Australian Racing: Sunday 30 May 2021 – Gunnedah

Best Bet: CHARVET (Race 5) 

Value Bet: MALAHAT (Race 8) 

Jackpot (race 5 – 8)

Cost: R54.00

Race 5

A 4yr old filly and a 5yr old mare could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exactas, but today’s best bet, CHARVET is taken to lead the pack home. She won her last start over 1100M by a neck, despite being crowded at the start and then being held up as she entered the home straight. She ran down the leaders just short of the wire that day and from a handy draw two and with her having her peak run here after returning from a lengthy 43-week absence, she could prove good enough in this line-up to chalk up her third career victory. 

AUNTIE MONNIE is drawn one outside the top choice and stayed on well when finishing third last time out over 1410m, just under a half-length back from the winner. She has her first run for her new trainer and if fully settled into her new surroundings, she could be the biggest danger to the top pick. 

MALZOOM showed solid improvement when ending up in third place in his latest outing over six furlongs, just over a length and a half behind the victor. He faces a wide draw eleven, but on the plus side, he will get 1.5kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.  

Race 6

DANZA IN THE DARK has put in two solid efforts after returning from a 27-week break, the latest when second over six furlongs, three lengths adrift of the winner. He stayed on well that day and if the gelding has continued down that same path of improvement, he could be the one that they all have to beat, notwithstanding a wide gate eleven. 

HELLO SUNSHINE is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she overraced in the early stages last time out over a mile and not surprisingly had nothing extra to come over the closing stages, ending up 4.7L behind the winner. She has pulled a kinder gate two and if she is able to reproduce her penultimate effort, she should give the males a good run for their money. 

OAKFIELD PRINCE has only had the three runs to date, winning by three lengths on debut over 1280M. He tried to go from jump to wire before ending up in second spot last time out over seven furlongs, just under two lengths behind the winner. He faces a wide draw fourteen, but he is likely to use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.  

Race 7

TOTAL RECALL turned four wide into the home straight last time out over seven furlongs to finish fifth, 3.4L back from the winner. He also hung in over the closing stages, so could not be properly assisted, but did however make good late progress in the latter stages. He will have to overcome a wide gate eleven but could be the one to side with here. 

HIGHLY DESIRED has made solid improvement in his last three runs, finishing closer to the winner on each occasion, the latest when third over seven furlongs, one length back from the winner. He struck the front entering the home straight that day and then battle all the way down to the wire. He has gate five and should be right up there in the mix. 

UNBIASED has cracked pole position and finished seventh in his last start over eleven furlongs, just over four lengths off the winner. He has his first run for his new trainer and takes a big drop in the distance, but he may well be looking for this type of trip and the change of environment could also help his cause. 

Race 8

MALAHAT finished tenth last time out over 1100M, 4.7L back from the winner, but that was in a stronger centre and he did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight that day, only seeing daylight at the 200M mark, but then finishing off his race off strongly. In addition, his jockey dropped his crop that day and the form of that race has been franked. He is sure to put his pole position to good use and he will have 3kgs removed from his back courtesy of his claiming apprentice. As such, he is taken to be the value bet on the day. 

BRYAN’S BABE is a 6yr old mare taking on males, but she followed up her penultimate run victory over five furlongs with a sixth-place finish last time out when stepping up to six furlongs, 2.3L adrift of the victor. She has gate four and will have 2kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice. She seems likely to enjoy the drop-down to what could be a more suitable five furlong sprint. 

LUBUK had no luck in running in the home straight before ending up in fifth spot last time out over 1300M, just under one and a half lengths behind the winner and has finished second in a subsequent barrier trial. He will have to overcome a wide draw thirteen, but on the plus side, he will 1.5kgs taken off his back for the services of his claiming apprentice. The gelding should be included in all bets.