Australian Racing: Thursday 1 April 2021 – Gosford

Winning Form brings you all of their best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing taking place at Gosford, Australia.

Best Bet: MAJESTIC SHOT (Race 5)

Value Bet: SIDEARM (Race 8)

Jackpot (race 5-8). – Cost: R54.00

Race 5.

Two 3yr old fillies could fight out the finish to this race, but today’s best bet, MAJESTIC SHOT is taken to lead the pack home. She is three from three so far and all those victories have come over this sprint distance, the latest by three lengths when returning from a 19 week break. She came three wide into the home straight that day, but was geared down approaching the finishing post to record a comfortable victory. From draw six, the quartet of wins looks very much on the cards. CLOSE TO ME followed up her penultimate run victory over five furlongs with a second place finish next time out when stepping up to 1100M, two and a half lengths behind the winner. She has a handy draw four and will have the cheek pieces fitted for the first time today. If these have the desired effect, she could emerge as the biggest danger to the top choice. She has her peak run here after returning from a 21 week rest and seems likely to appreciate the drop in trip. RICCARDO has consistent formlines to his name and finished third last time out over 1100M, just over a length and a half back from the winner. He has his first run since a 27 week absence, but he did win his only barrier trial to showcase his well-being. He will have to negotiate gate nine out of ten, but he seems certain to turn in another honest performance today.

Race 6.

SELEQUE is a 3yr old filly taking on the boys, but she is seldom far off the action and jumped awkwardly and then had to be switched at the 350M mark before finishing third last time out over seven furlongs, just two lengths back from the winner. She won over this distance three runs back, so the drop in trip should not be an issue. She does face a wide gate eleven, but she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy. FALCON on the other hand has cracked pole position and showed marked improvement in his last two runs, resulting in a two and a half length victory last time out over this c&d when going from jump to wire. The form of that race has stood up well with three runners winning since then. He returns from a 25 week break, but has posted an encouraging barrier trial to prove his fitness. TITANIUM POWER has only had the two runs to date, winning over 1100M on debut and then ending up in second place next time out when going 1300M, one and a half lengths adrift of the winner, but the form of that race has been franked. He was immediately rested for 18 weeks and returns here after two barrier trials, finishing third in the latest. He gets a cozy draw three and should be included in all bets.

Race 7.

With the late scratching of one of her main rivals, the door may have been opened for KRISTALOVE to chalk up her third career win. She is a 4yr old filly taking on males, but she showed marked improvement to win her last start over ten furlongs by two and a half lengths when going from gun to tape. She dashed clear of the opposition as she entered the home straight and was not sighted after that point. She will have to overcome a wide gate twelve, but she could prove difficult to peg back in the closing stages of the contest. READY BY DESIGN won his penultimate outing over nine furlongs and then finished second next time out over ten furlongs, just a neck back from the winner. He was making good late progress that day and should enjoy the step up in distance. He jumps from gate seven and should keep the top pick honest. EUGENIO has consistent formlines to his credit and although recorded as finishing fifth last time out over twelve furlongs, he was just 1.8L adrift of the winner. He raced wide in the early stages and came three wide into the straight before battling to get a clear run, so that effort was encouraging. He is drawn the widest of them all in gate thirteen, but he gets ex-SA jockey Keagan Latham in the irons, so he should get all the necessary assistance from the saddle.

Race 8.

SIDEARM has finished second in his last two starts since returning from a 21 week rest, the latest when 2.3L behind the winner over this distance. He was hampered at the start that day and then only saw daylight at the 350M, before finishing strongly. He has his peak run today and has a handy draw four. In addition, he gets a set of blinkers fitted for the first time and if these help him keep his mind on the task at hand, he should be right up there in the firing line. MEMBERS ONLY has only had the two runs to date, finishing second on debut over six furlongs and then winning next time out over seven furlongs by nearly three lengths. He was a comfortable victor that day and could have extended the winning margin had he been ridden out over the latter stages of the race. On that effort, he should have little difficulty coping with the extra ground on offer here. He faces a wide draw fourteen, but he is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then start picking off the frontrunner over the latter stages of the contest. ADIOS STEVE was bumped and carrier wide over the closing stages before ending up in third spot last time out over seven furlongs, a half length back from the winner and should have finished closer as a result. He has pulled gate three and should not be lightly dismissed in this line-up.