Ballarat Tips & Preview | Wednesday 2 April

BRAZEN DIVA (2) has the superior form lines here having run third to the currently unbeaten Tonkin on debut at Mornington in January. 

The filly by Brazen Beau has held her form nicely in similar contests right across Melbourne this prep, finishing a half length off the winner at Werribee second-up, before weakening up on the speed to settle for third at Kyneton in her latest. 

She returns on Wednesday off a decent five-week let-up, but with Blake Shinn engaged from barrier 2, she may not find an easier race to shed her maiden tag than this. 

We’re getting a good price here for FOX MAN (4), who was done right on the line at Warrnambool last time out after doing all the hard work up on the speed. 

Andrew Bobbin’s gelding was beaten narrowly on the quick eight-day back up, another game effort after looking as though he’d make every post a winner on the inside. 

Jack Hill returning to the saddle is a big plus and on recent form, he shouldn’t be a maiden for much longer. 

GRAMMY’S SUNSHINE (8) was down to race at Geelong on Tuesday, but connections have decided to take on this 1200m contest instead. 

This is a tougher race, but the McEvoy-trained filly looks up to it based on her two winning trials leading in, while she was far from disgraced on debut at Headquarters last year when finishing midfield in the 2YO Inglis Banner race.  

Drawn perfectly to get back just off the speed and run on, this looks like a perfect race for her to kick off her campaign with a win. 

JUDGE JENNI (10) looks ready for the step out to 2000m coming off two solid runs over the mile.  

Lindsey Smith’s four-year-old maiden returned from a five-week break to run second at Terang last start off a wide gate, and she now goes around on a quick 10-day backup with Craig Newitt still in the irons. 

The daughter of Justify has been super honest all prep, finding the money in each of her three starts. With growing fitness on her side, she should measure up here if she gets the right ride off the speed.  

BLUSHING TYCOON (3) comes back to compete over the mile off a tough run over further at Sandown a couple of weeks ago. 

The six-year-old son of Written Tycoon was facing the breeze into the turn, but I thought he stuck on well to fight back and run second behind Khor.  

There’s no real knock on his fitness this deep into his prep and he did win over the mile here close to this time last year. 

Keen to see what CORDINA (6) can produce here up to midweek level comng off such a brilliant win on debut at Kilmore a couple of weeks ago. 

The Waterhouse/Bott filly gave nothing else a chance under Blake Shinn, settling up on the speed and bolting in to win by 2.5 lengths under hands and heels. 

The pair combine again here from an awkward gate, but if she settles handy again and is within striking distance out of the turn, she’ll be very hard to hold out.  

The blinkers come off the Irish raider SOUL OF SPAIN (10), who was far from disgraced at Sandown on debut over the mile a fortnight ago.  

This extra rise in trip is a big plus with a handful of wins to his name over further back home at Thurles, and although he’ll want even further, the extra distance should allow him more time to work through the gears. 

The wide gate is the only knock, but Chris Waller tends to get it right with his international raiders, so the price about this boy looks like great value in an open race.  

SOREL RISING (1) strikes another winnable race with growing fitness on his side. 

The five-year-old son to Russian Revolution has raced well without winning this prep, returning a place in his last two starts at Bendigo where he’s missed out only narrowly over his final few strides on both occasions. 

He’ll need to be good early to offset the gate and get back off the speed, but this rise out to 1400m looks perfect for him with the claim put to good use.