Dick Powell’s Australian Pick of the Week for September 4

Race 6 at Seymour (Australia A) on Wednesday night is a maiden benchmark 58 handicap for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, going a mile around one sweeping left-handed turn. The track is expected to be “Soft 5” so it should be fair to everyone.

FREE International Past Performances every day at Brisnet.com!

#4 LA BELVA has shown good early speed in the past and should be tough if she breaks well against this paceless group. She has had three starts off the layoff on the synthetic track at Ballarat, leading gate to wire to break her maiden last out, and her speed ratings have progressed in her last three starts. Daughter of High Chaparral is out of an unraced daughter of Encosta De Lago who is a half-sister to a Group 3 stakes winner in New Zealand.

#6 SUNDELL has a win at the distance and a win on Soft ground. She beat this handicap level back in May then ran poorly when moved up one and two levels of handicap class. Even though she dropped down to this level two starts back, she was soundly beaten going 1 ¼ miles. Off for nine weeks, she returned with a good fifth going 6 ½ furlongs 10 days ago and now comes back 10 days later with a major rider upgrade to Luke Nolen.

#1 CLEVER BLAZE has to tote the highweight of 137 pounds but she draws the rail. Three starts back, she was a good third against this handicap level going seven furlongs then she was outrun in her next two starts when jumped up two class levels, but the last came going 1 ¼ miles. She’s been breaking slowly lately but has shown tactical speed in the past. Craig Williams gets the mount and sports a solid record on Soft turf.

La Belva should work out a favorable trip with her natural speed and hold off the closers.

Don’t forget Twin Spires’ Australian Racing Bet Back offer where you may receive $5 win bet back on Australian A tracks Monday through Thursday if you opt in and play at least four races on a single day using the new TwinSpires platform. If you finish second, you get up to $5 back per race with a maximum of $50 maximum bonus per player each week.