Belmont hosts Thursday's Western Australian racing action on November 5, with a mix of lightly raced prospects and established performers across the program.
Recent trial performances and race fitness provide some interesting angles, particularly for runners returning from spells or looking to build on their latest efforts.
Our latest Belmont tips and form analysis highlight the leading chances, with broader racing and sports coverage available through
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Belmont Tips November 5
MC Equine Surfaces Maiden Tips (Race 3)
Belmont Best Bet - Race 3 No. 3 Just Kick
A return to her best Victorian form would make Just Kick extremely difficult to beat on her Western Australian debut, with the mare bringing some strong metropolitan and stakes performances into a Belmont maiden.
Although yet to break through in nine career appearances, the daughter of Staphanos has regularly competed against considerably stronger opposition, including a stakes placing as a two-year-old and several respectable performances in quality company.
Much of her better form has come fresh, including a metropolitan third at Sandown when resuming in August last year, while her latest first-up appearance resulted in a fourth at Group 3 level at Caulfield in March.
Two recent trials have provided a suitable foundation for her return, with the mare not fully extended in the first before being ridden more positively in the latest, where she made significant ground from the rear in an encouraging piece of work.
Those established form lines make Just Kick the obvious starting point in a maiden of this nature, although Diamond Jack is an outsider worth keeping safe at a big price, with the lightly raced gelding progressing steadily despite potentially needing another preparation to reach his best.
Liquor Barons Handicap Tips (Race 5)
Belmont Value Bet - Race 5 No. 6 Guns Away
There may be more improvement to come from Guns Away now fourth-up, with the five-year-old having required several runs to reach his peak during his first preparation and potentially following a similar pattern this campaign.
His return over 1700m at Belmont on September 2 was effectively a conditioning exercise, with the gelding taken back and showing little intent, before an interrupted passage contributed to an even second-up performance over 2200m at Northam on September 23.
More was expected at Bunbury on October 7 when he started at single-figure odds in a 2200m Benchmark 54+ handicap, and while his sixth-of-ten was disappointing, there was some encouragement in the way he rallied late after appearing well beaten approaching the home turn.
The son of Maschino now has two staying assignments behind him and should be approaching peak fitness, while his first preparation showed he was capable of improving with racing, highlighted by an eye-catching maiden victory over this track and distance before two respectable subsequent performances.
Cable Angel brings the strongest recent form and is the obvious danger, but there appears to be less separating the remaining contenders, and with further improvement possible at his fourth run back, Guns Away looks worth considering at each-way odds.
Glenroy Chaff Handicap Tips (Race 6)
Belmont Next Best Bet - Race 6 No. 3 I'm Odette
A disappointing second-up performance at Northam on June 18 is the obvious concern with I'm Odette, although there were genuine excuses after the daughter of Maschino pulled up lame and was subsequently sent for a spell.
Her recent trial work provides encouragement ahead of Thursday's return, particularly her final Belmont hit-out on October 19, where she travelled comfortably on the bridle and was not asked for a serious effort in an impressive piece of work.
There was plenty to like about her first preparation, which included an unlucky debut before she progressed to a breakthrough victory at Bunbury on January 7, demonstrating a sharp turn-of-foot as she continued to gain experience.
The mare maintained that progression when resuming over 1300m at Belmont on May 27, overcoming trouble to claim a Class 1 victory with a strong finishing burst, and those performances suggest she possesses more ability than her most recent result indicates.
Several rivals have the advantage of race fitness, but I'm Odette has already demonstrated she can perform strongly first-up, and if returning anywhere near her best, she looks capable of proving the strongest runner in this field.