Tim O'Connor's Saturday best at Melton (20/06)

OVERVIEW: This is the final of a series that included heats at Bendigo, Geelong and Melton, and it’s easy to make a case for a number of runners in the big field. CARLA PIXIE (8) has a difficult barrier draw inside the second row, but she’s in a great patch of form at present and with even luck she will give this a big shake. She dead-heated with WITH APLOMB (6) in a qualifier at Geelong despite doing plenty of work and then clocked the best sections home when a very gallant runner-up to Artigas last Saturday night at Melton. She’s flying. NAKEDTRUTH (2) led and won his heat at Melton and looks the likely early leader again here, WITH APLOMB (6) has been airborne since joining Steve Cleave and just needs some luck from the gate to win, while KARBINE (13) has been dealt a horror barrier but the little fella won the Bendigo qualifier in dominant fashion and will be rattling late.

BACK: CARLA PIXIE (8) – 1 unit (each-way)

SELECTIONS: CARLA PIXIE (8), NAKEDTRUTH (2), WITH APLOMB (6), KARBINE (13)

OVERVIEW: Like race one, this is a final from heats run across three venues in recent times and brings together a quality field of pacers. MAJOR BLITZ (6) has built a picket fence of four wins since resuming in late April and has been dominant from the front on each occasion. Allan McDonough produced a perfectly-timed drive to grab the lead and win a qualifier at Ballarat, and it’s likely he will power forward from wide on the front row in a bid for the top. The one to beat. Ewa Justice jumped aboard GUNFORHIRE (1) to win and beat a few rivals that reoppose here at Melton on May 23 and returns with the aid of a lovely barrier one draw. He was well handled by MAJOR BLITZ (6) in that aforementioned heat, but is a good horse and looms as a big winning chance from the gate. KEAYANG SWEETHEART (2) was brave from the chair when second to DANCE AFFAIR (8) at Ballarat and has matched it with some very good horses so far in her career, while stablemate KEAYANG PAYTON (10) did a power of work and still ran second to MAJOR BLITZ (6) in the Ballarat prelude.

BACK: GUNFORHIRE (1) – 1 unit (each-way)

SELECTIONS: MAJOR BLITZ (6), GUNFORHIRE (1), KEAYANG SWEETHEART (2), KEAYANG PAYTON (10)

OVERVIEW: ALDEBARAN ABEL (5) really impressed when he peeled off the back of the well-fancied Keayang Tweetybird and gave her wind burn when a widening 10m winner at Bendigo on June 10. It followed a good first-up victory at Kilmore and solid third placing at Maryborough, with this race another very suitable assignment. Keen he runs well. PROHIBITED GRACE (2) looks the likely early leader, has really grown into herself this campaign and appears destined to fight out the finish based on recent form, ARTIGAS (6) is starting to live up to his considerable potential thanks to back-to-back triumphs at Maryborough and Melton, while LOCKSLEY CAVALIER (4) is a talented type resuming without a trial and returns after a fifth in the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series Final as a four-year-old late last year. Plenty of others can win, including the three widest on the back row in AVANT GUARD (9), JUST AS I AM (10) and KYVALLEY JUDGE (11).

SELECTIONS: ALDEBARAN ABEL (5), PROHIBITED GRACE (2), ARTIGAS (6), LOCKSLEY CAVALIER (4)

OVERVIEW: I absolutely loved the trial from MISS ARI (5) before her first-up effort at Melton on June 6. There she had no real chance of success given her position at the back of the field, but still ripped out a sizzling last half of 55.17 to run third behind Dynamitedan. She’s a fast horse, and from the better draw with a different race shape, I like her chances. This is a hot field, however. MOST EXCITING (6) is living up to his name and ran a ripper second from the death seat in a strong three-year-old contest at Melton on June 6, ALL OVER IT (8) won his first three career starts in brilliant fashion and then ran really well for third in a strong race at Maryborough latest, and while maybe a place chance at best, IN AN IDEAL WORLD (7) has been going well and is one to include for the minor end of trifectas and First 4s along with stablemates GALAXY LASS (2) and ANGELS WATCHING (4), and newly-crowned Warragul Pacing Cup champ LONGTAN VIPER (9).

SELECTIONS: MISS ARI (5), MOST EXCITING (6), ALL OVER IT (8), IN AN IDEAL WORLD (7)

OVERVIEW: Great battle here between DYNAMITEDAN (2) and LUVTOBEUPTOME (3), where the barrier draw looks to favour the former. DYNAMITEDAN (2) led and dashed quickly to win first-up at Melton on June 6 and looked very sharp in doing it. He appears the likely leader here and will be awfully hard to run down. That said, LUVTOBEUPTOME (3) is an exciting pacer from the Courtney Slater yard who also led and won a hot three-year-old contest first-up from a break on the same night as DYNAMITEDAN (2) scored victory. Can he sit parked and beat his key rival? It won’t be easy, but it certainly wouldn’t shock. The winner looks to come from those two runners, but HUGO ROCKS (1) was impressive closing hard for second at his first-up effort last weekend and draws perfectly, while KOMODO (8) is a handy customer from the Aaron Dunn yard who should also get a nice trip on the fence.

SELECTIONS: DYNAMITEDAN (2), LUVTOBEUPTOME (3), HUGO ROCKS (1), KOMODO (8)

OVERVIEW: The small field of nine should suit KARTIARE (9), who possesses a big finale and has started the campaign in good fashion. He looped his rivals from last first-up at Melton on May 23 and then settled towards the rear and closed nicely to be the first horse home off the pegs when fifth behind I Am The Storm a fortnight ago. I think he’s pretty good and it’s hard to see him not fighting out the finish. OZZIE CORKA (4) had been knocking on the door for victory with two-straight runner-up placings, but dropped out badly when leading last time. He has good gate speed and might find the front again here, but perhaps driver Daryl Douglas will decide to take cover this time. TARA VICTORY (6) can be a sharp improver drawn back on the front after an unsuitable gate and race shape first-up last weekend, while impressive last-start winner MEDINA (7) and MY LITTLE BO (8) are other key hopes.

BACK: KARTIARE (9) – 2 units (win)

SELECTIONS: KARTIARE (9), TARA VICTORY (6), OZZIE CORKA (4), MEDINA (7)

OVERVIEW: ROCKINWITHATTITUDE (6) won the Group 1 Macarthur Mile in her most recent outing at Menangle on May 2 and will be looking to head north for the Inter Dominion carnival with victory here. She tackled the pacers in a recent trial at Bendigo and was under pressure before galloping out of play, and while that’s not the ideal lead-up, she looms as a major player in this free-for-all contest. She’s a star, and I expect her to lead and give a huge sight. The in-form KEAYANG STUKA (4) led, handed up and went within a head of beating the smart Lovemeto last weekend at Melton, MECARNO (2) battled away bravely for fifth when off the fence in a fast-run race first-up as a four-year-old a fortnight ago and just needs a better trip to be a major winning chance, while ARCEE PHOENIX (5) needs to improve on his first-up run in that same race, but is a multiple Group 1 winner who will be needing to perform well to warrant an Inter Dominion title defence.

SELECTIONS: ROCKINWITHATTITUDE (6), KEAYANG STUKA (4), MECARNO (2), ARCEE PHOENIX (5)

OVERVIEW: BAY OF BISCAY (6) broke through for his first win of the campaign when working to the lead and dashing too quickly in the Maryborough Pacing Cup during late May. There’s a good chance he’s able to stroll to the top again here, and while he could win from anywhere, it’d be nearly game over if he got the front. Stablemate FOX DAN (3) is a Victoria Derby winner who handed up and then couldn’t reel in Oliver Dan in a race a few of these contested a fortnight ago, ULTIMATE VINNIE (2) was outstanding in that same clash and is expected to run well again if he gets to the fence, while MY ULTIMATE BARNEY (4) was stuck in the chair there and faded into fifth, but is a good horse who can figure with the right trip.

BACK: BAY OF BISCAY (6) – 2 units (win)

SELECTIONS: BAY OF BISCAY (6), FOX DAN (3), ULTIMATE VINNIE (2), MY ULTIMATE BARNEY (4)

OVERVIEW: VYTIS (6) ran a great race from the chair when third first-up from a break last weekend, boxing on bravely to beat home three rivals that reoppose here. He was right at the top end of things during his two and three-year-old seasons, and looks to have come back in good order. He’s a classy Group 1 winner and I’m happy his way despite the wide front row gate. MUSKEE (8) hurt his chances with an early mistake in that same race last weekend, but won his past two before that and is a major hope, opportunist LITTLE YANKEE (5) slides back from free-for-all grade and is right up to this class, while MITCHELL WRAP (2) and last-start Melton winner RINGER WELLS (3) are next best.

BACK: VYTIS (6) – 2 units (win)

SELECTIONS: VYTIS (6), MUSKEE (8), LITTLE YANKEE (5), MITCHELL WRAP (2)

OVERVIEW: THE ART OF SUCCESS (3) is a really progressive mare from the Emma Stewart barn who is looking to land a sixth-straight win. There were questions around her gate speed last time, but she led easily and won in good style. I expect her to find the top here and she might be too good again. Stablemate STORMS COLLIDE (7) was among the top echelon of pacers in this state at two and three, and returns to the races for his first start as a four-year-old. He has two good trials to his name and is sure to run well. SOAP AND BUBBBLES (1) draws for a great trip and is in top form, while LE BELLE BIJOUX (2) is also racing well and won’t be far away.

SELECTIONS: THE ART OF SUCCESS (3), STORMS COLLIDE (7), SOAP AND BUBBBLES (1), LE BELLE BIJOUX (2)