Punt like a Pro, without the know!
Victoria · Sunday 24 May 2026
Our top pick won 4 of 8 races at Ballarat. Every pick, our analysis and the full results are below.
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Angelic Rise showed quality on debut finishing 3rd in a strong Open race at Caulfield Heath. Her second-up record includes a placing, and the class drop to a Maiden is significant. The Soft 7 is a query, but she has run well on Soft before (6th in Flemington race). Barrier 5 and Luke Currie are positives.
However, she is unraced and faces gear changes. Ballarat's on-speed profile may suit if she shows early speed from barrier 9. She belongs in the top three as a legitimate winning chance, but the lack of race experience keeps her below the proven form of Oman and Angelic Rise.
The massive class drop to a struggling Maiden field is a key edge. First up after a spell and a wide barrier are concerns, but if fit, she simply has more talent than most rivals.
Victimised ran a credible 4th on Heavy 8 at Warrnambool last start, beating all other debutants from that race. The form is solid for a Maiden, and the Soft 7 should suit. Fred Kersley rides again with a strong trainer strike rate. Barrier 7 fits Ballarat's middle-barrier advantage.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Angelic Rise | 5 | Luke Currie | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 56kg | $10.00 |
| 2nd | 3 | Mr Natural | 17 | John Allen | L Smith | 58kg | $11.00 |
| 3rd | 9 | Mountjoy | 4 | Declan Bates | Henry Dwyer | 56kg | $7.50 |
| 4th | 1 | Aston | 8 | Billy Egan | Andrew Noblet | 58kg | $3.40 |
| 5th | 15 | Nicctini | 9 | Jordan Childs | T & C McEvoy | 56kg | $3.20 |
| 6th | 8 | Chestnut Teal | 3 | Eoin Walsh | Thomas Carberry | 56kg | $10.00 |
| 7th | 6 | Sezzle | 13 | Mitchell Aitken | Henry Dwyer | 58kg | $51.00 |
| 8th | 13 | Victimised | 7 | Fred W Kersley | L Smith | 56kg | $15.00 |
| 9th | 11 | Starseatic | 6 | Zac Spain | P A Chow | 56kg | $41.00 |
| 10th | 12 | Strength Within | 2 | Paul Gatt | Tom Dabernig | 56kg | $18.00 |
| 11th | 4 | Pride In Motion | 1 | Will Gordon | Ms D Loos | 58kg | $101.00 |
| Scr | 2 | Levrier | 11 | Patrick Moloney | M M Laurie | 58kg | |
| Scr | 5 | Prolific Angel | 18 | A & S Freedman | 58kg | ||
| Scr | 10 | Sashiko | 14 | Jye McNeil | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 56kg | |
| Scr | 14 | Written Wand | 16 | Jake Noonan | M M Laurie | 56kg | |
| Scr | 16 | Stars Of Dom | 10 | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 56kg | ||
| Scr | 17 | Oman | 15 | G M Begg | 56kg | ||
| Scr | 18 | Trillium | 12 | T G Eurell | 56kg |
Hegely is the most progressive runner in the field, coming off a narrow second at Donald. Billy Egan is riding in peak form. She represents the strongest winning chance.
First-up with John Allen is a positive sign, and her prior first-up run produced a placing. She maps to settle midfield and should benefit from a fast tempo to use her sprint. The main query is fitness after a long break, but Allen's presence suggests readiness.
Light Filled ran an excellent second at Ballarat on Soft 6 back in October, suggesting today's conditions suit perfectly. Her second-up stats show a placing, and she gets barrier 8 which should allow a midfield sit.
The drop back to a lower-class maiden and barrier 3 give her every chance to lead or sit handy.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 11 | Pico Bella | 5 | Luke Currie | A J Clarken | 57.5kg | $9.00 |
| 2nd | 6 | Havana Moon | 6 | John Allen | V L Malady | 57.5kg | $3.00 |
| 3rd | 7 | Hegely | 2 | Billy Egan | B C Hearps | 57.5kg | $7.00 |
| 4th | 9 | Light Filled | 7 | Teodore Nugent | Robert Hickmott | 57.5kg | $6.00 |
| 5th | 3 | Renege | 4 | Jake Noonan | Thomas Conlan | 59.5kg | $21.00 |
| 6th | 10 | Mathletes | 10 | Samantha Noble | S G Noble | 57.5kg | $26.00 |
| 7th | 2 | Lord Lonny | 9 | Cian Macredmond | Ms M Cunningham | 59.5kg | $101.00 |
| 8th | 8 | Immortal Truth | 3 | Ben Kennedy | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 57.5kg | $12.00 |
| 9th | 5 | Buchan Outkast | 8 | Sarah Robbins | M R Sharp | 57.5kg | $151.00 |
| Scr | 1 | Call Me George | 6 | Patrick Payne | 59.5kg | ||
| Scr | 4 | Bella Katelyn | 11 | Craig Weeding | 57.5kg | ||
| Scr | 12 | Gamadale Paddy | 1 | Will Gordon | Taige Weir | 57kg |
Best Terms is the most consistent runner, with four placings from five starts and a solid 2nd last time at Werribee. John Allen retains the ride and blinkers go on first time, which could help him find the edge needed to break through. Wide barrier nine is a concern but his racing pattern suggests he'll roll forward.
He's only had three starts and is improving, with a 2nd and 3rd already. The step to 1500m should suit his pedigree. The lack of soft-track experience is a slight query, but his heavy-track run was serviceable.
Steal Away showed improvement at Pakenham on Heavy8, finishing 5th after a wide run. She gets the inside barrier today, which is ideal at Ballarat where on-pace runners are favoured. The small field and step to 1500m could suit her. She's a raw chance but hard to trust with limited exposed form. Purely a marginal chance in a weak race.
Tourello is a debutant with no public form, but the stable has engaged Declan Bates and added first-time gear.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Le Beau Gosse | 5 | Will Gordon | Symon Wilde | 59.5kg | $3.40 |
| 2nd | 1 | Best Terms | 8 | John Allen | T & C McEvoy | 59.5kg | $1.35 |
| 3rd | 3 | Popeye | 2 | Cian Macredmond | Ms M Cunningham | 59.5kg | $41.00 |
| 4th | 7 | Lady Tenshi | 3 | Jake Noonan | Julius Sandhu | 57.5kg | $26.00 |
| 5th | 6 | Cup Day Baby | 4 | Lucinda Boyd | Michelle Payne | 57.5kg | $41.00 |
| 6th | 5 | Tourello | 7 | Declan Bates | Andrew Noblet | 59.5kg | $19.00 |
| Scr | 4 | Spot The Grey | 7 | Anthony Cosgriff | 59.5kg | ||
| Scr | 8 | Laysan | 6 | Teodore Nugent | Ben Brisbourne | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 9 | Steal Away | 1 | Patrick Moloney | R D Griffiths | 57.5kg |
The query is first-up fitness after 155 days and a Soft 6 track with no prior wet form. However, her two runs were on Good tracks and she was narrowly beaten.
Cumulate brings strong consistency with three third placings from four starts and a placing on heavy ground. The drop in grade (if any) isn't applicable here as all runs have been in maidens, but her ability to handle wet going is a plus on the Soft 6. Barrier 4 gives Egan options to settle handy.
Faith In Zadar is improving with a second and third in her last two starts, both on good tracks. She is less preferred than the top two due to the wet track query, but her recent form trajectory is positive.
Wings Of Love is an unraced debutant but brings a strong stable signal: trainer Julius Sandhu and jockey Jake Noonan combine for a 28% win rate (5 from 18). Barrier 5 allows an economical run, and the lack of form data is not a negative in a weak maiden.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | Baltic Blizzard | 7 | Declan Bates | Henry Dwyer | 57kg | $1.55 |
| 2nd | 2 | Cumulate | 4 | Billy Egan | Ben Brisbourne | 57kg | $8.50 |
| 3rd | 3 | Faith In Zadar | 6 | Zac Spain | P Koumis | 57kg | $5.50 |
| 4th | 5 | Li'l Miss Drama | 3 | Eoin Walsh | Dan O'Sullivan | 57kg | $20.00 |
| 5th | 9 | Sweet Champagne | 8 | Remi Tremsal | Ms M Wells | 57kg | $51.00 |
| 6th | 7 | My Shalona | 2 | Dean Yendall | M J Williams | 57kg | $21.00 |
| 7th | 4 | Julep | 1 | Will Gordon | Taige Weir | 57kg | $14.00 |
| 8th | 10 | Wings Of Love | 5 | Jake Noonan | Julius Sandhu | 57kg | $19.00 |
| Scr | 6 | Lyrebird Lady | 9 | John Allen | Emma Church | 57kg | |
| Scr | 8 | Royal Overture | 10 | Craig Weeding | 57kg |
Breathless Spirit is the strongest form runner here after a dominant win over this very track and distance on a Soft 7 just a fortnight ago. He settled on speed and drew clear late, a pattern that suits Ballarat perfectly. Billy Egan is in superb riding form and the horse's second-up record is solid. The step up to BM66 is minor and he looks clearly the most reliable winning chance.
Buzzaroon is a deep staying prospect who excels at the 2000m+ trips, with three wins from six attempts at the distance. He drops slightly in grade after competing in BM70 company and Tom Madden has an excellent rapport with the gelding. The moderate tempo predicted should allow him to settle midfield and finish strongly.
Colour Our World ran a gutsy second in Heavy 10 conditions at Warrnambool last start, suggesting she's thriving through the wet. Her soft track record is solid and she has the class to be competitive in this BM66. The wide barrier is a concern at Ballarat but if she can settle midfield and get a clear run she can finish over the top.
Staunch is the class dropper here, coming out of BM70/BM74/BM84 races into BM66. His last start third at Ballarat on Soft 7 was a career best in a while and he gets a 2kg claim through Emily Pozman.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Breathless Spirit | 5 | Billy Egan | Archie Alexander | 60.5kg | $3.90 |
| 2nd | 10 | High Tempo | 10 | Luke Currie | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 58.5kg | $6.50 |
| 3rd | 12 | Madesian | 11 | John Allen | T Busuttin & N Young | 57.5kg | $26.00 |
| 4th | 15 | Sabeeria | 3 | C I Brown | 55kg | $10.00 | |
| 5th | 4 | Staunch | 9 | Emily Pozman | M M Laurie | 58kg | $10.00 |
| 6th | 9 | Johnnie Pinch | 12 | Shayleigh Ingelse | P A Preusker | 56kg | $18.00 |
| 7th | 16 | Wimmera Star | 4 | Teodore Nugent | P A Preusker | 57kg | $16.00 |
| 8th | 6 | Chimed | 14 | Declan Bates | Annie Alexander | 59.5kg | $71.00 |
| 9th | 3 | Buzzaroon | 8 | Tom Madden | Aaron Purcell | 60kg | $8.00 |
| 10th | 7 | Colour Our World | 13 | Dean Yendall | M J Williams | 59.5kg | $4.00 |
| 11th | 5 | Whisky Moon | 6 | Fred W Kersley | P A Preusker | 60kg | $26.00 |
| 12th | 11 | Perfetto | 2 | Jake Noonan | T Busuttin & N Young | 58.5kg | $91.00 |
| Scr | 1 | Customer Service | 15 | Patrick Payne | 61kg | ||
| Scr | 8 | Notabadbuy | 4 | Joe Bowditch | Colin Scott | 59.5kg | |
| Scr | 13 | Winter Nights | 7 | Will Gordon | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 14 | Brillantezza | 1 | Patrick Payne | 56.5kg |
She maps to settle midfield and should be strong late. The Soft 6 is no issue given her heavy win.
She did win her maiden on soft, but first-up after such a long break is tough. She may need this run.
Tipsy Gypsy has a strong affinity for Ballarat, with a win and a place from three starts. She races well on soft ground and maps beautifully from gate 7 to take up a forward position. Brad Rawiller's good recent form adds confidence.
She drops to 52kg with the claim, which is a massive pull at the weights. She handles soft ground and runs consistently.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 8 | Barari | 10 | John Allen | C Maher | 59.5kg | $2.90 |
| 2nd | 12 | Our Little Star | 2 | Emily Pozman | Ms M Cunningham | 55.5kg | $61.00 |
| 3rd | 5 | Zoulette | 1 | Zac Moore | C Maher | 57kg | $31.00 |
| 4th | 3 | Icy Pole | 8 | Dean Yendall | M J Williams | 60.5kg | $15.00 |
| 5th | 2 | Buzitup | 14 | Joe Bowditch | S J Campbell | 60.5kg | $9.50 |
| 6th | 13 | Tipsy Gypsy | 7 | Brad Rawiller | E W Ewert | 57kg | $31.00 |
| 7th | 4 | Jamesjohno | 4 | Declan Bates | Archie Alexander | 60.5kg | $8.50 |
| 8th | 16 | Tommyess | 11 | Tom Dabernig | 57.5kg | $41.00 | |
| 9th | 17 | Xtramagic | 6 | Shayleigh Ingelse | P A Preusker | 52kg | $21.00 |
| 10th | 1 | Holmes | 13 | Jye McNeil | A J Clarken | 61kg | $71.00 |
| 11th | 11 | Bella Pietra | 3 | Luke Currie | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 58.5kg | $15.00 |
| 12th | 15 | Ville De Lumiere | 16 | Eoin Walsh | T & C McEvoy | 56kg | $21.00 |
| 13th | 14 | Koolatah Queen | 5 | Teodore Nugent | L & T Corstens & W Larkin | 56.5kg | $4.80 |
| 14th | 6 | Aka Daka | 12 | Mitchell Aitken | V L Malady | 59.5kg | $13.00 |
| Scr | 7 | Amber Star | 9 | Craig Weeding | 59.5kg | ||
| Scr | 9 | Lope De Lardo | 15 | Billy Egan | Gavin Bedggood | 59.5kg | |
| Scr | 10 | Caffettiera | 17 | A & S Freedman | 59kg |
Done Leavy ticks all boxes for a BM62 sprint at Ballarat. The Hayes stable is flying, William Gordon retains the ride, and barrier 7 offers an ideal on-speed position. The class rise is a fair test but her form progression and track affinity suggest she will measure up. Leading chance.
Pacific Glamour returns from a spell but drops sharply in class after competing in BM74 and Open company. Her maiden win at Ballarat over 1000m on heavy ground showed she handles wet conditions and the track. Jye McNeil is a positive booking for a stable with a good first-up record. If fresh and fit, she has the class edge to be right in the finish. Best placed for a place or each-way play.
Our Wynd Chymes made a stylish debut at Ballarat, leading throughout and scoring convincingly. She steps into BM62 company, a natural progression for a promising filly. John Allen stays aboard and barrier 2 gives her every chance to dictate terms.
She's Elusive is racing with great confidence after two dominant wins at Albury. She possesses raw speed and will be ridden forward from barrier 5, which suits Ballarat's on‑pace bias. The light weight (54kg with claim) is a major plus in a sprint.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Bear Champ | 3 | Jake Noonan | D Meagher | 60.5kg | $3.10 |
| 2nd | 5 | Our Wynd Chymes | 2 | John Allen | Henry Dwyer | 58.5kg | $5.50 |
| 3rd | 10 | Moaksun | 4 | Mitchell Aitken | Henry Dwyer | 57kg | $21.00 |
| 4th | 9 | Done Leavy | 7 | Will Gordon | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 57.5kg | $5.00 |
| 5th | 6 | Shamateur | 1 | Damien Thornton | S Fliedner | 58.5kg | $21.00 |
| 6th | 8 | Pacific Glamour | 9 | Jye McNeil | T & C McEvoy | 58kg | $3.30 |
| 7th | 12 | El Salto | 12 | Joe Bowditch | L E Robertson | 56.5kg | $51.00 |
| 8th | 14 | Mistifyzou | 6 | Luke Currie | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 55.5kg | $51.00 |
| 9th | 7 | Old Time Rock | 13 | Dean Yendall | A J Clarken | 58kg | $17.00 |
| 10th | 3 | Cumboogle | 11 | Alice Kennedy | L E Robertson | 57.5kg | $91.00 |
| Scr | 1 | Orlabent | 8 | Zac Moore | Ms M Cunningham | 61.5kg | |
| Scr | 4 | Snapshot | 14 | Emily Pozman | Craig Weeding | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 11 | She's Elusive | 5 | Bailey Kinninmont | Saab Hasan | 54kg | |
| Scr | 13 | Dame I Am | 10 | Cian Macredmond | Shay Keating | 56kg |
Il Cielo comes off a comfortable win at Geelong in BM62 company and holds strong credentials for this. He is a consistent on-pace runner, perfectly suited to Ballarat's front-3 bias. The wide gate is a concern but his ability to handle soft ground and the Ciaron Maher training operation give him a clear edge.
The step up to BM62 is a big test, but her racing style (on-pace) suits Ballarat and Jye McNeil is a key booking. She is open to improvement and rates as a strong each-way chance.
Siriusly Hot returns to BM62 after a dominant win at this track and distance 12 days ago. The class drop from higher-grade metro races is a positive, but the top weight and missing jockey introduce risk.
Terrortorian broke through for his maiden win at Ballarat and now steps into BM62. While the class rise is genuine, his on-pace style and track experience are positives. Declan Bates is a solid booking.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Terrortorian | 8 | Declan Bates | Nick Ryan | 60kg | $4.00 |
| 2nd | 6 | Eishaa | 13 | Shayleigh Ingelse | P A Preusker | 57kg | $14.00 |
| 3rd | 12 | Timeonlees | 10 | John Allen | T & C McEvoy | 56.5kg | $5.50 |
| 4th | 4 | Compressing | 5 | Damien Thornton | T Busuttin & N Young | 60.5kg | $17.00 |
| 5th | 11 | Mozzoni | 6 | Luke Currie | M Price & M Kent Jnr | 57.5kg | $21.00 |
| 6th | 14 | Gold Relay | 7 | Paul Gatt | Glen Gascoyne | 54kg | $91.00 |
| 7th | 5 | Eight Under | 2 | Will Gordon | Mathew Smerdon | 60kg | $15.00 |
| 8th | 1 | Il Cielo | 11 | Zac Moore | C Maher | 60kg | $5.50 |
| 9th | 13 | Way Up High | 1 | Teodore Nugent | Dan O'Sullivan | 54kg | $31.00 |
| 10th | 9 | License To Excite | 3 | Eoin Walsh | Henry Dwyer | 58kg | $7.00 |
| 11th | 10 | Elegant Contessa | 12 | Jye McNeil | Julius Sandhu | 57.5kg | $4.80 |
| Scr | 2 | Siriusly Hot | 9 | C Maher | 62kg | ||
| Scr | 3 | Colleagues | 5 | Ms K Durden | 61.5kg | ||
| Scr | 8 | Maid In Dubai | 4 | Emily Pozman | Craig Weeding | 57kg |
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