Winning Form brings us their best bets and tips from Grafton, Australia.
Best Bet: FLORA (Race 4)
Value Bet: ADMIRAL ASH (Race 7)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7).
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
4 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
7 | 3 | 9 | 7 |
6 | 4 | 9 | |
Cost: R54.00
Race 4.
Two 4yr old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but the day’s best bet, FLORA is taken to lead the pack home. She has won two of her last three starts, the latest over this c&d by half a length. She has bumped at the start, but recovered well to shoot to the head of affairs and then held off all the late challengers over the closing stages. The form of that race has been franked and from her handy draw four, she could prove difficult to topple.
MISS KOJIKI has consistent formlines to her name having finished second in her last three outings, the latest over six furlongs, three lengths back from the winner. She has a wideish gate nine, but will get a set of blinkers fitted for the first time and if these have the desired effect, she could emerge as the biggest danger to the top choice.
INVINCIBLE FAITH showed solid improvement to win his last start over five furlongs by a neck, despite being slow away. The gelding hit the front at the 50M mark that day and went on to record a well-timed victory. He gets a kinder draw three and will also have 1.5kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice to aid his cause.
Race 5.
HOLBROOK is seldom far off the action and although recorded as finishing seventh last time out over 2100M, he was only a length and a half behind the winner, notwithstanding taking a bump at the 100M pole. He faces a wide gate ten, but should turn in another honest performance today.
NOBLE CAUSE has pulled gate two and was a tad disappointing when finishing seventh last time out over 2100M, eight lengths adrift of the victor, but if repeating his penultimate effort when finishing second over a similar distance, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
YARRINUP FLYER is a 6yr old mare taking on the boys, but she has finished closer to the winner in each of her last three outings, the latest when fifth over this c&d, one and a half lengths off the winner. She was making good late progress in that contest and from draw eight, she should once again be doing his best work late.
Race 6.
STORM ATTACK tried to go from jump to wire when showing good improvement to end up in third place last time out over the c&d, just under a length back from the winner. He was only run out of it very late and from draw seven and with him having 3kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice, he is likely to adopt similar tactics today.
BLADNOCH followed up his penultimate run victory over 1500M with a second spot finish next time out over the same c&d, 1.2L behind the winner. He overraced in the early stages that day and then came three wide into the home straight, so understandably he had little extra to offer over the latter stages. The gelding will have to overcome a wide draw thirteen, but if settling in the early stages, he should start to pick off the frontrunners over the closing stages.
DORSET COAST was trapped wide for most of the way when finishing sixth in his latest outing over seven furlongs, just under five lengths back from the winner. He will have to deal with a wide gate eleven, but should still be include in all bets.
Race 7.
ADMIRAL ASH has finished fourth in his last two runs, the latest when staying on well to end up one and a half lengths behind the winner over five furlongs. He has cracked pole position and is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card.
A 7yr old mare and a 4yr old filly could be the ones to chase him home, with the slight preference going to LEBANNA, who won her penultimate start over 1300M and then finished fourth next time out over seven furlongs, just over two and a half lengths behind the winner. She made good late progress that day and from draw five, she should be considered a big runner here.
ABOVE THE LOT had to be held up between the 200M and 100M marks before finishing sixth over this c&d, 3.3L back from the winner. She was returning from a 15 week break that day and from her cozy gate two, she should give the top two picks a good run for their money.
