Bendigo Racing Tips for August 12 – Express has the Class in Race 7

Here are our best bets from the meeting, which is one of the major meetings from around Australia that we are covering in our midweek tips.

It was a solid debut by Rockzino over the 1300m at the July 30 meeting at Bendigo and the Grahame Begg mare can go a couple of spots better in this race. The new season four-year-old had trialled well leading into that race and attracted late support in the betting but was back early on after drawing awkwardly before closing off well to finish a length off the winner, Angland Lass. The daughter of Tarzino went 3.4 lengths slower than standard benchmark, which is the best last start figure of any runner. She will have improvement to come and is bred to get further, while the Soft to Heavy track shouldn't be an issue. From barrier 2, she might be able to land a bit closer and she should be hard to hold out at the business end. 

Diamond Eye has been knocking on the door of late and this looks to be her best chance yet of breaking the Maiden. The five-year-old was solid when 4th two starts ago at Sandown before stepping out over the 1400m at Sale and just missing out when unlucky as the exacta horse behind Coronationhercules. She was held up from the 500m to the 300m before running on, putting a big gap on the 3rd horse. The daughter of Saxon Warrior should be at her peak after three runs and is another that will handle the going. 

This looks to be a suitable assignment for Set Me Loose. The promising mare from the Lindsey Smith stable has had the four starts for two wins with the two victories coming at a combined margin of seven lengts. She resumed with a three-length romp in BenchMark 62 company at Seymour before tackling a Saturday race at Caulfield last time, placing 4th behind I’m Foxing. The daughter of Hanseatic comes in with a slight freshen up and took out a trial last week at Geelong. She should be ready and has the speed to cross over from the wide barrier. Expect her to be hard to get past at the business end. 

Keen on Express Class in Race 7. The four-year-old draws wide, which might not be a major disadvantage come Race 7 and drops in grade following a first up run that saw him place 8th at Caulfield behind Prince Tycoon. He settled back and made up some late ground to finish four lengths away, going more than six lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the best last start figure of any runner in the race. 1300m suits better and this is the easiest race he has contested in some time, having placed 7th in the Australian Guineas (1600m) earlier this year when beaten less than three lengths. Second up at his last campaign he was an improver on benchmark figures when landing just two lengths off them in the Manfred Stakes (1200m). He should be hard to beat.