8 sensational heats of the 2017 Healesville Cup are set to take place with the best sprinters in the state and country looking to qualify for the $25k Group 3 final next Sunday.
All heats are stacked with talent and some very difficult heats but we have found some nice selections that can fill our pockets.
In heat 1 ASTON DEE BEE (7) looks the one to beat. He is coming off a 3rd placing in the Group 1 Nationals Final at Albion Park and this looks a good opportunity for him to get back on the winners list. He has never had a race start here but he would of seen the track plenty of times with the Thompson kennel using the Healesville straight track for trials between runs. Drawn on the right side of the track and should get nice room to move. I also like number 2 PAUA TO AVOID who has a great record here up the straight. If ASTON DEE BEE happens to miss the jump I think PAUA TO AVOID can be off and gone.
WIN BET – ASTON DEE BEE
EACH WAY BET – PAUA TO AVOID (1 x 3)
Heat 3 sees last start Shepparton Cup winner ZINZAN BROOKE jumping from box 6 and he looks very hard to beat. He has had 5 weeks off since his last run but he has had two very fast trials at Healesville in preparation for this assignment. Track record could be in danger! BANJO SHARK has drawn well in box 1 and he is very experienced up the straight winning the Healesville Derby earlier in the year. Very much the same as Aston Dee Bee in heat 1, if ZINZAN BROOKE is to miss it and get held up BANJO SHARK can run away with this but I am happier to have him as a place bet.
WIN BET – ZINZAN BROOKE
PLACE BET – BANJO SHARK
In heat 4 I am selecting Group 1 winner MAJA MAHI MAHI who jumps from box 4. She has had one race start at the track for a flying 19.11 and if the track is quick today I expect her to break the 19 seconds. She is a very reliable beginner and trained by Ashlee Terry she will be very well set for this. Obvious danger is the sport priced favourite number 1 JUDICIAL MAN who has a very impressive record but I was just a touch disappointed with his run last week here over the 300m. He deserves to be favourite with a great record from box 1 and a flying PB at the track but I am willing to go against him here.
WIN BET – MAJA MAHI MAHI
Trainer Ashlee Terry will be looking to make it a running double and a running double for us here at Punting Stars when she puts the lead and collar on her sprinting star BURN LIKE FIRE in heat 5. BURN LIKE FIRE is a short priced favourite here but with a very impressive record at the track and spending plenty of time trialling at Healesville she looks extremely hard to beat. Expect her to be winning this and running some very serious time.
WIN BET – BURN LIKE FIRE
LUCKY CHAP for gun trainer Anthony Azzopardi has been backed off the map here for the 7th heat opening around the $2.50 mark and now into as short as $1.25. Anthony is another trainer that likes to use Healesville to trial so expect LUCKY CHAP to be very familiar to the straight track here despite not having a race start. At his best he will win by a long way here and from the market it looks like he is 100% ready to fire.
WIN BET – LUCKY CHAP
The final opportunity for runners to make it to the $25K final next week sees a very open contest. Last years Healesville Cup winner ZIPPING ARNOLD jumps from box 2, Mildura trained speedster JACQUI BLAX jumps from box 3 and Healesville flying machine OUR REAL DEAL jumps from box 4 but I am selecting the NSW chaser TOUGH LOVE (5) who has just joined the kennels of Kel Greenough. TOUGH LOVE was schooled at NSW straight track Appin with his owner Harry Markou so expect him to handle the track to perfection. He has been in the Greenough kennel for 5 weeks now so he would of had trials at Healesville in preparation for this. He will need a touch of luck from box 5 especially with OUR REAL DEAL being a wide runner in box 4 but with an ounce of luck he will be hitting the line strongly. Looks a nice each way bet to end the day.
EACH WAY BET – TOUGH LOVE
Good luck & Happy Punting!