Betting tips / Gary Crispe / 16 February 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

So Real is the gelding Timeform's Gary Crispe believes can return to winning form in today's final race in race 8 at Seymour.

The RB68 showcase, over 1200m, looks ideal for the Leon Corstens-trained So Real, which has been honest in six career runs to date.

The gelding finished fourth on debut then fifth next start before he was tipped out for a spell. Resuming over 1000m on the synthetic track at Geelong, he led throughout before clearing out with a 3.8-length win as a short-priced favourite.

Returning there next start for a class 1, he again led but this time faces far more pressure. He lifted strongly in the straight though and hung on for another good win, albeit narrowly.

Corstens then gave So Real another spell before he resumed in this class in another showcase race over 1000m at Bendigo. Drawing wide he raced up to sit just off the speed before boxing on well for a 2.5-length third.

Last start he headed to town for a non-metropolitan winners race over 1200m at Moonee Valley where he crossed to lead early but drifted back to third, then fourth as he was shuffled back. Coming to the bend he was stuck behind tiring horses and turned midfield but lifted strongly once clear and got home into fourth, less than two lengths from Side Splitter.

That last-up effort was strong under the circumstances, and although up in weight here will find this easier and is certainly worth another chance. He's fitter, has drawn okay and should take running down.

The Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained Muhaajir made a winning Victorian debut and might now go on with it.

Muhaajir has spent the first part of his career racing in Sydney and had run some good races without winning, including a fourth in the Listed Black Opal Stakes in Canberra followed by a fifth in the Group 3 Baillieu Stakes at Rosehill. He finished that autumn with a ninth after a tough run on heavy ground in the Listed Fernhill Stakes over a mile at Randwick.

In the spring, he raced only once, in a maiden at Warwick Farm, and after drawing wide and sitting deep throughout faded to finish fifth and went out for another spell.

The gelding was sent down to Victoria to kick off this campaign, which was over 1100m at Werribee. Sitting second and racing there throughout, he kicked away in the straight to score a 1.8-length win over Random.

Muhaajir will be fitter for that run and will no doubt take some confidence from the maiden win. He drops in weight, with winning rider Dwayne Dunn stays aboard, and has always shown a bit of ability. Now he's broken through, he might just go on with it!

There don't appear that many other winning chances with that pair likely to be fighting out the finish, although one other horse is worth a look.

Wingardium Leviosa is racing well this campaign and although back in journey can run into the finish.

The gelding ran on well to score fresh at Wodonga then was runner up here in an RB72 when racing on the speed and losing in a photo finish. He wasn't far away next start over 1400m at Flemington despite finishing seventh then stepped up to a mile last time here in this class and worked home strongly for a narrow third.

He has been kept fresh for this and with the big weight, wide gate and shorter trip is likely to get back but should be hard to hold out.


GARY'S HOT PICKS FOR RACE 8@SEYMOUR
(1) So Real
(2) Muhaajir
(3) Wingardium Leviosa