Balaklava tips and results

Our price $4.00 · SP $9.00 · Jake Toeroek

Sidebar brings the strongest last-start form into this race, having led and won at this grade, beating two of today's rivals in the process. He shapes as the lone leader and a slow tempo at Balaklava, where on-pace runners and inside draws dominate, should suit him perfectly.

Our price $4.80 · SP $3.60 · Tala Hutchinson

The Obvious Child was a close second behind Sidebar on debut, finishing hard from midfield, and looks a horse with upside after a single start. The concern is the race shape: he settles out the back and a slow tempo at a track where front-runners dominate will make it hard to pick them up. A fair chance, but the map is against him.

Our price $4.80 · SP $6.00 · Tala Hutchinson

The improver in the field. He led over this trip last start and was run down into fourth, but that was in a stronger race, he drew poorly and he raced greenly. Today he drops in class, draws gate three, gets visors for the first time and carries just 54.5kg as a three-year-old. The stable wins with a good percentage of its runners, so sharp improvement is on the cards, though two plain runs leave him with something to prove.

Our price $11.00 · SP $17.00 · Rochelle Milnes

The overlay. She is an on-pace mare who should settle in the leading pair from gate four, and a slow tempo on a track where the front three dominate play straight into her hands.

Our price $1.90 · SP $1.90 · Jamie Melham

Ran the best race of anything in this field on debut, storming home from midfield to be beaten under a length over 1000m at Mildura. The step to 1300m looks ideal for a Toronado mare. The only query is the middle draw at an inside-favouring track second-up, but her ability should outweigh it.

Our price $13.00 · SP $51.00 · Tala Hutchinson

A genuine leader who has the speed to cross from a wide gate and set the tempo. His recent third and fourth were sound, and front-runners are clearly the favoured style at Balaklava.

Our price $5.50 · SP $8.50 · Harry Grace

The most consistent runner in the field with eight placings from 13 starts, and he ran to a strong standard when a close second at Murray Bridge a fortnight ago. Handles good ground and will be running on. The big knock is the wide gate, 14 of 18, which is a genuine disadvantage over this sharp sprint and means he will need luck getting across from off the pace.

Our price $3.60 · SP $3.80 · Connor Murtagh

His last-start second at Mildura was the strongest recent effort here, beaten a nose after racing handy, and he has won second-up before. He handles a Good track well and rarely runs a bad race. The knocks are the wide gate and his habit of settling back in a race where Balaklava's sprint profile is unforgiving to back-markers.

Our price $7.50 · SP $14.00 · Jemma Gutte

The one with the best recent form lines. He is a genuine on-pacer who settles in the first few, gets a lovely run from gate three and carries only 54kg — a big weight pull on the topweights. He has been freshened and won a recent jump-out, and his efforts on Good ground read better than anything else here.

Our price $5.00 · SP $7.00 · Lauren Stojakovic

An each-way overlay. He drops out of stronger company after a win at this sort of level two starts ago, and he maps to race handily, which suits a speed-dominated track.

Our price $4.80 · SP $5.00 · Joe Bowditch

The clear form pick. She has been running to a winning standard in stronger company than this and was close up again only five days ago. She has won at Balaklava over this trip and should get the run of the race, tracking a hot tempo from midfield, which is exactly where you want to be here.

Our price $6.00 · SP $9.00 · Jason Holder

Maps as the likely leader from the inside gate, and on a track where the first three dominate that is a big plus. The doubt is her tendency to fold late — she has led and stopped at her past two — so a fast pace over 1050m is the worry.

Our price $6.50 · SP $6.50 · Kayla Crowther

She showed during the autumn she can run to a strong standard on good ground in better grade than this, and she drops in class today. She has won first-up before, so the long break is not a deal-breaker, and the stable knows how to have one ready fresh. The knocks are top weight and a get-back pattern at a track that punishes backmarkers.

Our price $5.00 · SP $6.50 · S H Sit

He settles handy and should get the run of the race from a moderate tempo. His concerns are a poor win-to-start record and a slightly wide gate, but he shapes as a solid each-way proposition.

Our price $16.00 · SP $71.00 · Andrew Stead

Cracken Good Time is the value. He won his last start and has a genuine liking for this track and trip, having won and placed here over 2200m. He races on-pace, which suits, and staying trips blunt the disadvantage of his wide gate.

Our price $6.00 · SP $11.00 · Jordyn Weatherley

At a track where on-pace runners dominate, that profile is a real worry, and he is yet to win on a good track.

Our price $6.00 · SP $6.00 · Sophie Potter

He drops out of stronger city company, has won both his starts at Balaklava and looks the likely leader from gate four — a genuine plus at this track. The knocks are clear: he carries the top weight, has never fired second-up, and his recent runs have found little late.

Our price $26.00 · SP $91.00 · Jemma Gutte

A genuine 1200m specialist with seven wins at the trip and a solid record when fresh, now dropping in class. With luck from a wide gate, a small each-way play is warranted.

Our price $4.50 · SP $3.30 · Jamie Melham

She has never raced beyond 1400m nor on a good track, and her get-back style is not the easiest way to win at Balaklava, where on-pace runners dominate the mile. Her close second in a Group 3 at 1200m is strong form and she gets in light with a top jockey from an inside gate, so she stays in the placings.

Our price $6.00 · SP $7.50 · Tala Hutchinson

He beat several of today's rivals when leading throughout in the Listed lead-up and drops 3kg for that win, so the formlines stack up. On class and recent form he is still one of the leading chances.

Our price $6.50 · SP $5.00 · Joe Bowditch

He has a solid record at the mile and on good ground, is improving, and draws perfectly in barrier four, which is a real plus at Balaklava.

Our price $6.00 · SP $6.00 · Jake Toeroek

Six-year-old who saves his best for 1400m and has already won here. He drops back to his preferred trip after a couple of shorter runs and is a reliable, consistent handicapper on good ground. The main query is the five-day back-up, and a middle draw is no gift at Balaklava.

Our price $8.50 · SP $8.00 · Tala Hutchinson

Consistent 1400m campaigner who keeps running into the placings and was a luckless fourth last start after interference. The knock is the wide draw and his deep-closing style on a track that rewards on-pace runners, plus a modest strike rate.