THE Hamilton Racing Club have themed up around Sheepvention week with today’s AG Day thoroughbred meeting.
Racing fans and families have the opportunity of a social gathering before the traditional Sunday/Monday Sheepvention festivities.
In the spirit of the upcoming week, arts and crafts including learning how to weave and knit will keep those inclined busy, while kids of all ages get to enjoy all the free indoor activities.
Add in seven races with good-sized fields and it looks the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
The task of finding a winner looks a tough assignment, therefore good odds are assured if you can land a couple.
I have found three horses as my best bets and two trainers to follow throughout the meeting.
Tony and Calvin McEvoy have the lightly raced former New Zealand gelding Hand Me Down running in the Sheepvention ‘See Ewe There’ Maiden Plate over 1600m.
After a debut run in New Zealand, he found his way across the ditch and his first run for the stable was fifth as a short-priced favourite on the Ballarat synthetic last month.
By Zed, the five-year-old looks suited back on the turf and should prove hard to beat, albeit as a short-priced commodity.
The Peter Chow-trained Idon’tgetit is enjoying the wet tracks and looks a great chance in the Walkers Earthworks 0-58 Handicap over 2200m.
A recent win at Casterton, followed by two placings at Ballarat and Warrnambool over 2000m, should see him have little trouble with the extra 200m of this race.
Melissa Julius knows the horse well and despite a wide barrier should be in the finish.
Chow has a nice team at the meeting including Prophet’s Choice in the Star Printing 0-58 Handicap over 1100m.
Sugar and Sweet is a weekend dual acceptor, both here and at Sandown tomorrow.
If Stawell-based trainer, Rachael Samsonenko, decides to trek to Hamilton, the gelding looks a great chance at his third run from a spell.
With a liking for wet tracks on the back of a solid fourth at Ballarat behind recent city winner Roadie, plenty of boxes have been ticked.
Jarrod Fry takes the ride and from a nice barrier could dictate from the front.
While we always look at regional trainers like Symon Wilde, Lindsey Smith and Paul Preusker for winners, one trainer I have identified with a truck load of runners is Cranbourne-based horseman, Matthew Brown.
With five runners across the day, he looks to have targeted races with two of them.
Barriers haven’t been kind with both, but a likely Heavy track likely may offset that to a degree.
Rip ‘N’ Rip lines up in the Jockey Celebration Day Maiden Plate after an encouraging debut third at Moe last month.
An extra 200m with Campbell Rawiller riding helps, despite drawing barrier 14.
Hurricane Ketut took 16 starts to break his maiden last start at Seymour, but often you see horses go back-to-back when they find the winning post for the first time.
Despite the wide gate, Rawiller will be keen to make it a double.
Brown’s other runners are Justa Buddy and King Zeus in race three and Cryptic Clue in race six.
The best of the locally-trained runners could be Kasami for Bec Winnell.
After leading up at Casterton last weekend, the mare held on well for fifth and any fitness improvement after two runs from a break could see her sneak into a place.
Racing begins at 1.11pm and finishes at 4.46pm with gates opening at 11am.

Morg’s selections
Race 1: Chimed, Carashan Chloe, Lembeh.
Race 2: Rip ‘N’ Rip, Knuckle, Hold The Phone.
Race 3: Hand Me Down, Baby Bueti, King Zeus.
Race 4: Sugar And Sweet, Loose On Gin, Mo’s Stash.
Race 5: Idon’tgetit, Emerging, Tolerance.
Race 6: Prophet’s Choice, Brazen Brando, San Marino.
Race 7: Hurricane Ketut, Adrett, Tylden.