Trent’s Tips – Saturday Best Bets 17th January

Saturday harness racing features a match race between champion Leap To Fame and rising superstar Kingman in the Group 3 Shepparton Gold Cup (2690m).

The Group 3 Shepparton Trotters Cup (2690m) features star trotter Arcee Phoenix competing against Im Bobby and Gotfeelingsyouknow. The free for all looks a competitive race and the 3YO event on the program sees unbeaten filly Quatro Moth from the powerful Emma Stewart stable.

Looking at Menangle, Swayzee is expected to win again, while his Jason Grimson-trained stablemates Captains Mistress, Still Rollin and Demon Blue contest the New Years Gift Final.

Here are our best bets for Saturday night’s harness racing action.

Saturday Harness Racing Best Bets January 17

Albany

Race 4

KEPTAIN COURAGEOUS (8) is knocking on the door with a pair of placings over course and distance. Trent Wheeler jumps in the sulky which looks a positive and barrier two on the second row could be a good draw as Wheeler can bide his time before working into the race.

LETS ROCK TONIGHT (1) comes up with the inside barrier and that should see an improved effort for the Jemma Collins-trained runner. His last three runs have been full of merit, so he has solid each-way claims here. THE BEACH MASTER (9) will follow Keptain Courageous and the class drop may be able to help him find some form, while FUNKY MUSIC (7) has a soft draw and can run well.

Tips: 8-1-7-9

KEPTAIN COURAGEOUS (8) to win

Race 5

The Albany Cup (2690m) is held over the staying trip and features five Hayden Reeves-trained runners for the 2026 edition. There is a class runner in the race in the form of the Simone Strachan-trained ARIONROCK (10) who does most of his racing at Gloucester Park. Three starts back, he won at Northam, rating 1:56.3, 57.3, which is good going for NR 63 to 70 grade. Abbey Vidovich continues to drive the five-year-old gelding and Arionrock should prove hardest to beat.

MAJIC BAY (9) was impressive winning here last start over the 2265m when making a three-wide run and surging to the lead with around 400m left to travel. Majic Bay was able to hold off THOMSON BAY (8) on the line. The runner up from that has strong each-way claims here.

DEL BOCAVISTA BAY (6) is mixing his form but his best work is good enough.

Tips: 10-8-9-6

ARIONROCK (10) to win

Albion Park

Race 4

The open class race at Albion Park features a field of seven and there will be plenty of intrigue here with SPEAK THE TRUTH (2) back from a freshen-up that saw him run second to Leap To Fame. IM THE FALCON NZ (5) leaves Jason Grimson to join Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen. He has had a trial in 1:52.7, 54.8, 27.4.

JIMARTEE (1) for trainer Cristina Monte draws barrier one and could use his gate speed to hold up. He led throughout to win the Group 3 Inter Dominion Consolation (2680m) last year. Both runs this campaign have been good and the nine-year-old should be ready to go.

TIMS A TROOPER (3) is in stellar form and looks right in this too. He can face the breeze if they need to, as shown by his win two starts ago.

Tips: 1-2-3-5

JIMARTEE (1) to win

Menangle

Race 5

The fast-class race at headquarters should be a one-act affair with Jason Grimson’s megastar pacer SWAYZEE (10) going around as the $1.04 favourite. They bypassed the Shepparton Gold Cup this week and it’s hard to see how they beat Swayzee here. Cam Hart can press forward, find the lead, and put them away when he chooses to press the button. His win in the Goulburn Cup (2240m) is one of the biggest wins you will ever see, so check out the replay by clicking here.

PERFECT STRIDE NZ (5) ran a blinder last week for trainer Darren Binskin who continues to let rising young gun driver Jye Coney steer. Rakero Rocket was phenomenal in 1:47.3, but Perfect Stride chased gamely, finishing 14.6m away after racing off the pegs. Has very strong place claims and that’s how I am going here.

I BREAK THE LINE (2), UNFAZED NZ (4) and UBETCHA TIGERPIE (9) are the other key place hopes in this race.

Tips: 10-5-2-4

PERFECT STRIDE NZ (5) to place

Race 6

Heats have been run and won and now it is time for the $30,600 New Years Gift Final (1609m) and it will be a huge shock if trainer Jason Grimson doesn’t land the winner. Classy four-year-old mare CAPTAINS MISTRESS NZ (8) made it a winning debut for the Grimson stable as she won her heat by 18.6m in 1:50.0, 52.9, 25.3. Those splits are incredible and Hart sticks with her.

Stablemate STILL ROLLIN NZ (1) who also joined Grimson won his heat in 1:49.7, 54.0, 27.0. Jack Callaghan picks up the drive and will look to hand up to Captains Mistress and from there, look a strong chance of being the Quinella.

BUSINESS IN HEAVEN (2) from the good draw, THALASSOPHOBIA (5), PABLO ROCKS (9) and DEMON BLUE NZ (12) are the most likely running for minor prizemoney.

Tips: 8-1-5-9

Exacta: 8 / 1

Trifecta: 8 / 1 / 2,5,9,12

Shepparton

Race 5

The Group 3 Shepparton Trotters Cup (2690m) looks a match race between IM BOBBY (2) and ARCEE PHOENIX (4) and they both come out of the Group 1 Maori Mile (1720m) won by Keayang Zahara.

Im Bobby has the gate speed to hold but may elect to hand up over the staying distance as Chris Svanosio may issue the early challenge with Arcee Phoenix. Neither trotter boasts a great record over the staying trip with Arcee Phoenix 10-1-1-2 and Im Bobby 4-0-1-0 in races over 2600m, but the remaining opposition are not up to the class of the two favourites.

GOTFEELINGSYOUKNOW (6) and MITCHELL WRAP (3) are next best.

Not super keen to get involved here, so prefer to just watch them go around.

Tips: 4-2-6-3

Race 7

Here we go! A small field of five runners and no disrespect to three of them in the race, but this is a heavyweight clash between Grant Dixon’s LEAP TO FAME (3) and Luke McCarthy’s KINGMAN NZ (1).

Career credentials are firmly in favour of the older Leap To Fame who is a seven-year-old with 61 wins from 78 starts, and a cool $5 million in lifetime stakes. Recent clashes though, are in favour of the five-year-old Kingman, the winner of 15 races from 36 starts and $956,719 in the bank. Kingman captured the Group 1 Victoria Cup (2240m) and Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Cup (3200m) over Leap To Fame.

With the inside draw advantage and options, I am siding with Kingman who can try and lead throughout, copping pressure from Leap To Fame, or taking the trail and trying to outsprint him late, something that has been done by Bulletproof Boy and District Attorney previously.

OUR LUCIANO (4) is most likely to run third.

Tips: 1-3-4-5

KINGMAN NZ (1) to win

Race 8

A competitive FFA event where some of the main chances have been racing each other recently. SMOKEN ACE NZ (5) has brilliant gate speed and should burn across them early with James Herbertson driving. Two starts back at Melton, Smoken Ace crossed before handing up to CALEXICO (3). LOUIE LOU I NZ (4) also has gate speed but not sure they get involved with the horses that are drawn either side of him.

Smoken Ace was a Geelong winner three starts ago in a track record 1:51.2 and has since been runner-up on two occasions. Happy to go with him on top as Herby will have options.

Louie Lou I continues to hold good form, including a win over Smoken Ace at Cranbourne two starts ago. He was another good run at Melton from back in the field and the market continues to offer nice value for this horse, so happy to back him also.

TANGO TARA NZ (7) is first up since July 2025 when he competed in the Inter Dominion series at Albion Park. Prefer to see him race before entertaining him, especially after drawing barrier seven.

Tips: 5-4-3-7

SMOKEN ACE NZ (5) to win

LOUIE LOU I NZ (4) to win

For complete Saturday night harness racing fields, click here.

by Trent Orwin for Harnesslink