The rain is around again and we are out of town again, this time heading to Pakenham for their Cup Day.

Our bet of the day comes up in race three where the Tony McEvoy-trained Casta looks set to run an improved race and appeals around the $4.60 mark in early betting.

Casta gets to 2000m third up and importantly he gets there off a good tough run on testing ground at Ballarat. He went into that race off a good return but in a very slowly run race which may have left him a touch vulnerable when the going got tough second up. Throw in the fact that he was held up for clear running briefly at a stage when he would have been looking to build his momentum and the effort looks to have plenty of merit.

Favourite for the race is Fontein Lad and the pair have history, Casta having knocked him off in a high-rating 64 on the synthetic course here back in April.

The way this race sets up there looks very little between them and we are happy to take the bigger price about Casta.

Our each way play comes in the race prior, a competitive mares handicap which looks one of the stronger betting heats of the afternoon.

There are several key chances and there should be plenty of opinion one way and another. In the opinion of The Melbourne Mail it's Macattack who looks good shopping around the $8.00 mark 24 hours out.

She was rock solid first up in a good platform race at Sandown and she was a mare that was really starting to put it together last preparation. Her rating behind Top Of The Range at Sandown three back stacks up particularly well and off the nice set up run last time there is a strong chance that she is right at that level today.

THE MELBOURNE MAIL

Bet Of The Day: Race 3 #9 Casta @ $4.60

Each Way Play: Race 2 #9 Macattack @ $8.00