 | Connor Murtagh | T Kaesler | 57.5kg | $31.00 |
| 8th | 8 | True Atomic | 7 | Ashvin Goindasamy | Garret Lynch | 55.5kg | $51.00 |
Impact Storm is the most likely winner based on form. First-up from a spell with a strong barrier 2 draw on a leader-biased track. Won a 1400m maiden at Oakbank and has the elite jockey booking. Class rise is the main concern but the form and positioning advantages outweigh this.
The class drop is positive but the low win rate and barrier 4 temper enthusiasm. Best suited as a place prospect.
Fiabesca benefits from the inside barrier on this leader-biased track. Limited winning form and distance concerns reduce confidence but the positional advantage creates place appeal.
Recent maiden win shows ability and blinkers may sharpen performance.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Safe Bet | 4 | Alysha Warren | R W Huxtable | 58.5kg | $3.50 |
| 2nd | 1 | Impact Storm | 2 | Todd Pannell | Michael Hickmott | 60.5kg | $3.30 |
| 3rd | 5 | I Am Ralph | 6 | Connor Murtagh | Sarah Rutten | 59.5kg | $12.00 |
| 4th | 8 | Fiabesca | 1 | Rochelle Milnes | D B Aldridge | 56.5kg | $4.20 |
| 5th | 7 | Belle From Hell | 3 | Tala Hutchinson | Garret Lynch | 54.5kg | $11.00 |
| 6th | 6 | Sea Roads | 8 | Alyssa Webb | Christopher Harrison | 55.5kg | $26.00 |
| 7th | 3 | Sayersitisn'tso | 5 | Jackson Murphy | R & C Jolly | 60kg | $8.50 |
| 8th | 4 | Cracken Good Time | 7 | Campbell Rawiller | Peter Nolan | 59.5kg | $26.00 |
| 9th | 9 | Melodia Legend | 9 | Stacey Metcalfe | Garret Lynch | 55.5kg | $61.00 |
Ilustrious Warrior trialled strongly at Balaklava recently and draws ideally in barrier 2.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Musical Sunset | 1 | Rochelle Milnes | D J Stone | 56kg | $2.20 |
| 2nd | 2 | Extra Fling | 8 | Todd Pannell | David Jolly & Justin Potter | 57.5kg | $2.45 |
| 3rd | 8 | Belle Montagne | 9 | Kayla Crowther | Darren & Aimee Magro | 55.5kg | $51.00 |
| 4th | 13 | Ilustrious Warrior | 2 | Dominic Tourneur | J F Macmillan | 57.5kg | $5.00 |
| 5th | 11 | Fear The Zou | 4 | Dylan Caboche | John Hyam | 55.5kg | $31.00 |
| 6th | 6 | All Too Elegant | 6 | Brooke King | Ms R Day | 54.5kg | $71.00 |
| 7th | 3 | Finnbar Mccool | 12 | Connor Murtagh | Sarah Rutten | 57.5kg | $41.00 |
| 8th | 9 | Bold Starlet | 15 | Matthew Chadwick | G Richards & D Moyle | 53.5kg | $26.00 |
| 9th | 10 | Chamozzle | 7 | Teagan Voorham | Sarah Rutten | 55.5kg | $81.00 |
| 10th | 15 | Charlie Diva | 13 | S H Sit | T Kaesler | 54kg | $151.00 |
| 11th | 14 | West Of The Wall | 3 | Shuichi Terachi | J Hickmott & C Riggs | 58kg | $151.00 |
| 12th | 5 | Rustic Eagle | 16 | Stacey Metcalfe | Matthew Raymond Barkla | 57.5kg | $151.00 |
| Scr | 1 | My Boy Willis | 5 | Andrew Stead | Scott Whittle | 58kg | |
| Scr | 4 | Platino | 11 | Harry Grace | Michael Hickmott | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 12 | Pico Bella | 14 | Ashvin Goindasamy | A J Clarken | 55.5kg | |
| Scr | 16 | Empress Jupiter | 10 | Garret Lynch | 55.5kg |
Artful Maximus has shown consistent ability with two placings from two starts, including a close third over 1400m at Murray Bridge. With winkers added and Connor Murtagh aboard, he looks the most likely winner.
Green Summer has shown promise in two starts and benefits from an inside barrier at the leader-biased Balaklava track. The addition of a tongue tie and Jason Holder's booking are positive signals.
The filly draws well in barrier 4 and has the services of Kayla Crowther. While form is mixed, the track and barrier profile suggest she can improve and run well.
While the wide barrier is a concern, the track profile and pace map suggest she can overcome it.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 6 | Green Summer | 2 | Jason Holder | S P Gower | 57.5kg | $3.40 |
| 2nd | 11 | Hell's On Fire | 12 | Todd Pannell | Michael Hickmott | 55.5kg | $8.00 |
| 3rd | 13 | Mystrix | 4 | Kayla Crowther | Stephen Theodore | 55.5kg | $6.00 |
| 4th | 1 | La Perentie | 9 | Dylan Caboche | John Hyam | 58kg | $41.00 |
| 5th | 4 | Artful Maximus | 6 | Connor Murtagh | Sarah Rutten | 57.5kg | $2.80 |
| 6th | 7 | Wealthy Winston | 11 | Brooke King | A J Gluyas | 56kg | $101.00 |
| 7th | 15 | Bass Coast Flyer | 1 | Tala Hutchinson | Garret Lynch | 53.5kg | $31.00 |
| 8th | 9 | Supreme Valkyrie | 5 | S H Sit | M J Seyers | 54kg | $31.00 |
| 9th | 12 | In Private | 7 | Teagan Voorham | G & N Searle & B Callanan | 55.5kg | $41.00 |
| 10th | 3 | Wakool Ash | 8 | Campbell Rawiller | Darren & Aimee Magro | 58kg | $101.00 |
| 11th | 10 | Aliandra | 14 | Taylor Johnstone | Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor | 55.5kg | $6.50 |
| 12th | 2 | Son Of Vadamos | 10 | Shuichi Terachi | J Hickmott & C Riggs | 58kg | $151.00 |
| Scr | 5 | Blazing Red | 3 | Dominic Tourneur | Hannah Bryce | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 8 | Our Audio | 13 | Rochelle Milnes | John Hyam | 56kg | |
| Scr | 14 | Stagetime | 14 | Alysha Warren | Gary Boyce | 53.5kg | |
| Scr | 16 | Calvisio | 15 | T Kaesler | 56kg |
Canny Defense has the best 1400m record in the field with 13 starts for 1 win and 7 placings. The barrier 3 draw is ideal on this leader-biased track, and his recent 1400m placing at Murray Bridge shows he handles the distance well. Despite modest win rate, his place record and positional advantage make him the most likely winner.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Canny Defense | 3 | Campbell Rawiller | Raharna McDonald | 59kg | $3.90 |
| 2nd | 8 | Chartin | 11 | Taylor Johnstone | G Richards & D Moyle | 56kg | $13.00 |
| 3rd | 12 | Willaston | 4 | Tala Hutchinson | Ms J Virgin | 52kg | $19.00 |
| 4th | 3 | Robert The Puss | 12 | Andrew Stead | Kylie Schulz | 59kg | $8.00 |
| 5th | 9 | Lysander | 1 | Stacey Metcalfe | Garret Lynch | 56kg | $10.00 |
| 6th | 11 | Sacred Chord | 8 | Harry Grace | Garret Lynch | 55.5kg | $7.00 |
| 7th | 7 | Born To Shine | 2 | Dominic Tourneur | A B Beswick | 56kg | $8.50 |
| 8th | 1 | Sir Panama | 9 | Alyssa Webb | Christopher Harrison | 57kg | $5.00 |
| 9th | 6 | Mapleway | 10 | Dylan Caboche | Alexander Justice | 56.5kg | $31.00 |
| 10th | 13 | Raw Grunt | 6 | Shuichi Terachi | Danny Penna | 54kg | $151.00 |
| 11th | 5 | Taraashoq | 5 | Jemma Gutte | Jyi Lukey | 54.5kg | $21.00 |
| 12th | 4 | Blue Special | 7 | Connor Murtagh | Garret Lynch | 58kg | $14.00 |
| Scr | 10 | Lady Lupara | 13 | Stephanie Lacy | 55.5kg |
Theodor is the strongest form pick with proven ability at Balaklava over 2200m. The moderate tempo should allow him to settle forward and control the race.
Eaglelou drops in class and has prior experience at this track and distance. The wide barrier is a concern on this leader-biased circuit, but the class relief and solid place record provide some appeal for each-way consideration.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Theodor | 1 | Campbell Rawiller | Travis Doudle | 60kg | $5.00 |
| 2nd | 7 | Harsh | 7 | Harry Grace | R & C Jolly | 58kg | $2.10 |
| 3rd | 9 | Bush Inference | 2 | Jason Holder | Byron Cozamanis | 57.5kg | $9.00 |
| 4th | 14 | Master Of Ceremony | 4 | Dylan Caboche | J Hickmott & C Riggs | 55kg | $31.00 |
| 5th | 1 | Black Sea | 11 | Jackson Murphy | Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor | 60kg | $14.00 |
| 6th | 4 | Valued | 3 | Tala Hutchinson | Garret Lynch | 57.5kg | $17.00 |
| 7th | 5 | The Highlander | 6 | Todd Pannell | Grant Young | 59kg | $21.00 |
| 8th | 17 | Star Studded Belle | 13 | Brooke King | J Hickmott & C Riggs | 52.5kg | $71.00 |
| 9th | 10 | Jackson Run | 5 | Ashvin Goindasamy | Judy Streets | 57.5kg | $13.00 |
| 10th | 11 | Muffla | 9 | Dominic Tourneur | Michael McClean | 57kg | $51.00 |
| 11th | 8 | Retourne | 14 | Connor Murtagh | Ms C Rose | 58kg | $11.00 |
| 12th | 13 | Grand Maxim | 8 | Lauren Stojakovic | Peter Nolan | 55.5kg | $31.00 |
| Scr | 3 | Eaglelou | 15 | Teagan Voorham | Darren & Aimee Magro | 59.5kg | |
| Scr | 6 | Lumber Dream | 12 | Stacey Metcalfe | Garret Lynch | 58.5kg | |
| Scr | 12 | Blue Isles | 16 | W J Smart | 56kg | ||
| Scr | 15 | Fiorente Spritz | 16 | Raharna McDonald | 54kg | ||
| Scr | 16 | Red Sparks | 10 | Margaret Collett | Raharna McDonald | 54kg |
Costless brings proven Balaklava form with two prior wins at the track and a recent placing. The class drop from higher grades and on-speed profile align with the leader-biased track. Despite top weight and barrier, the local knowledge and recent effort make this the strongest form-based selection.
So Polite offers strong place credentials with a 50% strike rate and proven Balaklava form including three placings from five starts.
Sioux Warrior is a proven performer at Balaklava over 1050m with two wins from four starts.
The strong jockey booking and suitable track conditions provide upside, though limited experience and wide barrier create risk.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Squad | 10 | Matthew Chadwick | M W Ruberry | 59.5kg | $41.00 |
| 2nd | 6 | Brimarvi Rosemarie | 5 | Connor Murtagh | Sarah Rutten | 58.5kg | $3.60 |
| 3rd | 8 | So Polite | 13 | Teagan Voorham | G & N Searle & B Callanan | 58.5kg | $3.70 |
| 4th | 10 | Sioux Warrior | 7 | Brooke King | J F Macmillan | 56.5kg | $7.50 |
| 5th | 7 | Golden Tunes | 11 | Campbell Rawiller | Justin Pickering | 58.5kg | $13.00 |
| 6th | 9 | Artistic Angel | 12 | Taylor Johnstone | R & C Jolly | 58kg | $9.50 |
| 7th | 3 | Costless | 6 | Stacey Metcalfe | Garret Lynch | 61kg | $8.50 |
| 8th | 14 | Emmooki Magic | 4 | Caitlin Tootell | Scott Whittle | 54kg | $21.00 |
| 9th | 5 | You'resogolden | 9 | Todd Pannell | Michael Hickmott | 59kg | $10.00 |
| 10th | 4 | Bel Hotesse | 8 | Sophie Potter | Ms N Irwin | 57.5kg | $16.00 |
| 11th | 15 | Chilko Lake | 3 | Danny Penna | 54kg | $101.00 | |
| Scr | 1 | Brave Action | 2 | Alyssa Webb | Grant Young | 59kg | |
| Scr | 11 | Skating On By | 14 | Ashvin Goindasamy | J Dunn & K Bishop | 56.5kg | |
| Scr | 12 | Valabing | 7 | Scott Whittle | 54kg | ||
| Scr | 13 | Lightly Sparkled | 1 | Stacey Metcalfe | Garret Lynch | 54kg |
Zatanna is the top selection based on her recent Bordertown win, inside barrier draw, and class drop. Despite limited track history, her current form and barrier advantage make her the most likely winner.
Her previous placing at Balaklava and experience at the distance provide a foundation, though her declining form trend tempers enthusiasm. The leader-biased track should suit her forward positioning.
His first-up record is encouraging, and Jason Holder's booking adds confidence.
His place strike rate is solid, and the 1050m distance suits.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | Babayka | 2 | Rochelle Milnes | Ms P Trenwith | 59.5kg | $7.00 |
| 2nd | 1 | Zatanna | 1 | Polly Brewster | Scott Whittle | 58.5kg | $3.10 |
| 3rd | 5 | Just Like Lisa | 10 | Connor Murtagh | Margaret Collett | 59kg | $11.00 |
| 4th | 11 | My Ruby | 12 | Harry Grace | W F Francis & G Kent | 57.5kg | $14.00 |
| 5th | 7 | Lady Memphis | 8 | Tala Hutchinson | Garret Lynch | 56.5kg | $26.00 |
| 6th | 9 | Our Divinyl | 3 | Lauren Stojakovic | B J Jones | 58kg | $26.00 |
| 7th | 4 | Mine All Mine | 13 | Todd Pannell | J F Macmillan | 59.5kg | $11.00 |
| 8th | 10 | Taino Rocket | 4 | Jason Holder | Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor | 58kg | $4.60 |
| 9th | 6 | Cosmic Interlude | 14 | Alysha Warren | Sarah Rutten | 56.5kg | $18.00 |
| 10th | 12 | Deploy And Destroy | 6 | Dylan Caboche | Ms H J Smith | 55.5kg | $151.00 |
| 11th | 2 | Alpha Flight | 9 | Sophie Potter | D E Oxlade | 59kg | $31.00 |
| 12th | 8 | De Luca | 5 | Jackson Murphy | Cody Reardon | 58kg | $9.50 |
| Scr | 13 | Hayzee Fantayzee | 15 | Ashvin Goindasamy | J Dunn & K Bishop | 54kg | |
| Scr | 14 | Sengoki | 11 | Danny Penna | 54kg | ||
| Scr | 15 | Inner Sanctum | 7 | Danny Penna | 54kg |
Before the races, not after
Our top three picks and a value pick for every race, with assessed prices, speed maps and the analysis behind them. Free for 7 days.