It's very much off-season fare at Sandown this Saturday with very competitive action on the track and in the ring.
The fifth race on the card is an interesting affair over 2100m with last start winner Pacodali heading the early markets. That's fair enough, he was strong last time in similar and will take beating again, but the betting appeal sits elsewhere in our view with Thunder Cloud an appealing alternative.
It would be fair to say that Thunder Cloud has been a frustration since his second-up win but he has hardly been given his best chance to shine at his latest couple and there's been enough substance to his closing efforts to think that he is going every bit as well now as he was early in the prep.
Beau Balmain and Lamborghini are both likely to improve second-up off good returns, and Mawaany Machine was given no hope last week and looks sure to have more to offer on the back up, but they will all do well to go with Thunder Cloud if he produces the form that he is fancied to.
We threw up Danon Roman as an each-way option in the Melbourne Mail a couple of weeks back but he ended up poorly placed and out-paced in what turned out to be a high-rating race. The leader blitzed the field and left them staggering home.
It could be that Danon Roman is off wandering in the wilderness now, his potential from the spring destined to go unfulfilled, but blinkers on up to the mile on the bigger track, and the in-form John Allen going aboard, all look positive switches. Switches in desperation? Or a well-planned plot to bring out the best in the Roman? Time will tell - at double-figure odds we can afford to find out...
THE MELBOURNE MAIL
Bet Of The Day: Race 5 #7 Thunder Cloud @ $4.50
Each Way Play: Race 7 #4 Danon Roman @ $15.00
