Stawell
BUSBIZ MAIDEN PLATE ($22K)
As a debutant from the powerful Tony & Calvin McEvoy yard with Harry Coffey aboard, Bad Blood presents as the likely favourite. A good barrier and strong stable suggest he's been well-prepared for this maiden assignment, making him the top pick despite no exposed form.
RITCHIES IGA + LIQUOR MAIDEN PLATE ($22K)
Despite a wide barrier, Barossa Valley comes from the powerful Ciaron Maher stable, which excels with maidens. Her debut run was fair, and with natural improvement and Linda Meech aboard, she's the one to beat in this field.
HEWITT & WHITTY CRT MAIDEN PLATE ($22K)
Stylish Prince has shown consistent improvement in his recent starts, placing twice in six outings. The inside barrier is a significant advantage, and Linda Meech's booking for the A & J Williams stable adds further confidence, making him a top contender in this maiden field.
RUSS STUDIO JEWELLERS MAIDEN PLATE ($22K)
Ateyate presents as the strongest contender here, showing significant improvement last start with a strong third over 1800m. The Busuttin & Young stable is adept with stayers, and Linda Meech's booking is a major positive, suggesting this horse is ready to break its maiden.
MANHARI BM56 HANDICAP ($15K)
Despite a limited career, Olympiad shows significant upside, coming from a powerful stable and having a strong jockey aboard. The horse is lightly raced with a good win strike rate, suggesting further improvement is likely over this distance in a BM56 race.
BET365 BET BOOST BM56 HANDICAP ($15K)
Mallee Gold boasts the highest win strike rate in the field and has shown good ability over middle distances. If Andrew Bobbin has him ready to fire first-up, he looks to be the class runner in this modest field and could prove hard to beat.
MACKAYS FAMILY JEWELLERS BM56 HANDICAP ($15K)
This lightly raced gelding has shown significant promise with a strong win from only two starts. Despite the step up in class, his unexposed potential and excellent barrier draw make him a top contender. With a good jockey and trainer, he looks to be the one to beat.
THOMAS FOODS BM56 HANDICAP ($15K)
Torlaah gets the coveted rail draw, which is a significant advantage at this distance. With a solid career strike rate and a top jockey in Brad Rawiller, this horse is well-placed to contend strongly, especially if able to dictate terms from the front.