Australian racing tips – Thursday 30 December 2021 – Coffs Harbour

Race 5

MARKIEVICZ is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she is seldom far off the action, finishing second last time out over seven furlongs, one and a half lengths behind the winner. She was slow away, came three-wide into the home straight and then hung in over the closing stages, so that effort was encouraging. She faces a wideish gate nine, but she should give the males a good run for their money.

THUNDER KNOB has finished third in his last two runs, the latest over 1300M, when just under a half-length back from the winner. He had to be eased off the heels of other runners at the 1000M mark and then came three-wide into the home stretch, before staying on well over the closing stages of the contest. He gets a kinder draw five and should be right up there when they hit the line.

HETTINGER made good late progress when ending up in third place last time out over 1100M, just over three and a half lengths adrift of the victor and on that effort, he should appreciate the extra ground on offer here. He jumps from gate ten, but he should be doing his best work late.

Race 6

The day’s best bet, PHULE is a 3yr old filly taking on males, but she finished strongly to win by 0.8L when making her debut over five furlongs and could be just about anything. The form of that race has stood up well with four runners out of that contest subsequently winning. She returns from a 23-week break but has had the benefit of two barrier trials, finishing third in the first and second in the latest. She has a handy draw four and will have 3kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice to aid her cause and could prove hard to topple.

SMALL TOWN has only had the two runs to date but showed the expected improvement to win by a head over five furlongs at the second time of asking. He faces a wide draw eleven, but he is a speedy sort who should use that early gate speed to work across without consuming too much gas and will have 1.5kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.

HIGHBURY gets the services of a 2kg claiming apprentice and followed up his penultimate run victory over 1300m with a third-place finish next time out over 1500M, just a head behind the winner. He jumped awkwardly that day and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding returns from a 14-week absence, but did finish third in his only barrier trial to prove his fitness and should be involved in the finish.

Race 7

PERSIAN BEAUTY is a 3yr old filly taking on boys, but she goes for her hat-trick after wins over 1300M and the latest over a mile when winning a neck. She was slow away that day, but kicked clear of the field at the 125M and then held off the chasing pack in the dash down to the wire. From her cosy draw four, she is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card.

ENDANGERED SPECIES had his consistency rewarded with a head victory last time out over 1500M, despite over racing in the early stages and having to be held up from the 600M mark to the entrance into the home straight. He jumps from gate six and should turn in another honest performance today.

LUZ LONG has cracked pole position and has finished second in three of his last four outings, the latest over seven furlongs, one and a half lengths back from the winner and should be included in all bets.

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. The tentative top pick goes to AMBRIDGE who finished well when making solid improvement to win his last start over six furlongs by 0.8L and the form of that race has been franked. He gets gate five and will have his peak run after returning from a 12-week rest.

IMPRINTED also posted good improvement when winning his last outing over six furlongs by the same 0.8L margin when returning from a 19-week absence. He came four-wide into the home straight that day and from gate seven, he should not be easily overlooked in this line-up.

ULTIMATE MAN had finished closer to the winner in each of his last three runs before a 2.3L victory last time out over 1700M. He had to be steadied off the heels of other runners at the 1200M pole that day but finished his race off well. He will have to overcome a wide draw thirteen, but he will likely be dropped out of it in the early stages before starting to pick off the frontrunners over the closing stages of the race.