The Summer season of racing is in full swing in Queensland over the Christmas period with momentum building towards the Magic Millions.
Saturday is a real moving day for the two-year-olds heading to the Gold Coast both at Randwick where the clash between the Breeders and the Gimcrack winner takes centre stage and at Doomben where Miss Coota is put to a tougher test having looked very sharp in two wins against lesser horses to date.
Miss Coota is short enough in early betting, and the soft lean would be towards The Novelist who won in good style at Kembla Grange, but the race is perhaps best watched for the future and betting opportunities present themselves elsewhere.
The Bernborough is a clash between the local form and the visitors off a high-pressure Ingham and it is the latter that appeals more.
Aramayo was terrific in that Ingham, moving back towards his best form, and that makes him tempting, but Skyman seems more reliable in the right spots and this is his right spot.
For such a meticulous stable the Waller yard are happy to leave themselves at the complete mercy of barriers and Skyman is the embodiment of that.
Wide draws have led to non-events in three recent runs but low draws saw him better managed in a couple of runs prior and under neutral tactics Skyman is as reliable as any.
It is enough to tip the balance to Skyman who can be backed on the third line at the moment and at odds that appeal.
The Bernborough is followed by the Falvelon. Not quite the same horse but the race named in his honour holds up - not just on the track but off it in the betting ring.
King Of Sparta, Garibaldi and Shooting For Gold have all clashed in the past, Shooting For Gold the victor in those meetings, and that trio fronts the betting on Saturday.
The next in line, Zethus, looks like slotting right in with two wins this prep (admittedly with two flat runs in between) measuring right up and at 9/1 he seems slightly overlooked by the betting.
It does his chances no harm that he has James Orman to point him around Doomben with only Ryan Maloney putting up numbers in his sphere in metro Queensland this season.
It is no coincidence that the Brissie Best's pen lands on horses ridden by that pair.
THE BRISBANE BEST
Bet Of The Day: Race 7 #2 Skyman @ $5.00
Each Way Play: Race 8 #6 Zethus @ $10.00
