Racing: Anchor Pick6 with a favourite

There are countless ways to approach a massive Pick6 pool.

Here's not a bad one for today's $1 million Pick6 at Hastings.

The favourites for the first four legs will almost certainly be Mon Reve (Leg 1), Cedar Manor (2), Arlingtonboulevard (3) and Darci Brahma (4).

First, pick four or five runners in each of the six legs.

Second, pick out which one of the above quartet from the first four legs you fancy the most.

Anchor that horse with all your other selections.

Perhaps repeat it with one of the other four favourites.

On a basis that your race by race selections are 3 x 5 x 4 x 4 x 5 x 4, the cost of anchoring Mon Reve to win would be $800.

A 10 per cent ticket on that would come to $80, so if even a small syndicate was formed the possibility of anchoring all four horses on separate tickets is realistic.

Cedar Manor would be $48, Arlingtonboulevard $60 and the same for Darci Brahma.

It will be a major shock if one of these four favourites does not win and we may even see two, even three, get the money.

It's never easy at this time of year when racing suddenly switches from fetlock deep mud one week to perfectly good footing the next.

For that reason half the exposed form for today's Hastings meeting can be ignored and horses with little in the way of form numerals against their name can burst into the spotlight.

Leg 1

It is going to take a pretty good effort to beat Mon Reve (No6). He had placed form around the likes of Italia, Chant and Don Garcia as a juvenile last season and backed that up with a strong first-up maiden victory on this track four weeks ago.

That is great form for a special conditions maiden event. He showed he was reliable last season.

Giovanni (No3) came off a heavy track at Paeroa to score nicely at Taupo recently and looks another who should carry his form on.

Saucy Az (No1), a winner in slow conditions at Te Rapa, has yet to perform on good footing, but her dead form is okay. A lot of the other form is on heavy tracks.

Leg 2

Cedar Manor (No3) perhaps doesn't carry his form through the season, but his spring efforts are excellent. There was a suggestion he had a fair bit left under Opie Bosson when winning easily at Te Rapa last start and he can go close again.

Vision (No7) has been waiting for a surface like this, Jerry The Jet (No6) will do better than he did on the unsuitable wet track when resuming from a spell and Art Link (No4) had to cover too much extra ground when third to Cedar Manor at Te Rapa.

It would pay to include Miles (No1). Sure, he's probably better in the wet, but don't forget the day he won at Otaki in May by 3.25 lengths, they ran the 1200m in 1.11.41. At top he's better than most of these.

Leg 3

For a group one winner (albeit promoted to first), Arlingtonboulevard (No1) comes into a R98 race very well. At 58kg she has a big weight for a mare, but she has size on her side and it probably won't be that that beats her. She has had a couple of trials this preparation and should find the footing perfect.

So should Rodin (No3). He has an impressive stat of four wins from nine starts when resuming from a spell and how important will the 3kg Patrick Belle pulls from his 58kg be in the final 200m.

Mohican Brave (No7) is underrated and always races well when fresh and Fugurinit (No4) is a must-include.

Leg 4

It's difficult to come up with an approach to this race that doesn't end up with Darci Brahma (No8) on top. Everything about his preparation has been superb and trainer Mark Walker is adamant the handsome stallion is a much stronger horse as a 4-year-old. Kristov should be leading at some point in the home straight and it will be up to Darci Brahma to run him down with Seachange and possibly a couple of others in the wings. What a race it will be. Darci Brahma is a definite anchor for some. If you go for a spread then Kristov (No1), Seachange (No12) and Calveen (No10) are the musts.

Leg 5

These last two legs are where things can go astray. Ideally you need a decent spread in both.

Intermittent (No11) looked very talented at this time last year, but things went wrong. He is having his first start since May and Katrina Alexander has shown she can get horses ready to perform when fresh. Surreptitious (No8), if she starts here in preference to earlier on the programme, Adora (No10), Taiko (No12) and Endearing (No2) all rate highly.

If you are taking a small percentage multi then Adict (No9) is worth including. A very, very tough race.

Leg 6

So is the last race. There is a bit of class engaged here and it will be a memorable contest. Kay's Awake (No11) has been sparingly raced, but has always looked the goods. Two starts back she finished only 2.5 lengths from La Sizeranne at weight-for-age at Ellerslie in the autumn and when resuming at Taupo last month she was narrowly run down by Veil. She is a Hastings winner and has drawn to get the perfect trip.

Tatlock (No14) has won only one race on this track, too - but he's smart. He showed that when he barrier trialled at Cambridge recently and beat home a team including his massively talented stablemate Baldessarini. Sure, Baldessarini was nowhere near fit, but Tatlock also pulled improvement from the trial and he was travelling easily at the finish. Put him in.

Pinmdown (No12) can run a big race fresh and Happy Harry (No1), Stark Breeze (No5) and Vegas Showgirl (No8) are all in there as threats.

* Race 4 at Hastings before the Pick6 starts is an interesting betting contest. Shamrock Star (No8) is a class act who has clearly been set for this race. The 1200m he resumed over was far too short and forget he tailed the field. Angle your bets around him, Sculptor (No7) and Twinkling (No13).

* At Rotorua, Polish Princess (No1, R8) should be over the line. The 2kg Troy Harris takes from her 58kg puts her down with the others, most of who are not in her class.

Pentazia in Race 9 could be a sneaky bet.