Harness Racing: Ultimate way to boost your bank

Ultimate Machete is the way to begin your multis at the Park this afternoon.

Today looks like multi-bet heaven at Alexandra Park but when it comes to punting, heaven can quickly turn into hell.

The problem isn't the horses or even the odds on offer. The problem with multi betting is you, and me. Because we punters can be greedy.

The array of short priced, should-be-too-good hot favourites racing at today's twilight Auckland Cup meeting is like your Christmas dinner.

It's all spread out in front of you, too tempting to ignore, but when you grab too much you end up regretting it afterwards.

Because when it comes to multi betting - which has become a staple of the harness racing punters' diet - it only takes one horse too many to ruin the entire day.

So let's start with the simple stuff today, the bankers who should pose little risk but add percentage.

Ultimate Machete (R7, No 6) should be the no-brainer.

He has been too strong, too fast and way too good for all he meets today so far this season and with this race worth $200,000 the money for getting out of his way and settling for second or third is still juicy.

So he should work his way to the lead and beat Jack's Legend (2), On The Rantan (1), More The Better (11) or the improved Motu Meteor (3).

So that adds 19 per cent to your multi, and you should easily add another 37 per cent ($1.37 fixed price) via Spanish Armada (R5, No 8).

Her draw doesn't look great but she sat parked outside her main, and you could say only real rival in Delightful Memphis and beat her last start.

If both fillies perform to the same level again then Spanish Armada should win again. Simple as that.

That multi alone equals $1.6 but not many punters are going to stop there and the three other hotpots for the day all have some concerns.

Marcoola (R8, No 8) was amazing at Cambridge last week but key rivals Bordeaux (No 9), Sunny Ruby (No 7) and Quite A Moment (No 6) all had excuses.

Marcoola should win but is going to have to cover extra ground and is far from guaranteed the lead when he does make his move so his $1.20 price is not good shopping compared with the similar quote for Ultimate Machete.

So, don't be greedy and leave the National Trot out of your multi.

The same could be said for the Cup because while Titan Banner (R9, No 4) and Dream About Me (No 9) are both unbeaten at The Park and stand out, if you add one you are betting against the other in a race that may be decided by standing start manners, luck and tempo.

Titan Banner looks the safer bet but $2.40 is hardly encouraging when taking on Dream About Me, Christen Me, Chase The Dream and other proven open classers like Hughie Green and Tiger Tara (both 3200m Cup runner-ups).

Because of the All Stars factor it would be easy to throw in Vincent (R2, No 7), especially as he is on his way to the Victoria Derby and won from a standing start last time.

What his formline doesn't show is that he started from the outside with plenty of room to move and still got fractious pre-start before that win and today he finds himself a 3-year-old colt sandwiched between two mares on the 10m line.

So at $2 he might still be value, any less and let him go.

One of the better multi options might be Gupta's Cullen (R4, No 6).

Drawn the best of the favourites she makes the most appeal to add to your Ultimate Machete-Spanish Armada multi.

And if you can't wait to start your punting day at 3.03pm then the opening two-year-old race looks a classic race in two.

Alta Maestro (R1, No 6) was faultless, all manners and power, winning a similar race two weeks ago and can repeat but Spankem (No 7) was cutting into his lead late and is likely to improve after her had an interrupted preparation leading into that debut.

There won't be much between them in the markets but Spankem might turn the tables.