Australian racing tips – Tuesday 20 August 2024 – Grafton

Race 5

BENGAL DIAMOND is a 3-year-old filly taking on the boys and has only had three starts to date, but she put her disappointing penultimate effort over 1300M behind her when winning her latest outing over 1100M by 1.3L. She was returning from a 17-week rest that day and that was at a stronger centre, so that run was commendable. The filly has a wide draw eleven to deal with, but she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.

MY MUM’S TOYBOY had finished second in his two runs prior to ending up in fourth place last time out over 1100M, 2.8L behind the winner, when returning from a longer 25-week break. He shifted inwards at the 800M mark that day and then came the widest of them all into the home straight, but the form of that race has been franked. The gelding is drawn one outside the top pick, but he should be right up there when they hit the line.

PROCYON MISS is a 4-year-old filly who won over 1050M three runs back, finished second in her penultimate start over 1195M and then seventh in her latest outing over 1200M, 5.7L behind the winner, but she overraced in front in that event and understandably had nothing to offer over the closing stages. She on the other hand has a handy draw three and if settling better here, she should be a big runner in this line-up.

Race 6

The day’s value bet, YALLA is a 5-year-old mare taking on the boys, but she has posted two solid last runs, the latest over 1600M, just a length back from the winner, when trying to go from jump to wire, but overracing in the middle stages. The mare gets a useful draw three and will have 4kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice. She is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today and could prove hard to reel in over the latter stages.

DO IT FOR YOU won over 1600M three runs back, finished third in his penultimate start over the same journey and then eighth in his latest outing over 1700M, 4.8L behind the winner, but he did battle all the way down to the line. The gelding will have to negotiate the widest draw of them all in gate seventeen, but on the plus side, he will have 1.5kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.

EXTRA MANNERS is another who won three runs back, but in his case over 1400M, finished fourth in his penultimate start over 1600M and then sixth in his latest outing back over 1400M, 3.3L behind the winner, but that was at a stronger venue. He will have to deal with a wide draw sixteen, but he is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then start to pick off the front runners over the latter part of the race.

Race 7

SPIN DOCTOR was having his first run for his new trainer when finishing fourth last time out over 1300M, 4.2L behind the winner, but that was at a stronger centre. He sat midfield and chased hard right down to the wire, despite hanging out down the home straight and the form of that race has been franked. He would have come on further with that run under his belt and notwithstanding a wide draw nine, he is made the best bet on the day’s card.

FRIEND IN NEED is a 4-year-old filly taking on boys, but she has finished closer to the winner in each of her last three starts, the latest when second over 1500M, four and a half lengths behind the winner, despite being bumped at the start. She recovered quickly to take up the lead, only to be run out of it late, but the form of that race has stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning. From her kinder draw three, she could be the biggest threat to the top pick.

SALAMANCAS had his consistency rewarded with a victory last time out over 1200M, albeit by just a short-head. He was having his first run for his new trainer and did lose a length at the start, before finishing off his race powerfully. The gelding faces a wide draw fourteen and gets the services of a 1.5kg claiming apprentice. He should be doing his best work late to be involved in the finish.

Race 8

This looks to be a tricky race to end off the day’s Jackpot with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is suggested. MORE FOR US had to weave his way through traffic in the home stretch when finishing third last time out over 1700M, 3.3L off the victor and the form of that race has been franked. He has pulled a cosy draw three and with better luck in running, he looks to be the one to side with here.

SPILLS tried to go from gun to tape when finishing third in his latest outing over 1600M, just under a length behind the winner and the form of that race has also been franked. He faces a wide gate fourteen, but nevertheless, he should be right up there when they hit the line.

EXPLICABLE has consistent formlines to his name and stayed on well when finishing fourth last time out over 1700M, just over two lengths back from the winner. He jumps from an even wider draw sixteen, but he should be included in all bets.