Form analyst The Watchdog has cast an expert eye over the stellar field to contest the inaugural running of The Horizon and believes it will be a local celebration in Sale GRC’s exciting new feature on Sunday evening at 6.59pm.
All-conquering provincial superstar Ferdinand Boy (box 2) is $1.85 favourite with TAB to add the Horizon to a resume that already includes the G2 Ballarat Cup, G2 Shepparton Cup, Shepparton Classic and Warrnambool Derby.
Click HERE for TAB’s Horizon market
Ferdinand Boy, trained by Lara mentor David Geall, produced the fastest heat performance at his Sale debut, running 24.60sec, however the Watchdog believes the odds-on price being offered is “a bit skinny”.
“He can miss away sometimes and there’s going to be some heat on straight away after box-rise so he can’t afford to make any mistakes,” the Watchdog said.
“One thing in his favour is he’s got Aussie Secret, who’s a wide runner, drawn directly on his outside.”
There’s a very strong local contingent lining up in the Horizon, led by G3 Great Chase winner Dr. Tucker (box 8), trained by William McMahon at Darriman, and the Watchdog believes the hometown hero can claim a fourth straight victory in his biggest test to date.
“I think the value play is definitely Dr. Tucker,” said the Watchdog.
“He was brilliant in his heat last week. I know the time only shows 24.83sec but he was pestered by Run Baba Run in the early stages and he still managed to go 5.24sec so you could probably shave a length off that. I think he’s about a 24.50sec dog when he’s given clear running so at $3.90 on the TAB I think he’s a good play.”
The Watchdog’s other ‘Win’ bet in his recommended $20 spend on the Horizon is Sean Lithgow’s rails runner Dream Wizard, a three-time country cups finalist that has won five of his past seven starts and has won six from ten from box one.
“He was a tad unlucky in his heat. He was going to settle in a prominent spot and then clipped heels as they were going into the turn. That’s cost him victory and he still managed to record 24.78sec being beaten. He’s got box one, he has a tremendous record from the red so at the $7 he looks to be a bit of value.”
The Watchdog’s $20 Horizon investment:
$8 Win – Dr. Tucker @ $3.90
$6 Win – Dream Wizard @ $7
$6 Trifecta – 1,2,8 / 1,2,8 / 1,2,4,6,7,8 (25%)
WATCH: Local stars Dr. Tucker (7) just and Massimo (6) had a fascinating tussle in a heat of The Horizon last Sunday. See every heat replay HERE
