Punt like a Pro, without the know!
Victoria · Sunday 9 August 2026
This meeting was abandoned.
top pick wonanother tip wonno tip won
Gaelic Kiwi has been building steadily with three straight placings against similar maiden company, including a photo-finish 2nd at Geelong. Two runs already at this exact track/trip plus a red-hot booking in John Allen make this the most reliable form-based winning chance in an open maiden.
A genuine professional maiden performer who keeps knocking on the door with placings at similar trips, most recently two straight thirds. The step onto synthetic for the first time is the query, but its sound form line and suitable barrier make it a solid backup chance behind the top pick.
Talented and lightly raced with a strong recent placing and a gear change suggesting stable confidence, but the jump from 1628m to a genuine 2100m staying trip is unproven and is the key risk.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | Ate Iron | 5 | Mitchell Aitken | J G Symons & S Laxon | 59.5kg | $3.90 |
| 2nd | 7 | Smart Moves | 8 | Zac Spain | T Rogers | 59.5kg | $8.00 |
| 3rd | 6 | Patriot Wolf | 7 | Valentin Le Boeuf | Brian Lawlor | 59.5kg | $9.00 |
| 4th | 3 | Gaelic Kiwi | 3 | John Allen | Lucinda Boyd | 59.5kg | $2.80 |
| 5th | 9 | The Toronado Kid | 11 | Ryan Hurdle | Chris Calthorpe | 59.5kg | $31.00 |
| 6th | 11 | Hana Woo | 10 | Alana Kelly | Liam Howley | 57.5kg | $14.00 |
| 7th | 8 | The Decembrist | 6 | Harry Coffey | John McArdle | 59.5kg | $3.90 |
| 8th | 5 | Mortal Peak | 4 | Adam Mc Cabe | S C Bottomley | 59.5kg | $81.00 |
| Scr | 2 | Full Of Defiance | 2 | Teodore Nugent | Maddie Raymond & Patrick Bell | 59.5kg | |
| Scr | 4 | Kovu | 1 | Jade Smith | Dane Smith | 56.5kg | |
| Scr | 10 | Eye Tracker | 9 | John Allen | Shane Jackson | 57.5kg |
Barrier 3 lets him sit forward into a moderate-tempo race with only one genuine leader, which suits the track's on-pace bias. Lack of synthetic experience is the main query but is outweighed by the strength of his overall profile.
The Maher stable is among the strongest in the state, and her tactical speed should let her sit on-pace in a race shaped for handy runners.
Her only synthetic start was a competitive 4th, but today is her first try at 1400m and she draws wide in barrier 12.
She underperformed when stretched to 1500m but reverts to her right distance today.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 10 | Justibella | 8 | Carleen Hefel | C Maher | 57.5kg | $7.50 |
| 2nd | 3 | Don't Say No Mikki | 4 | Brad Rawiller | V L Malady | 59.5kg | $9.50 |
| 3rd | 2 | Bradford | 6 | Zac Spain | Shane Nichols & Hayden Black | 59.5kg | $4.60 |
| 4th | 8 | Filigree Shadow | 12 | Harry Coffey | T & C McEvoy | 57.5kg | $4.60 |
| 5th | 5 | Fort Of Dreams | 3 | John Allen | M Price & M Kent Jnr | 59.5kg | $4.20 |
| 6th | 4 | Duperouzel | 5 | Ms N Burke | 59.5kg | $41.00 | |
| 7th | 7 | Cosmic Command | 11 | Fred W Kersley | Chris Calthorpe | 57.5kg | $10.00 |
| 8th | 6 | Prince Ziotta | 10 | Archie Alexander | 59.5kg | $9.00 | |
| 9th | 12 | Zoumania | 9 | Alana Kelly | Ms W Kelly | 57.5kg | $31.00 |
| 10th | 11 | Luvyalola | 7 | Lucinda Boyd | 57.5kg | $151.00 | |
| 11th | 9 | Galzain | 1 | Adam Mc Cabe | S C Bottomley | 57.5kg | $101.00 |
| 12th | 1 | Adrastos | 2 | Teodore Nugent | C Maher | 59.5kg | $61.00 |
| Scr | 13 | Deadly Devil | 13 | Mitchell Aitken | Olivia Osborne | 59.5kg |
As a debutant, Gangland is assessed via the proxy framework: elite Hayes-calibre stable engagement (McEvoy), leading rider Harry Coffey, and a narrowly-won recent trial all point to a well-forwarded type. Selected as the most likely winner ahead of the lone leader Winsilence.
With only one genuine leader engaged and a moderate tempo forecast, Winsilence should get first use of the race uncontested — a clear tactical edge on a track where the long straight still allows closers, but where a clean, unpressured leader is hard to run past. Recent form (3rd, 4th) with tightening margins backs up the map advantage, and Zac Spain is booked in career-best touch.
The Wootton Bassett sireline suits sustained-tempo synthetic racing. Slightly wider gate and no synthetic run to date are the only real question marks against an otherwise strong staying-on profile.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | My Time To Fly | 9 | Teodore Nugent | B J McCarthy | 59.5kg | $31.00 |
| 2nd | 8 | Platinum Rush | 10 | Sarah Field | C J Cassar | 56kg | $61.00 |
| 3rd | 1 | Andauto | 4 | Mitchell Aitken | Ms P Reeve | 59.5kg | $41.00 |
| 4th | 5 | Winsilence | 7 | Zac Spain | T Rogers | 59.5kg | $3.80 |
| 5th | 4 | Neville Bartos | 12 | Brad Rawiller | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 59.5kg | $6.50 |
| 6th | 10 | Gangland | 1 | Harry Coffey | T & C McEvoy | 57kg | $1.55 |
| 7th | 6 | Miss Exceptional | 11 | Carleen Hefel | B J McCarthy | 57.5kg | $101.00 |
| 8th | 7 | Off'n'gawn | 2 | Lachlan King | Jason Warren | 57.5kg | $19.00 |
| 9th | 2 | Big Chev | 6 | Liana Wood | B T Malanczyn | 56.5kg | $101.00 |
| Scr | 9 | Sister's Run | 5 | Toby Atkinson | P Kearney | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 11 | Whimsy Smile | 8 | Akira Sugawara | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 57kg | |
| Scr | 12 | Collectionneur | 3 | Fred W Kersley | T & C McEvoy | 55kg |
The clear form-based top selection.
Captive Rock arrives with obvious class in hand after contesting Group 3 company last preparation and is already showing ability with a runner-up effort at this level.
Points For Effort is the classic overlooked synthetic specialist in this field, placing in both starts at Ballarat Synthetic over this trip. Her only recent blemish came on heavy ground at Seymour, a surface unsuited to her profile, and she returns to the track/distance combination that has produced her best form.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Lady In Red | 3 | Ryan Hurdle | Shay Keating | 57.5kg | $4.60 |
| 2nd | 1 | Ottalaus | 7 | Zac Spain | Shane Nichols & Hayden Black | 59.5kg | $3.40 |
| 3rd | 2 | Points For Effort | 9 | Sarah Field | Anthony Chibnall | 58kg | $16.00 |
| 4th | 15 | Immortal Diva | 4 | Liana Wood | S C Bottomley | 54.5kg | $101.00 |
| 5th | 5 | Bourdeto | 5 | Harry Coffey | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 57.5kg | $5.00 |
| 6th | 9 | Aurora Mink | 1 | Valentin Le Boeuf | Anthony Cosgriff | 57kg | $15.00 |
| 7th | 10 | Captive Rock | 14 | Ryan Houston | Simon Zahra | 57kg | $4.00 |
| 8th | 13 | Royal Rhino | 6 | Mitchell Aitken | Olivia Osborne | 59.5kg | $81.00 |
| 9th | 14 | Western Edge | 2 | Sam Kennedy | C J Davis | 58kg | $151.00 |
| 10th | 3 | Set Boom | 11 | Alana Kelly | D J Cannon | 59.5kg | $26.00 |
| 11th | 6 | Champagne Ladies | 10 | Teodore Nugent | Jamie Edwards | 57.5kg | $21.00 |
| 12th | 11 | Bim's Lizzy | 8 | Chelsea Taylor | Ms B Bamford | 55kg | $101.00 |
| Scr | 4 | Actually Romantic | 6 | Saab Hasan | 57.5kg | ||
| Scr | 8 | Vivarini | 13 | Fred W Kersley | L Smith | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 12 | What Once Was | 12 | Chelsea Thompson | L Smith | 52kg |
His course & distance record (11:2-1-2) and light weight make him well suited to a moderate-tempo, tactical 1000m at Ballarat Synthetic.
Strike Gold's synthetic record is outstanding — 4 wins and 3 placings from 10 synthetic starts — and he was competitive at this same track last visit in stronger grade. Settling midfield off a moderate tempo suits the long Ballarat straight, and dropping back to his right level (Bench62) adds confidence. A slightly underrated form horse given how strongly he performs specifically on this surface.
Blondie's Award is a lightly-raced, improving mare who has won 2 of her last 5 and boasts a strong record at today's distance. If she transfers her ability to the new surface, she represents value against three more proven-but-shorter alternatives.
No result was recorded for this race.
| No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helluva Barty | 1 | Brad Rawiller | Luke Oliver | 62.5kg |
| 2 | Bring Me Power | 3 | Lachlan King | Charmaine Barnes | 61kg |
| 3 | Strike Gold | 7 | Ryan Hurdle | T Fitzsimmons | 60kg |
| 4 | Blondie's Award | 8 | Zac Spain | Shane Nichols & Hayden Black | 59.5kg |
| 5 | Prince Marionette | 9 | John Allen | P Kearney | 59.5kg |
| 6 | The Gov | 5 | Harry Coffey | D M Noonan | 58kg |
| 7 | El Salto | 6 | Olivia East | L E Robertson | 54kg |
| 8 | Raging Monkey | 4 | Sam Kennedy | L E Robertson | 53.5kg |
| 9 | Monsoon Reins | 2 | Teodore Nugent | Dwayne Reid | 54.5kg |
| 10 | Ourzacracker | 10 | Ryan Houston | C J Davis | 54kg |
Fit off a quick 12-day back-up with a leading rider engaged, this is the pick most likely to be prominent by the 400m and sustain to the line.
Tomanado arrives in career-best form with a course-and-distance win at Ballarat Synthetic last start, but the jump from Bench 50-56 company to Bench 62 is real and untested.
No result was recorded for this race.
| No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Powerbound | 8 | Olivia East | P Kearney | 60kg |
| 2 | Impending War | 3 | Harry Coffey | Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | 60.5kg |
| 3 | Razzo Rosso | 7 | Brad Rawiller | Shawn Mathrick | 60kg |
| 4 | Bonfire Jimmy | 1 | John Allen | Shane Jackson | 58.5kg |
| 5 | Aqua Storm | 9 | Jack Hill | Shane Jackson | 58kg |
| 6 | Tomanado | 5 | Ryan Hurdle | D P Dwyer | 58kg |
| 7 | Starmae | 2 | Zac Spain | Dwayne Reid | 57kg |
| 8 | Yongtai | 6 | Samantha Noble | S G Noble | 54kg |
| 9 | Snow On Her | 4 | Sam Kennedy | C J Davis | 52.5kg |
Princeofnottingham has course-and-distance form to die for, having won his only start at Ballarat Synthetic over 1500m two runs back, and drops in class again today. His last run (8th at 1800m on Heavy 9) is easily excused given the unsuitable trip and surface.
She has synthetic experience at this track and a workable barrier that allows a forward tactical position. She looks more of a top-three placing chance than an outright winning hope given she is yet to score above maiden grade, but rounds out a reliable top three.
Aitu is the genuine formline standout, resuming off a promising 2nd at Pakenham Synthetic in the same Bench 62 grade just 19 days ago. Second-up today with a perfect small-sample second-up record, and already has synthetic placed form. Barrier 7 is workable given the long straight and single genuine leader projected, and tactical speed should let him sit forward.
No result was recorded for this race.
| No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeofnottingham | 2 | Nadia Daniels | Michelle Payne | 63kg |
| 2 | Takemetothemoon | 8 | Alana Kelly | Liam Howley | 60kg |
| 3 | Aitu | 7 | Zac Spain | Reece Goodwin | 59.5kg |
| 4 | Real Alliance | 10 | Brad Rawiller | Luke Oliver | 59kg |
| 5 | Princess Sakiko | 5 | Jack Hill | Shane Jackson | 57kg |
| 6 | Garfield | 4 | Craig Atkinson | Ms H White | 56kg |
| 7 | Whistler Girl | 1 | Olivia East | Aaron Peterson | 52kg |
| 8 | Dashing Donkey | 9 | Teodore Nugent | Olivia Osborne | 54kg |
| 9 | Blonde Suspect | 3 | Ryan Houston | C J Davis | 54kg |
| 10 | Brassi Road | 6 | Sam Kennedy | C J Davis | 52.5kg |
Aka Daka has placed second and fourth in its past two starts at this same track and grade, showing genuine affinity for Ballarat Synthetic.
Royal Infantry was narrowly beaten into second at this same track and grade last start, and drops slightly in class today. John Allen, in outstanding recent form, takes the ride from a workable inside barrier that suits this track's bias toward on-pace, handy runners. Second-up record is unproven on a small sample, but the current form line and drop in class outweigh that concern.
Pacific Jewel has been a picture of consistency, running second last start and boasting the best raw strike rate of the leading trio. The unknown is its lack of any synthetic experience, and barrier 9 is workable but not ideal at a track that rewards forward, handy runners.
Her tactical speed suits the flat, tempo-driven Ballarat Synthetic pattern even from a wide gate.
Its light weight and improving trend add further appeal.
No result was recorded for this race.
| No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aka Daka | 6 | Brad Rawiller | V L Malady | 62kg |
| 2 | Royal Infantry | 4 | John Allen | P Kearney | 61.5kg |
| 3 | Just Magic | 11 | Olivia East | T & C McEvoy | 59kg |
| 4 | Pacific Jewel | 9 | Harry Coffey | Lucinda Boyd | 59.5kg |
| 5 | Slate Ripper | 8 | Lachlan King | Colin McGillivray | 59.5kg |
| 6 | Cable De Vega | 3 | Adam Mc Cabe | Michael Huglin | 58kg |
| 7 | Elphaba | 10 | Alana Kelly | D J Cannon | 58kg |
| 8 | Jayzeal | 2 | Teodore Nugent | C J Davis | 57.5kg |
| 9 | Everett | 1 | Makisha Salter | M A Bell | 53.5kg |
| 10 | Party At Artie's | 5 | Nathan Punch | Chris Calthorpe | 55kg |
| 11 | Lucky Compass | 13 | Ryan Houston | K T Bourke | 54.5kg |
| 12 | Stellar Madame | 12 | Chelsea Thompson | Chris Calthorpe | 51kg |
| 13 | Ovabent | 7 | Jade Smith | Dane Smith | 51kg |
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.