by Sunraysia Daily’s Darren Davis.
RACE 1- 1pm bet365 Never Ordinary Maiden Plate (1400m)
JEWELS CAPTAIN (3) has put the writing on the wall for an upcoming victory as he has not finished further back than fourth in his four race starts including running third on two occasions at Gawler and Murray Bridge. Will enjoy getting out in trip to the 1400m so has a top chance to record his first win. TERRITORIAN (5) is a consistent three-year-old with four placings from eight career starts including finishing second at his past two starts at Balaklava. Should be in the finish again. IL CIELO (2) is from the leading Victorian stable of Ciaron Maher and he is also well placed in this race after a last start third at Ballarat late last month. SHUJINKO (4) ran second at his debut at Warrnambool and then had no luck at his latest fifth at Bendigo. Will be further improved today and is the value runner.
RACE 2- 1.30pm Mildura Toyota Maiden Plate (2000m)
TOSEN SNOWFALL (9) should have gone close to winning at Warracknabeal last Saturday as she never gained a clear run at any stage and was travelling strongly so it was a hard watch for her backers. No surprise to see her backing up here today and if has better luck this time can bring up her first career win. TOSEN IMPACT (6) would be a deserving winner as he has achieved four placings from nine starts including a second placing at Donald two starts ago. MRS HARRIS (8) is a three-year-old taking on the older horses, but she looks up to the challenge on the strength of her fast finishing second at Warracknabeal on June 27. ALPINE HONEY (2) will be better for the experience of his debut run at Warracknabeal when recorded a fast finishing fourth and will appreciate getting out to the 2000m distance today.
RACE 3- 2pm Sunraysia Daily Maiden Plate
MOAKSUN (3) has had plenty of chances to bring up his first win, but he is never far away in his races with eight placings from 12 starts so is deserving of bringing up his Maiden win. Just failed narrowly to win at Ballarat at his latest outing on a wet track and should enjoy getting back to a good-rated surface today. PETIT EAGLE (7) is a four-year-old having her first race start, but is ready to make her racetrack debut after two trials including winning her latest jump out at Murray Bridge so has shown that she has ability and look for a top debut run. MACHINEGUN MIKE (2) won a jump out at Murray Bridge and then caught the eye at his debut outing at the same circuit to run fourth after sprinting home hard from the rear of the field when had solid support in the betting. Will be fitter this time and should be in the finish. DOLCE D’AMOUR (5) failed on a heavy track at Casterton at her latest outing, but had been placed second and third previously at Bordertown and Casterton respectively so looks suited here today.
RACE 4- 2.30pm Mildura Gateway Tavern BM64 Handicap
NEON’S LAST (1) is from the in-form stable of Tony and Calvin McEvoy at Ballarat and he comes here in winning form with three wins from his past four outings at Port Augusta, Donald and Ballarat. He has to carry a big impost of 61kgs, but he has earned the weight and can continue his winning form here today. CRIPPS (5) is a promising galloper as he recorded a smart win at his debut at Geelong and then raced on the speed at Echuca and tried valiantly when second behind Dirty Grin. Was then sent for a spell and is ready to run a big race first up after winning a recent jump out at St Arnaud. DEMOJO (2) is from the Kylie and Steven Vella stable who have their team based in Mildura at the present time and he is also a winning chance on his last start win at Ballarat on the synthetic track. LIFT THE BAR (8) is also a winning hope in this tough affair as she won at this track two starts ago in impressive style and is undefeated from two starts at the Mildura circuit. Has been off the scene for a long period of time, but is a handy mare who must be respected first up on the strength of her liking for the track.
RACE 5- 3pm Mildura Motor Holdings BM64 Handicap (1400m)
DOBBINAIR (1) has been racing against city class horses at Morphettville in recent starts after defeating a handy field at Murray Bridge at his previous campaign. He was only beaten by a 4m margin in the Listed Redelva Stakes behind the classy galloper Reserve Bank at Morphettville on April 12. If he can reproduce that effort in Mildura today, he will be hard to beat. STOKOMO (6) is a lightly raced four-year-old who has been racing consistently including a third placing at Morphettville behind the in-form South Australian gallopers Extra Hot and The Sprinkler. Will benefit from returning onto a good-rated surface at Mildura today. WATS NORMAL (4) recorded back-to-back wins at Werribee and Kilmore in April/May and has not had the best of luck in his three runs since. He can get back into winning form today. CHOSEN VENTURE (3) is a consistent gelding who battled on strongly after leading to run third at Swan Hill in June and then came from near the rear of the field to run fourth at Wagga and he can feature in the finish here today.
RACE 6- 3.30pm Trentham Estate Golden Goblet BM70 Handicap (1000m)
EXCEL AND FLY (2) has been a handy acquisition to the Austy Coffey stable at Swan Hill as he recorded a smart win at Echuca in April. He has been racing against stronger opposition at his past two starts including contesting the Swan Hill Cup. Has won five races from 26 starts and this is a drop back in class on recent outings. KOVA (5) is from the Shayne and Chelsea Cahill stable at Strathalbyn, who have their team racing in top form. The grey mare recorded back-to-back second placings at Port Lincoln and Morphettville earlier this year and she should be respected in this line-up as she is undefeated from two starts at the Mildura circuit. DYER (4) is a stablemate to the Cup runners Dubai Poet and Maracourt and he looks well placed in this event on the strength of his smart win at Morphettville late last year. The youngster is part-owned by AFL footballers Nathan Broad, Jack Graham and Liam Baker. REWARD THE SHERIFF (8) is racing in top form with three consecutive third placings at Swan Hill, Cranbourne and Wagga and can be placed again in this event.
RACE 7- 4pm bet365 Mildura Cup (1400m)
DUBAI POET (2) has been a top acquisition for the Michael Hickmott stable at Wellington in South Australia as he was placed second in both the Balaklava and Murray Bridge Cups as well as a smart win in the Xmas Handicap last year. He has had one run back from a spell to run a close-up third behind Dashing in the Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool on April 30. He has had a recent trial at Morphettville to run second behind the talented sprinter Queman and is ready to return to racing in the Mildura Cup today. RUBAMOS (1) is an eight-race winner with $577,145 in prizemoney and is the topweight in the Cup today. He raced consistently earlier this year with consecutive second placings at Morphettville which was followed up with a feature race win in the Vintage Stakes at Oakbank defeating Favourite Child who is a rival again today. He has had two trials to be ready to run a forward race at his resumption in the Cup today. MARACOURT (8) is a stablemate of Dubai Poet who is racing in career best form with a Murray Bridge Cup victory last year and has returned in fine fettle this preparation with a Murray Bridge victory in June so he should be prominent in the finish. FAVOURITE CHILD (5) has been set for the Cup and has competed against quality opposition in Adelaide this preparation including finishing mid-field in the Matrice Stakes at Morphettville. The mare rounded off her preparation for the Mildura Cup by recording an eye catching fifth at Caulfield behind stablemate Sixteen Reasons in June. Has an each way chance in the Cup. HARD TO CROSS (6) is from the in-form Patrick and Michelle Payne stable who had last year’s Mildura Cup winner Jimmy The Bear. The stable has their team firing at present and although he has returned from a spell with two unplaced runs in handy races at Caulfield and Flemington, it would be no surprise to see the stable get him back into winning form today.
RACE 8- 4.30pm AJ & JJ Dunne Memorial BM70 Handicap (2000M)
MAKE IT SWEET (4) is from the in-form Craig Weeding stable at Wangaratta and the mare will find this race a lot more to her liking than recent outings including a last start fifth at Caulfield behind Jimmy The Bear when tried valiantly to lead throughout and fought on strongly to be beaten by a 2.2-length margin. Will enjoy a big drop back in class here today and will give her rivals something to chase. MAGNETIC EDGE (1) has been racing well since finishing well back in the field in the Swan Hill Cup as he won his next outing at Morphettville and has finished close-up in fourth placing at both Morphettville and Murray Bridge at his past two outings. He is a winning chance with the 2kg claim for promising apprentice Matthew Chadwick. OXFORD BLUE (6) was well supported in the betting at his first run for the Stephen Theodore stable at Murray Bridge and he failed to handle the wet conditions to finish at the rear of the field. The youngster had finished second and fourth in consecutive runs at Caulfield prior to transferring to South Australia. Look for him to improve dramatically on the good surface today. CAPULET (5) will be ready to find her best form after having two runs back from a spell including a last start fifth at Ballarat behind the in-form galloper Em Sixty. Will enjoy returning onto a good-rated track and is the value runner in this event.
