BUSY DAY FOR US AT BENALLA

A busy day for the team at Benalla on Friday with four runners including two in the same race,

Bill The Bee and Game Has Changed both run in race three, the Maiden Plate over 1406m with Nikita Beriman aboard Bill The Bee from barrier one and Rhys McLeod on Game Has Changed from barrier eight but still the outside after scratchings.

Bill The Bee ran well for second first-up over 1200m at Kyneton on March 20 and has pleased Mike Moroney since.

“He’s trained on well, has drawn nicely and I think it looks a winnable race,” Moroney said.

“It looks like he ran into a decent one last start and the step up in distance here is in his favour so I’m expecting him to run very well.”

Game Has Changed is first-up since finishing fourth at Yarra Valley over 1950m last October.

“The scratchings have certainly helped with the draw but we’ll still ride him to finish the race off,” Moroney said.

“His stablemate looks the one to beat but this is a nice race to start Game Has Changed off and while he still has a bit of improvement to come I’ll be looking for him to be finishing off nicely.”

Buffalo Bill is race four, the Maiden Plate over 1606m with Nikita Beriman to ride from barrier four with the field reduced to seven following scratchings.

Buffalo Bill is building to win after placing at his past two starts, the latest when runner-up over 1600m at Pakenham on March 21.

“He’s drawn nicely and we’ve put blinkers on him to help with his concentration,” Moroney said. “He’s still doing things wrong and racing greenly.

“It doesn’t look an overly strong race and if our horse can focus a bit better then I think he’s good enough to win.”

Born To Fight (pictured) races for the second time this preparation in race seven, the benchmark 58 handicap over 1406m with Rhys McLeod to ride from barrier four.

Born To Fight made up ground when finishing fifth first-up over 1200m at Pakenham on March 14.

“He’s worked up well since that first start and we’ve deliberately dropped him back in class to help him,” Moroney said.

“He’s fitter and I think that with ordinary luck he will be hard to beat.”