Winning Form bring you all of their best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from Hawkesbury on 16 December 2021.
Best Bet: FAMOUS PEDRILLE Race 4)
Value Bet: CATAPULT (Race 5)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7).
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
3 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
5 | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | 5 | 3 |
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| 2 |
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| 4 |
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Cost: R90.00
Race 4.
The day’s best bet, FAMOUS PEDRILLE is seldom far off the action, having finished second in his penultimate run and then third last time out over the same six furlong sprint, just over three and a half lengths behind the winner, this despite being bumped at the start and hanging in over the closing stages of the race. He has a wideish draw seven, but with better luck in running here, he could prove difficult to upset. ROMA AVENUE jumped awkwardly and found himself at the back of the field, before being held up on the home turn and taking a bump, but still made good late progress to finish third on debut over six furlongs, 2.8L back from the winner. He faces a wide draw eleven, but he would have learnt from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected, he could emerge as the biggest danger to the top choice. WIZARD OF OZ hung out down the home straight, but still managed to finish his race off well to end up in fifth place last time out over six furlongs, 3.8L adrift of the victor. He is drawn the widest of them all in gate twelve, but he should be doing his best work late.
Race 5.
Although CATAPULT is recorded as finishing six over this distance last time out, he was just under three and a half lengths behind the winner. He finished strongly after being one of the back markers turning for home that day and if his 2kg claiming apprentice is able to get him closer to the leaders from his handy draw four, he should be right up there when they hit the line. As such, he is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card. NICOCHET had to be held up when taking the home turn and then only saw daylight at the 250M mark, before finishing well to end up in third spot last time out over 1300M, 4.8L behind the winner. The gelding is drawn one inside the top pick and on that last effort, he should appreciate the extra ground on offer today. SAFADO was slow away but made good late progress to finish nineth in his latest outing over seven furlongs, five lengths off the winner. He jumps from gate six and will have 2kgs taken off this back thanks to his claiming apprentice to aid his cause.
Race 6.
This looks to be a tricky F&M Handicap with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is advised. The tentative first choice goes to SWEET RUBY who followed up her penultimate run victory over six furlongs with a seventh place finish over the same trip last time out, 5.7L back from the winner. She jumped awkwardly and had to be checked at the 500M pole that day, so should have finished closer to the winner as a result. She gets gate five and will have the services of a 2kg claiming apprentice. BORSALINA has cracked pole position and had her consistency rewarded with a short-head victory last time out over 1500M, notwithstanding jumping awkwardly and shifting out over the closing 300M. She is another who will have 2kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice. SHORT SHORTS on the other hand is drawn out the widest of them all in gate ten, but she won by 1.8L when making her debut over 1300M and could be just about anything. She kicked clear of the opposition at the 350M mark that day and then held off all challengers in the dash down to the wire, despite hanging out over the latter 200M. No doubt she would have come on with that run under her belt and should be included in all bets.
Race 7.
MORALIST had solid form before not get the clearest of passages in the home straight when finishing fourth over this c&d last time out, three and a half lengths behind the winner and that effort is best ignored. He will have to overcome the widest draw in gate eleven, but will have ex-SA jockey Keagan Latham in the irons, so will get all the necessary assistance from the saddle and will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways. LEPREEZY is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys. She finished fifth over five furlongs last time out, just over two and a half lengths back from the winner when returning from a 24 week break and the form of that race has been franked. She gets a cozy gate four and will have her first run for her new trainer. If fully settled into her new surroundings, she should give a good account of herself here and will have a helpful 3kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice. DRAGONS BREATH has won three of his last four starts, the latest a short-head victory over five furlongs when returning from a 17 week absence. He battled all the way down to the wire that day, just prevailing in the shadow of the post. He faces a wideish draw nine, but may prove good enough to chalk up win number four.
