Globe and Unflinching are the two pencilled up shortest of all across the card and, while their place at the top of betting both assured and justified, both can be passed over at early prices. 

One that does look to represent good value for money is the favourite in the sixth on the card, Dashing.

Dashing is yet to chalk up the wins that one with his talent should - two from thirteen a modest return for one as good - but he has missed the four just once in this thirteen starts and that was when beaten less than two lengths in the Caulfield Guineas with a rating as good as anything else he has produced.  

Throw in a couple of runs where he has been stiff and we can say with confidence that he is very reliable. Reliable at a level that can win the race put in front of him on Saturday where he is one of five through the Mornington Guineas last time and the best of those five based on his effort there. 

He was picked off by one with talent but his rating went forward again. It has improved with each of five runs this time around and if that trend continues here then it will come as a surprise if he doesn't add another win. 

That's the gamble, of course, but the stage is well set for him and $3.30 as of Thursday is worth having. 

Several made the short list for the each-way play but the nod goes to Bless Her in race four with $11.00 seen as a good gamble in a race where several come off a 0 last time. 

It is the lack of recent form on offer that makes Unflinching stand out as favourite but Bless Her's best efforts will trouble him. 

The knocks are obvious. Five wins from 26 starts came in one five-run burst and that was some 994 days and 17 runs ago and her peaks have often been followed by sharp drop offs, but those peaks have come often enough to think we are a good chance of getting one this weekend and she's proven her wellbeing this preparation with two good runs at Bendigo and Mornington. 

THE MELBOURNE MAIL 

Best Of The Day: Race 6 #2 Dashing @ $3.30 

Each Way Play: Race 4 #4 Bless Her @ $11.00