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Ballarat hosts a competitive eight race card on Wednesday where a number of betting prospects present themselves.
The second half of the program features a number of progressive types and the opening leg of the quadrella commences with the Porter Plant Benchmark 64 Handicap.
In a ten horse field, the Danny O’Brien-trained Savatone shapes as an excellent play at near each way odds.
Savatone has commenced his career in most encouraging fashion, winning on debut over 1100m at Echuca before a closing fourth at Sandown earlier this month over 1200m.
Particularly encouraging about that display was the strength of opposition he produced the effort against.
The son of Savabeel produced the effort behind a number of promising types who have since franked the form.
Winner Secret Agenda has since finished second in the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley while runner up Spieth was a dominant maiden winner at Pakenham.
It is the form line you want to be following in the Porter Plant Benchmark 64 Handicap, particularly considering the upside Savatone brings into this contest.
By Savabeel, the colt should relish the step up to 1400m.
That combined with dropping from a strong Benchmark 70 to Benchmark 64 (albeit against older horses, Savatone shapes as hard to beat.
Under the guidance of James Winks, Savatone will likely settle at the rear of the field and be running on.
In his favour though is an anticipated solid early tempo which should see the colt rattling home off.
Cushy Number is currently the early favourite and deservedly so considering the strength of his latest outing at Bendigo.
It was his first look at a firm track since arriving in Victoria for Darren Weir and the result was a good one.
He attempted to make all on that occasion and was just left wanting over the final stages.
It was the first time the son of Northern Meteor had been ridden that positively and it may set the trend for the five-year-old moving forward.
Kaylee returns off a freshen up after a solid three starts through the winter which returned her a maiden win at Sale.
Hard Call was a convincing maiden winner at Ararat last start.
While he needs to lift for this, the gelding looks to possess plenty of upside and can continue progressing through the grades despite the strength of this contest.
Savatone at each way odds deserves plenty of respect in the Porter Plant Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m).