The Mail for Saturday

Scarf is in fine fettle

SR 3: (5) NEXT THE UNIVERSE - Smart filly gets her chance to break through after two excellent placings at her last two starts at Randwick on heavy tracks when she has been edged out in close finishes. She is relishing the winter tracks and remains well weighted with the advantage of a 2kg claim for Blake Spriggs. Struck a good one in Scarf last time and will appreciate the return to her own sex.

SR 4: (7) DIVYA - Imposing mare has been given plenty of time to develop and there is more improvement to come from her two excellent efforts since resuming. She had no luck first-up at Canterbury and then had to make the running when she just failed to hold off the chasers in a blanket finish over 1300m at Rosehill after being used early to get the lead from a wide gate. She's come through strong form races and looks well placed here in this easier field for one metro winners.

SR 8: (5) SCARF - Hard not to be impressed by this big grey 3YO and again looks the one to beat in his current form. Had dominated his opposition to win his last two starts in heavy going at Randwick with his class coming to the fore when he held them off over 1400m at his last outing carrying 59kg. Right time of the season for him to be taking on the older horses and while an awkward barrier is not ideal he comes in nicely dropping 2.5kg from his last win.

ONES TO AVOID

SR 6: (2) KONTIKI PARK - Has strung together three second placings while he'll certainly be in the mix again he has had his chances and just seems to be the type who keeps finding one better on the day.

FLEMINGTON - tips by Wayne Bristow

MR 6: (12) MOMENT TO SAVOUR - Peter Moody has a habit of winning these type of races and this has probably been a well thought out plan. This 4yo is superbly bred being by now G1 winning sire Savabeel and is a half-brother to multiple G1 winner Metal Bender. Showed he was in fine fettle in the Cranbourne lead up by coming from a margin back to run away by 2.5L and it might be saying he is really more of a middle distance horse than a stayer.

MR 8: (1) PITT STREET - 3yo by Street Cry who has really found his form this time in and there is no reason he can't keep it going. Not brilliantly weighted but gets the claim for Nathan Rose who rode him the right way at Morphettville. He does need tracks which are dead or better which lets him roll and over this trip can control the race from a good draw. It's not the greatest 3yo race you've seen and he likes the races spaced a tad. Key will be what happens with the rail out so far as to the race patterns. An on pace bias would be handy.

ONES TO AVOID

MR 6: (5) FINISHING CARD - Very consistent type but is paying for that here. Just seems to find one better most runs and may have to use some petrol getting over from the wide draw. Didn't back up well recently and the mile record isn't terribly strong either. Hard to see him finding the right improvement here.

BR 1: (10) WORK THE ROOM - We finally get to see this bloke on a big track. His best runs have been on the long straights of Flemington and Sandown where he can wind up. With good enough pace on here she can be midfield with cover and let Larry Cassidy get him out and running. The weight scale also benefits him and hopefully we get a decent crack at the odds.

BR 5: (9) SMOKING CHIMNEYS - Like backing a bit of fresh blood into the staying races and boy could they do with some. This kiwi scored impressively on heavy going at Foxton but has won on dead and good tracks as well. Seems to be peaking now and meets a group of horses who have been into the mixer for a while. We also have the gun kid aboard with no weight.

BR 7: (1) BEADED - No matter what they name this race, this girl is the bravest little thing. She has never run a bad race and while we offered her as a lay in the Stradbroke, she was still so honest and this race sets up much better. Back to her own sex and at set weights as well. She would be giving away about 5kg in a handicap. With the draw as well now letting her position up front, she can establish a margin in the straight and hold off the late runners.

ONES TO AVOID

BR 8: (2) HUME - Every person and their dog saw his top return after 18 months off in an unsuitable QTC Cup. Remember his best was second to Shocking in that now famous Lexus before that horse's Cup triumph. Trouble for Hume is history tells you horses off long injury enforced lay-offs often run crackers first up then plateau second time around. He has 57kg and gate 14 to contend with also.

MORPHETTVILLE - tips by Jason Hickson

AR 1: (6) JUST DISCREET - Made her debut here last time and ran a good race to finish runner-up., Clearly showed enough to suggest she'll be breaking through soon and looks well placed here with her light weight against the boys.

AR 7: (10) XAIETA - Started favourite here fresh-up but bombed the start before running on well for a close-up fifth. Fitter for that and now has the senior rider go on but drops to the minimum. While going up to open class there are certainly no superstars here and with a hot pace, a good draw and a light weight she'll be hard to hold out at each-way odds.

ONES TO AVOID

AR 5: (8) TEST PILOT - Has come up favourite in the fixed odds markets. Won his maiden on the Parks track two back then started around even money there last start but did nothing and ran last. Drops a couple of kilos but goes from a Class 2 to open class for three-year-olds, so needs a big form turn-around here.