The fast-improving Award Of Merit goes to Flemington tomorrow to meet a field that aren't improving - fast or slow.
Award Of Merit has had just nine starts, far fewer than any of his rivals in the seventh race on the Flemington card, and it's his most recent that marks him down as the horse to beat.
Prior to last start Award Of Merit's form was promising but short of what would be required at Flemington. He went to Morphettville and started 4-1 - the betting pointed to an improved run and it wasn't wrong.
Award Of Merit took a Timeform rating of 83 into the race and came out rated 97p, improving a chunk to win impressively. The form behind him has since worked out with a trio of winners coming out of the race and he has been kept up to the mark with a winning trial.
He comes to Melbourne now and that is another step up but again he races in a Provincial Final, Melbourne's equivalent of what Award Of Merit won in Adelaide last time.
It looks like a target race and Craig Williams sticks which is seen as a positive.
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Leveraction is a last start Flemington winner and Royal Rapture has the best last start rating in the field away from Award Of Merit but both are looking to hold their form rather than build on it - Award Of Merit has the potential to spike again and that leaves him looking very well placed.
Prices better than 2/1 seem to undersell his chances of taking advantage of a positive scenario.
We will stick with the stable and jockey for an each way play with Turbo Street in race 3. It's a competitive 78 as always but he looks to hold solid claims against an evenly matched lot.
His first up run in a high pressure Flemington mile was good but he raced flat on the back of that when getting up in trip quickly and on heavy ground.
He pulled up with an excuse there and now comes back to a mile with a better grounding. Expecting a forward run and have him marked well short of the $11.00 being bet in early markets.
THE MELBOURNE MAIL
Bet Of The Day: Race 7 #5 Award Of Merit @ $3.20
Each Way Play: Race 3 #7 Turbo Street @ $11.00
