Pakenham Racing Tips for August 24 – Hot Too Go bang in the last at Pakehman

Here are our best bets from the meeting, which also feature in our daily selections.

Vespasian can break through for his maiden win in the opener. The Hayes-trained galloper was solid given the circumstances on the Synthetic at Ballarat over 1500m two starts ago, settling handy to a fierce tempo that was more than six lengths faster than standard to the 600m. He battled on well to finish 5th, beaten three lengths, before leading at Geelong last time out and again setting a strong tempo, only going down by a length to Frank Whisper in 3rd. The son of I Am Invincible comes in with the best last-start benchmark figures of any runner in the field and should be nearing peak fitness after three runs this preparation. Barrier 2 should also allow him to take up a prominent position without having to work too hard early, giving him every chance to break the maiden.

Going with Aubaine in Race 2. The four-year-old was unable to place in three runs at his first preparation then was gelded and looked right at home on the Synthetic here at Pakenham earlier this month when runner-up behind Earthling. He settled handy and did all the chasing with the fastest 400m-200m split but the winner had led and pinched a break. At his only other second up run, the Price/Kent Jnr galloper spiked big time on figures when going from a well beaten 9th at Ballarat to a 4th at Sale. He is likely to settle midfield behind a suitable tempo and should be right in the thick of the action at the business end of the race. 

He has been a bit of a bridesmaid with four placings from six starts, but all going well, Covert Mission can break the duck in Race 4. The four-year-old has had two runs this preparation, failing to handle the Heavy ground when resuming at Seymour before tackling the Synthetic for the first time at the August 16 meeting here, where he finished runner-up behind Phillip Island. He was just a touch keen after settling handy and couldn’t quite reel in the eventual winner but should take plenty from that outing. He draws to enjoy the run of the race from barrier 4 and, third-up, should be ready to peak. 

Nice race to finish off and Hot Too Go just has to handle the surface to be a major factor. The Danny O’Brien-trained galloper has had three runs this time in and narrowly missed in BenchMark 78 company in Adelaide when stepping from the mile to the 1973m two starts ago then was handy on a strong tempo over the 2250m when a bit one paced in the latter stages, placing 4th behind Miracle Spin. He has gone 5.5 lengths faster than standard or better in all three so far, which compares well to his rivals in this race. Fourth up at his last prep he improved nine lengths on figures when 7th in a Saturday race over the 1700m at Caulfield on Guineas day last year before winning over the 2040m during the Manikato Stakes meeting at the Valley.