Sneaky Sofia performed well over 1100m at Wellington in April and recently won easily over 900m at Newcastle. She’s well-placed with just 55kg to carry and just needs a bit of luck from a wider position. Bet Now: Hawkesbury Race 5 Hawkesbury Race 6 6 Highborn Harry Highborn Harry is returning to country-level racing after competing in a Midway at Rosehill last month. Despite a 12-week break with no trial, he performed decently, finishing midfield. Although this race is a big step up from 1300m, he managed a similar increase in distance when winning a Class 1 at Gosford earlier…

Groundrush is a solid each-way chance as he returns to race at BM70 level. Last time out, he struggled in a tough Group 3 race at Randwick, starting from a difficult position.However, he’s capable of running well over this shorter distance and should be more mature as a gelding now. While he’ll likely prefer a longer race, a Top 3 finish is definitely possible. Bet Now: Sandown Race 5 Sandown Race 6 No. 2 Varane Varane had some challenges on a heavy track at Seymour after a four-week break. Although starting from a wide gate is a concern, he benefits…

Derelict is racing again just a week after narrowly missing out on a win over the same track and distance. The son of Outreach was leading at the 200m mark but lost momentum in the final stages, finishing second by less than half a length. With only three races under his belt this season, he’s still improving. Now, with the blinkers off and a favorable low gate, this race appears to be a clear target for him. Bet Now: Ballarat Race 7 Ballarat Race 8 8 Excellent Lover Excellent Lover, a promising filly for Team Hayes, showed impressive potential in…

March As One is well-positioned with the weight claim. Damin Batters’ five-year-old showed significant improvement to finish third over 1200m recently, despite a wide draw that forced him to cover extra ground. He typically gets better as his prep progresses, and the drop back to 1100m from a better gate should suit him well. Bet Now: Sunshine Coast Race 2 Sunshine Coast 3 2 Savileo Savileo has been consistent, finishing in the money in his last three races despite not securing a win. The Savabeel gelding has been racing for a while but appears close to a breakthrough, especially over…

Devoted is expected to improve in his second race of the season. The son of Xtravagant finished strongly at Flemington recently, coming within half a length of Gentleman Roy. With a lighter 55kg under jockey Daniel Stackhouse, he’s well-positioned to finish strong and be tough to beat. Bet Now: Caulfield Race 2 Rosehill Race 6 2 Gatsby’s I’m backing Gatsby’s after his trial win on his home track a couple of weeks ago. The Snitzel colt had a smooth ride just off the pace before James McDonald pushed him ahead 50m from the finish, securing a strong win. Chris Waller’s…