Punt like a Pro, without the know!
South Australia · Wednesday 30 September 2026
Our top pick won 2 of 7 races at Balaklava. Every pick, our analysis and the full results are below.
top pick wonanother tip wonno tip won
Strong Minded broke through for a narrow win at Balaklava over today's exact 1300m trip last start, capping a run of close placings. She keeps the winning rider aboard, the stable and jockey combination is firing, and the rise from a maiden win into Class 1 is a natural progression rather than a stretch. The most complete form case in the race.
But her last two runs have been below her best, including a soundness scare and a troubled run last start, and she's largely unproven on a genuinely good surface. Respected without being fully convincing on the latest evidence.
Tour De Moon has been racing to a consistent standard and ran well at this same class level last month. A good-track query also remains unresolved.
My Cherie Amor looks the only genuine leader in this field, a significant edge on a track that rewards forward runners in a race with little other early speed. Each-way value.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | Tour De Moon | 6 | Andrew Stead | Shayne and Chelsea Cahill | 59.5kg | $6.00 |
| 2nd | 1 | Synthesise | 2 | Todd Pannell | Matthew Seyers | 61kg | $2.25 |
| 3rd | 6 | Hell's On Fire | 1 | Jacob Opperman | Michael Hickmott | 58kg | $3.00 |
| 4th | 3 | Testing One Two | 4 | Connor Murtagh | Bryan Holtham | 59.5kg | $11.00 |
| 5th | 5 | My Cherie Amor | 5 | Caitlin Tootell | Jon O'Connor | 58.5kg | $26.00 |
| 6th | 2 | Strong Minded | 3 | Will Price | Mark Lewis | 60kg | $7.50 |
The class drop is the standout form angle, and while it is lightly raced, everything points to a horse ready to break through.
Willebob's most recent run at Balaklava was a genuine eye-catcher, finishing close up on the track and going he faces again today, and the good inside barrier plays to the track's on-pace bias. Still building a résumé with only three starts, but the trend is clearly upward. A strong each-way/place proposition behind the top pick.
Pretty Morsel is the model of consistency without ever quite winning, and today's favourable inside draw combined with a drop back in distance plays to her on-pace strengths at a track that rewards forward runners. The concern remains her habit of fading in the last part of races, but she should be right in the finish again.
Atomic Time's underlying form is stronger than his last-start flop suggests, and that run came over a much shorter trip than he wants, which is a legitimate excuse.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | Atomic Time | 8 | Harry Grace | Stephen Theodore | 58kg | $6.00 |
| 2nd | 10 | Pretty Morsel | 2 | Kayla Crowther | Matthew Seyers | 56kg | $4.00 |
| 3rd | 4 | Road To The City | 3 | Stacey Metcalfe | Garret Lynch | 58kg | $31.00 |
| 4th | 5 | Willebob | 1 | Connor Murtagh | Sarah Rutten | 58kg | $2.35 |
| 5th | 8 | Leading Ride | 6 | Jackson Murphy | Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor | 56kg | $3.70 |
| 6th | 2 | Iamthedevilselbow | 5 | Polly Brewster | Kristi Evans | 55kg | $20.00 |
| 7th | 7 | Fiery Moon | 4 | Wesley Cave | Trevor Day | 56kg | $151.00 |
| 8th | 3 | Majestic Moshe | 7 | Margaret Collett | Margot Hodge | 58kg | $151.00 |
| 9th | 6 | Aviation Heiress | 9 | Rochelle Milnes | Sarah Rutten | 56kg | $71.00 |
| 10th | 9 | Miss Narranga | 10 | Dylan Caboche | Shae Norton | 56kg | $201.00 |
Simply Sid brings the strongest and most consistent form into this race, having run second at this same track and distance last start after finishing his race off strongly. The likely fast pace should suit his finishing burst.
Blazing Missile was competitive when third behind today's top pick in the same race at this track and distance a fortnight ago, and gets another swim through similar conditions today from a handy gate.
Charles Bridge steps up from the trials unraced but with an eye-catching trial pattern behind him, including a win last time out. A capable, locally successful rider adds confidence in the booking.
Nolabell drops right down in grade for this maiden after an educational run in much stronger company, where she raced fairly for a long way before fading only late.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | Simply Sid | 2 | Will Price | Mark Lewis | 58kg | $2.90 |
| 2nd | 2 | Larry Can | 7 | Connor Murtagh | Cody Reardon | 58kg | $10.00 |
| 3rd | 9 | Nolabell | 10 | Jackson Murphy | Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor | 54kg | $8.00 |
| 4th | 8 | Out Ontario | 4 | Stacey Metcalfe | Peter Nolan | 56kg | $9.50 |
| 5th | 5 | Blazing Missile | 5 | S H Sit | Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle | 54kg | $6.50 |
| 6th | 1 | Chevy To The Levee | 6 | Ashlee Stone | Bill Bogarts | 55kg | $61.00 |
| 7th | 10 | Waterloo Winner | 1 | Teagan Voorham | G, N Searle and B Callanan | 54kg | $61.00 |
| 8th | 6 | Charles Bridge | 8 | Jake Toeroek | Richard and Chantelle Jolly | 56kg | $3.80 |
| 9th | 4 | Babylon Blue | 9 | Jason Holder | Andrew Gluyas | 56kg | $12.00 |
| 10th | 7 | Last Drinks Johny | 3 | Dylan Caboche | T Kaesler | 56kg | $101.00 |
His forward-placed racing style is tailor-made for a track that rewards leaders and on-pace runners, and the quick backup suggests he's fit and progressing. The topweight and wide-ish gate are minor question marks, but the form and suitability case is clear-cut.
Fast Food arrives without a start to his name but has been consistently competitive in trials and jump-outs, capping that with a recent win. Debutants always carry some uncertainty about how they'll race under real pressure, so he sits just behind the top pick, but the trial form and gate make him a genuine threat.
Total Love already knows today's track and distance, having raced there recently, and his early speed lets him get forward into the type of position this track rewards. He weakened late that day, but he's building fitness second-up and the stable is in good form here. The wide barrier and lack of a placing so far temper him to a each-way/place proposition rather than a leading fancy.
Via Niccolina has already shown she handles this track and trip, placing here last time she raced over the 1050m. Her most recent runs have been flatter, with traffic trouble in one of them, but the strong hookup between her jockey and trainer plus a gilt-edged barrier draw make her worth including.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 5 | Fast Food | 4 | Jake Toeroek | Richard and Chantelle Jolly | 56kg | $2.50 |
| 2nd | 9 | Via Niccolina | 2 | Will Price | Mark Lewis | 56kg | $10.00 |
| 3rd | 10 | Pocket Pyro | 1 | Rochelle Milnes | Jake Stephens | 54kg | $2.90 |
| 4th | 3 | Never Pegasus | 5 | Harry Grace | Sue and Jason Jaensch | 58kg | $4.40 |
| 5th | 11 | Zourado | 6 | Jackson Murphy | Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor | 54kg | $12.00 |
| 6th | 1 | Candy In Miami | 10 | Stephanie Wright | Tom Jolly | 54kg | $151.00 |
| 7th | 7 | Nina's Comet | 7 | Stacey Metcalfe | Roslyn Day | 56kg | $101.00 |
| 8th | 4 | Total Love | 8 | Todd Pannell | Matthew Seyers | 58kg | $21.00 |
| Scr | 2 | Desert Charm | 11 | Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle | 58kg | ||
| Scr | 6 | My Iva | 9 | Wayne Francis and Glen Kent | 56kg | ||
| Scr | 8 | One Special Girl | 3 | Margaret Collett | Margot Hodge | 56kg |
This gelding is racing above his mark right now, following a big effort at a higher level with a narrow, closely-fought second only a week ago. He maps to get the run of the race from a good gate at a track that rewards forward runners, and he's the lightest-weighted runner in the race.
Gruelling gets the plum gate in a race where barrier one is a real advantage, and his most course-specific form line is a strong placing in tougher company at this same track. The rider combination with this horse is outstanding, and today's class level suits him well second-up. He settles a touch off the speed, so needs an even tempo, but the map and draw both work in his favour.
Unpraised drops sharply out of tougher city-grade midweek company and into a race well within her depth. The jockey and trainer have an excellent record together on this horse, and the inside gate should get her a good run in transit.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Immortal Spirit | 4 | Caitlyn Munro | George Karayannis | 53.5kg | $3.60 |
| 2nd | 3 | Gruelling | 1 | Teagan Voorham | G, N Searle and B Callanan | 60.5kg | $3.10 |
| 3rd | 4 | Chillcuz | 6 | Connor Murtagh | Justin Pickering | 59kg | $2.90 |
| 4th | 6 | Miss Kasei | 7 | Alysha Warren | D and A Magro | 55kg | $12.00 |
| 5th | 8 | Cowley's Creek | 2 | Wesley Cave | Trevor Day | 54kg | $71.00 |
| 6th | 2 | Blakmax | 8 | Polly Brewster | Raharna McDonald | 57.5kg | $21.00 |
| 7th | 1 | Demiquaver | 9 | Andrew Stead | Scott Whittle | 61.5kg | $19.00 |
| 8th | 5 | Unpraised | 3 | Will Price | Mark Lewis | 58kg | $14.00 |
| 9th | 9 | Deploy And Destroy | 5 | S H Sit | Heidi Smith | 52kg | $101.00 |
Drawn perfectly in barrier one, Stolen Kiss is racing to an improving pattern and produced a much-improved staying effort two runs back before finishing off well for third last time out. The concern is a good-track record that shows plenty of minor placings but no wins, so she needs to prove herself on this surface, but the trend and gate combine to make her a strong each-way threat to the top pick.
The wide barrier is a genuine query given how strongly Balaklava rewards horses drawn inside over the mile, so he needs the run of the race to overcome that draw, but the underlying form is strong enough to include him for place honours.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | Stolen Kiss | 1 | Todd Pannell | Jessica Tzaferis | 59kg | $4.00 |
| 2nd | 3 | Yorokobi | 3 | Harry Grace | Indianna Weinert | 60kg | $4.40 |
| 3rd | 1 | Star Casino | 10 | Sophie Potter | Travis Doudle | 60.5kg | $4.20 |
| 4th | 2 | Queen Beira | 8 | Jemma Gutte | Heidi Smith | 57kg | $18.00 |
| 5th | 5 | Gazelle | 2 | Alysha Warren | Gary Boyce | 56.5kg | $4.80 |
| 6th | 8 | Mandarin | 5 | Dylan Caboche | Shae Norton | 57kg | $11.00 |
| 7th | 9 | Unwind | 7 | Will Price | Kristi Evans | 54kg | $8.50 |
| 8th | 10 | Flight Deck | 9 | Stacey Metcalfe | Cindy Brander | 54kg | $26.00 |
| Scr | 6 | I Am Ralph | 6 | Sarah Rutten | 57.5kg | ||
| Scr | 7 | Largs Legacy | 4 | Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor | 57.5kg |
Zuetoro brings the strongest and most recent formline into this race, having led throughout to win at this same track and trip a fortnight ago with a smart time. His inside gate should again let him get a good position, and with genuine speed elsewhere he may sit closer to the pace rather than dictate, which suits his versatility. Only a small rise in grade stands between him and back-to-back wins.
The Magistrate was narrowly beaten at this same track and trip a fortnight ago and carries that form straight into today's race. A model of consistency, he looks set to race handy again in a race shaping to suit forward runners. His record leans more toward placings than victories, but the proximity and quality of his latest run make him hard to leave out of calculations.
Squad has shown the best turn of speed of any leader in this field on his day, having controlled a race from the front to win at this course and trip in similar grade earlier in the year. His last run reads poorly but he was caught wide without cover, a fair excuse. Dropping slightly in grade and mapping to lead or sit close, he can bounce back strongly if the tempo allows him to dictate.
All Shot is a genuine finisher, producing two wins from the back of the field in his last five runs with the help of a strong rider partnership, and he has drawn the rail to further reduce traffic risk.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 6 | Mercury Eight | 3 | Ashlee Stone | Bill Bogarts | 56kg | $4.20 |
| 2nd | 1 | Over Yonder | 7 | Caitlyn Munro | Brendon Davis | 60.5kg | $8.00 |
| 3rd | 13 | Musical Sunset | 10 | Rochelle Milnes | Daryl Stone | 58kg | $3.70 |
| 4th | 5 | All Shot | 1 | S H Sit | Jon O'Connor | 57.5kg | $9.50 |
| 5th | 11 | Zuetoro | 2 | Andrew Stead | Scott Whittle | 58.5kg | $6.50 |
| 6th | 2 | Gusmao | 5 | Todd Pannell | Kylie McKerlie | 60.5kg | $51.00 |
| 7th | 3 | Squad | 6 | Sophie Potter | Michael Ruberry | 58.5kg | $6.00 |
| 8th | 10 | The Magistrate | 9 | Harry Grace | Matthew Seyers | 58.5kg | $13.00 |
| 9th | 8 | Truly Elsa | 11 | Margaret Collett | D and A Magro | 59kg | $18.00 |
| 10th | 15 | Silky Smooth | 4 | Dylan Caboche | Shae Norton | 54kg | $101.00 |
| Scr | 4 | Steel Tsunami | 8 | Andrew Gluyas | 60kg | ||
| Scr | 7 | Smashing Action | 12 | Justin Pickering | 59kg | ||
| Scr | 9 | Aztec Dancer | 14 | G, N Searle and B Callanan | 58.5kg | ||
| Scr | 12 | Jasstar | 13 | Peter Nolan | 58kg | ||
| Scr | 14 | Inhabit | 15 | Michael Hickmott | 57.5kg |
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