Star Queensland sprinter Better Than Ready returns after five months today and can prove too good in the Club Super Handicap over 1000m.
The Kelly Schweida-trained four-year-old tuned up for this running second in a trial back in September and finished third in a recent jump out ahead of Saturday’s resuming run.
He’ll find it the easiest race he’s contested in a long time after a Queensland Winter Carnival that involved three attempts at Group 1 level.
After winning the Listed Mick Dittman Plate at this track and trip back in April, Better Than Ready finished third in the Group 1 BTC Cup behind Your Song.
He then ran fifth in the Doomben 10,000 behind Epaulette before failing in the Stradbroke prior to a break.
That was at the end of a fairly arduous campaign which also included a game fifth placing in the Newmarket Handicap down the straight at Flemington back in February.
He’s been whacked with 60.5kg for this one, but give his career record that shouldn’t be an issue.
He’s won two of three fresh, two of three at this track and three of six over the trip.
The only danger looks to be Rocket To Glory who has emerged as one of Queensland’s most consistent sprinters over the spring.
He’s won three of his last four, and will likely go to the front and try leading from pillar to post.
Better Than Ready will certainly need to be switched on to run him down, but he should prove too good.
Take the $2.50 in what looks to be a two-horse race.
The bet of the day comes in the no-metro-wins handicap over 1000m where Miss Mega Herz jumps up to Saturday grade chasing a fourth-straight win.
She’s a very talented mare who led all the way over this trip at Ipswich 22 days ago to pull away for a dominant 5.3L win in Class 4 grade.
Granted this is a tougher assignment, but she still looks capable of further improvement and under just 55kg she’ll be very difficult to reel in today.
The $4.50 looks a pretty juicy price at the moment.
Stradon looks the biggest danger but he’s resuming off a 280-day spell and is well behind Miss Mega Herz in terms of fitness.
He won a trial at Doomben back in September but is winless in six runs at this track and only has the one win from 11 starts.
Travieso and County Commands are the other two who can feature today coming through the same race at Doomben 17 days ago but I suspect Miss Mega Herz will simply prove too good out in front.
Now, I’m going to throw them on the line earlier in the day and take on Setfire To Therain.
She was very heavily backed on debut two weeks back and comfortably landed the cash after springing straight to the lead and kicking well clear at the top of the straight.
The horse that really caught my eye in that race was Wicked Temptation who flew home from a mile back to get within a length of the winner.
She now meets Setfire To Therain 1.5kg better off yet one is currently $1.85 and the other is $4.
With a handful of debutants in the race coming off solid trial performances, the $1.85 about Setfire To Therain looks far too short.
BANKER: Race 5 #1 Better Than Ready @ $2.50
BET OF THE DAY: Race 4 #7 Miss Mega Herz @ $4.50
LAY OF THE DAY: Race 2 #1 Setfire To Therain @ $1.85
