Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Sunday's racing coming your way from Ballina on 1 October 2023.
Best Bet: I SHOT THE SHERIFF (Race 7)
Value Bet: WEDDING TENT (Race 6)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
6 | 2 | 11 | 6 |
3 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
1 | 8 | 5 |
|
Cost: R54.00
Race 4
A 5yr old and a 7yr old mare can fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but LITTLE PROPHET is the marginal top choice. She has finished closer to the winner in each of her last four starts, the latest when third over 1370M, just over a half length behind the winner, but she overraced throughout and had to be held up at the top of the home straight, before staying on well, so that effort was encouraging. She jumps from a handy draw two and will be hoping to chalk up her fourth career victory today.
ZOUKINA lost a length at the start, but made good late progress to finish third in her latest outing over six furlongs, 4.8L behind the winner and should appreciate the extra ground on offer here. She is drawn the widest of them all, but on the plus side, she will get 1.5kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice.
OLYMPIC LEGEND showed plenty of toe and was only run out of it late when showing solid improvement to end up in fifth place last time out over six furlongs, just over two and a half lengths back from the victor. From his kinder draw three, he should be included in all bets,
Race 5
Two 4yr old fillies look to dominate the finish to this race, but KIRSTEN may just have the edge. She had to be held up between the 500M and 200M mark, but finished strongly when ending up in fourth place last time out over 1120M, just under two and a half lengths behind the winner, suggesting that the extra ground on offer here will be to her liking. She has a useful draw two and will have 1.5kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice.
I’M MADELINE race three wide without cover and came the widest of them all into the home straight when ending up in sixth place last time out over six furlongs, 6.8L adrift of the victor, so she had her excuses. She jumps from gate five and should be right up there when they hit the line.
KHUMBU finished eighth in his latest outing over six furlongs, just over eight lengths behind the winner, but he was slow away that day and had to be held up on several occasions, so that effort is best ignored. The gelding is drawn wideish in gate eight, but he will be hoping to bounce back to his better form today. There is an unraced runner in the field, so keep an eye on the betting markets to get some indication as to whether her connections believe that they can win first time out. Any betting support for her should be respected.
Race 6
Yet again fillies look to be able to control the finish to this event and possibly secure the trifecta, but the day’s value bet, WEDDING TENT could be the one that they all have to beat. She has cracked pole position and although recorded as finishing fourth last time out over five furlongs, she was just under a length off the winner. She finished powerfully from some way back that day and she could provide jockey Ben Looker with his second winner in the day’s Jackpot, should the top pick win the opening leg.
HEROIC MISS is seldom far off the action, finishing second last time out over six furlongs, beaten just a short-head, when returning from a 20 week break. She jumped awkwardly in that contest, but recovered quickly to pick up the lead, only to be grabbed in the shadow of the post. She has pulled draw six and should turn in another honest performance here.
AFFINITY FLYER had her consistency rewarded with a half length victory last time out over 1300M. She sat just behind the leaders in that event and was hampered at the top of the home stretch, but finished off her race well for a well timed win. Although drawn wideish in gate eight, she should not be lightly dismissed.
Race 7
I SHOT THE SHERIFF has consistent formlines to his credit, finishing second in his last two runs, the latest over a mile, just over a half length back from the winner. He turned second into the home straight that day and looked a possible winner with 100M to go, but was nabbed in the last few strides. The gelding is sure to put his pole position to good use and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.
KENNYSING had solid form prior to being a tad disappointing when finishing eighth last time out over seven furlongs, just over five and a half lengths adrift of the winner, but he was slow away in that event and then raced wide throughout and not unsurprisingly, he had little to offer over the closing stages. The gelding is drawn one outside the top pick and could turn out to be his biggest threat.
DEVOCEAN showed good improvement to win his last start over a mile by a half length. He overraced in the early stages and had to be steadied off the heels of another runner at the 1300M pole, before coming three wide into the home straight. The gelding battled all the way down to the wire on that occasion and from gate five, he should be involved in the finish.
