Racing: Start with obvious at rare meeting

Secret Potion faces the dual challenges of her first trip away from home and a wide draw. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Punting: Multi-anchor standouts are Russley Rascal and Major Mark

Start with the obvious anchors then start looking for some value, is the best advice for punters at Addington's rare Saturday meeting today.

The premier fixture casts the spotlight on the age-group stars and while many of them will be short, they are a good base for multi bets, which will be available on all races from early morning.

The two most obvious multi anchors are stablemates Russley Rascal (R11, No 14) and Major Mark (R9, No 3). Both have looked the best of their age group this season and while Russley Rascal takes on older pacers it should matter little.

Trainer Mark Purdon is thrilled with the speedster's work and he has the sheer speed to overcome his second line draw.

Major Mark meets many of the best of his age in the $300,000 Sales Series Pace but is lucky this is one of the more average juvenile pacing crops of the past decade.

From barrier two he should be in front with a lap to go and win, with Cullen Bromac (No 9) the big danger and Muskeg Express (No 13) the best place value.

With the two small fish anchors out of the way punters should then look to Bettor's Strike (R10, No 7) and Charlie Wright (R4, No 11) as their next level of multi bets.

Bettor's Strike broke his own national 2600m stand record at Rangiora last Sunday and has the advantage of drawing inside key rival Baileys Dream in today's free-for-all.

The only concern for Bettor's Strike is he is usually better with his races spaced, so the six-day turnaround could mean you want around $2.50 to be getting serious about him.

Charlie Wright was given a nice pipe opener by trainer John Hay last Sunday and the giant pacer looks way better than two-win grade.

Drawn wide at the standing start suits him and he looks one of the better supporting grade chances today.

The trickiest race is also one of the group events, with the Nevele R Fillies final complicated by most of the favourites drawing poorly. De Lovely (R7, No 10) looks to be peaking at the right time but will need to clear the marker pegs early from one on the second line.

If she does she is the filly to beat as the race looks certain to be run at a scorching pace. That could also suit Lancome (No 9) with suggestions she will go back at the start and get on the three-wide train.

The question mark horse is Secret Potion (No 8).

She has been the best-performed filly in the north but faces the dual challenges of her first trip away from home and a wide draw.

She doesn't have the natural gate speed to overcome that early but if Nicole Molander can get her handy without burning too much gas she will be awfully hard to catch. Another northern winner in a feature today should be Paramount Geegee (R8, No 4), who has the manners and gate speed to down arch-rival Springbank Sam (No 2), who is as talented but not as safe at the moment.