Bendigo hosts it's stand alone meeting with the running of the Golden Mile this weekend.
Our bet of the day comes up in the smallest field on the card with just ten heading out to contest the Bendigo Bracelet for the mares over 1400m.
There we are most interested in La Bella Diosa who ran really well first up in a hot mares race up in Sydney. The form from that race has worked out really well, and that comes as little surprise given the good rating that the race returned, and despite finishing sixth La Bella Diosa's close from last highlighted her as one of the key mares to follow from the race.
If she can repeat what she did there then the Bracelet is heading her way. But we have to cool our jets somewhat with her spring campaign a slight cause for concern. There she fired first up and never replicated the performance in four fairly tame subsequent runs. Her Surround win back in 2017 also came first up before a series of below form efforts. Concern, sure, but given her ratings edge prices better than $2.60 still appeal and she runs for us this weekened.
The sixth race on the card is a 2400m handicap that has come up really well with several hitting the race at the right time - none more so than Belgravia who is third up and having his first look at this trip since coming down under.
He won twice at the trip back in Ireland and ran a trio of good races behind strong opponents in between those two wins and his four runs in Australia have all had merit. His latest was a return to the level of form he showed back in the spring and it sets him up to get back to the peaks he produced in Ireland. Peaks that should move him up to richer races soon enough.
THE MELBOURNE MAIL
Bet Of The Day: Race 5 #2 La Bella Diosa @ $2.60
Each Way Play: Race 6 #7 Belgravia @ $9.00
