Top bets from Ben Dorries for Saturday

Ben Dorries - Friday September 8

A small and select group of bets for me Saturday but I'm very keen to have something on Winx's little brother at double figure odds.

Winx is always a moral when she goes around but Ben Dorries is loving the $13 you can get on her little brother on Saturday Photo: Darryl Sherer

MYSTIC OPAL (Doomben Race 4 No 6)
Not a bad Open Handicap this, and I'm keen to be on Mystic Opal after she put the writing on the wall last Saturday with a flashing lights effort on resuming. Chris Anderson's mare was a big betting drifter first-up yet charged home to only be narrowly beaten by the talented Havasay, the $1.28 favourite. To my eye, Mystic Opal should have won after being held up behind a slow one before powering late. There should be good speed in this to enable Mystic Opal to sit off them from barrier one and run over the top of them. An extra 150m suits perfectly.
BET: WIN
ODDS $4.60 @ CrownBet  

MISSROCK (Moonee Valley Race 5 No 4)
I love, love, love the Queenslander Houtzen but she is rock-bottom odds in a race where you can give six of the seven runners a hope. I kept defaulting back to one question. Why can you get $10 about Missrock when Heatherly is only $6? Missrock beat Heatherly fair and square last time. Yes, Missrock stays at 1000m and that is probably a negative but trainer Robbie Laing is no dope. There will be stacks of speed here in a hot race with Houtzen, Heatherly and potentially Russian Revolution all set to go like the clappers. Damien Oliver will be smoking his pipe behind them and don't forget Missrock ran the fastest last 200m of the day last time. Previous form running second behind Vega Magic in the Group I Goodwood looks outstanding.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $10 @ Bet365

EL DIVINO (Moonee Valley Race 7 No 10)
El Divino was always going to be on a hiding to nothing, given he is Winx's younger brother. But at $13 here, he represents outstanding each-way value. The Darren Weir stablemate Brave Smash is obviously very good, just going down to Vega Magic last start, and he could just blow them away. But leave me out of the $1.60 thanks. El Divino is certainly no Winx but he gets plenty of things to suit here. Was clearly run off his legs first-up at 1000m but kept coming in a sure sign the 1200m here will be much more to his liking. Finished alongside Keen Array last time but now meets that horse much better at the weights. El Divino may have only won two from 10 but he did beat Astern in the early days and has only just been beaten by Tivaci. Lovely each-way bet with more going on at the place at $3.20.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS $13 @ CrownBet Sportsbet Ladbrokes, Bet365

Advertisment
More Reading...
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.