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Saturday Roughies for April 18, 2026 - Value Bets Across Australia
This weekend, the racing scenes pick up momentum at several of Australia's top tracks, featuring high-value picks beyond the mainstream favorites. The key roughies are Maalis Song at Ascot, Navyonthehighway at Eagle Farm, Desert Lightning at Mornington, Ice Symphony at Morphettville, and Salann at Randwick. Each offers unique strengths, such as past performances and strategic conditioning, to challenge primary contenders. The highlight is their potential to deliver unexpected results and reward those willing to look beyond the obvious favorites.
- Multiple roughie tips for Saturday's races across key Australian tracks
- Maalis Song, Navyonthehighway, Desert Lightning, and more tipped to perform well
- Potential for high returns with strategic value bets in each race
Expired
Can Desert Lightning strike fresh in the Hareeba Stakes? (Getty)
Saturday racing across the country features strong metro cards at Randwick, Mornington, Ascot, Eagle Farm and Morphettville, with value to be found beyond the main chances.
For a look at the stronger plays on the program, check out Saturday’s Best Bets, while these are the key roughies for the main programs on April 18.
Ascot Roughie Tip
Ascot Roughie - Race 10 No. 9 Maalis Song
He was his own worst enemy throughout a three-run first campaign last year, most evident in a northern maiden loss as an odds-on favourite before a spell.
The penny started to drop in his second campaign, opening spring with back-to-back victories.
The son of Your Song didn’t have much luck in transit when finding traffic third-up at Ascot before a break.
Maalis Song resumed with an eye-catching win here on April 1, beating Too Darn Stormy, and still has upside despite this being harder again.
Eagle Farm Roughie Tip
Eagle Farm Roughie - Race 9 No. 13 Navyonthehighway
She has been in the market multiple times in stakes company, with connections still yet to land a black-type result.
Early in the prep looks key, with all five wins coming either first or second-up, including three from four when fresh.
Navyonthehighway arrives here off a nice Doomben trial on April 7 and should be forward enough for this.
A lack of Eagle Farm form is a knock, but if she’s to land one of these, it likely comes early in the prep and she looks dangerous down in the weights.
Mornington Roughie Tip
Mornington Roughie - Race 9 No. 1 Desert Lightning
Desert Lightning has weight to give to all rivals in the Hareeba Stakes, but the impost is warranted as a three-time Group winner.
He is generally thereabouts, and most of those performances have come in much stronger company than he finds here.
Versatile in regard to distance, his only first-up miss in six attempts came in last year’s All Aged Stakes at Group 1 level.
His Listed third at Moonee Valley over 1200m, when covering ground with 61kg behind A Little Deep and Arkansaw Kid, shows he can sprint.
Morphettville Roughie Tip
Morphettville Roughie - Race 8 No. 3 Ice Symphony
He has been racing consistently for most of the season, with his sole win coming when dropping in grade at Bordertown in September.
Subsequent efforts have largely come in stronger company than what he faces here, suggesting a win is nearing.
His three runs this year include an eye-catching return over 1000m before being caught back and wide second-up.
Ice Symphony had no luck on March 28, held up from the 500m to the 200m when beaten just over two lengths.
Randwick Roughie Tip
Randwick Roughie - Race 7 No. 12 Salann
Salann found 1200m too sharp, but her Flemington debut was still eye-catching when closing late for second in the Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.
That form has held up strongly, with third-placed Gin Twist winning at Listed level either side, while winner Satono Glow was a good thing beaten in the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes.
She then caught the eye from the rear in last Saturday’s Fernhill Stakes when stepping from six furlongs to a mile.
That looks an ideal lead-up to the Champagne Stakes, with both a 1600m run and a clockwise outing now under her belt.
Verdict
Our roughie tips for Saturday, April 18 are:
Maalis Song
Each Way
$15.00 - 1 Unit
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Navyonthehighway
Each Way
$23.00 - 1 Unit
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Ice Symphony
Each Way
$15.00 - 1 Unit
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Salann
Each Way
$18.00 - 1 Unit
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