The less said about Saturday’s selections as we went 0 for 3 with one scratch on what was a pretty darn poor outing for this column. Yet we go again and as always all our picks are each-way from outside of the top three in the betting according to the Morning Line odds and utilising Betfred’s Extra Place races…

We’ll start with our only race of the day from Woodbine where in the first the ever improving three-year-old Witch Hazel has every chance to be competitive in a small seven-horse field. Last time out she took a massive step forward albeit going an extra two furlongs and going back down to six from the mile distance is a bit concerning. Yet at what should be a good price to finish in the top three, I’m willing to wager that she’ll be there or thereabouts.

Next up, we travel over to Laurel Park for our next selection where the former Stakes winner Embolden takes to the track in the fourth race slated to start at 18:56. This six-year-old may not be at the peek of his powers anymore but after a nice break following a hectic 2022 has come back with encouraging speed figures and finished second in the Punch Line at Colonial Downs a fortnight ago. Priced up as the fifth choice in the field of seven feels big and once more I’m looking at a potential top three finish at a decent price.

Last up for Sunday, we take the rank outsider of seven according to the Morning Line odds in the 20:52 at Canterbury Park where it is five-year-old Swampdrainer who we are putting up. He’s coming off an absolutely terrible performance at Prairie Meadows and that is surely why the price is so big but before that he’d won two and finished second in his previous three including a win and a second last time out at this track. Plenty of potential value here at what is expected to be a massive price to hit an each-way win.

*All three selections are from Betfred’s Extra Place races where we are paying out three places instead of two and all three picks are at least the fifth favourite according to the Morning Line as we look for value outside the top choices…