Australian Racing: Wednesday 31 March 2021 – Warwick Farm

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

Best Bet: ELEUSA (Race 5)

Value Bet: THE GRINDER (Race 8)

Jackpot (race 5-8). – Cost: R54.00

Race 5.

ELEUSA has only had the four runs to date, recording two first and two-second place finishes, the latest a victory by just over half a length over the seven-furlong journey. She finished strongly that day suggesting that the extra ground on offer here will be to her liking. She has a handy draw three and has her peak run after returning from a 15-week break. As such, she is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card. DUNDEE LEE has won two of her last three outings, the latest over 1500M by half a length. She hit the front at the 300M mark that day and then held off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. She is drawn the widest of them all in gate twelve, but she should be doing her best work late and could emerge as the biggest threat to the top choice. AMITTO on the other hand has cracked pole position and is seldom far off the action. Although recorded as finishing ninth last time out over seven furlongs, she was only two lengths adrift of the winner. She was returning from a 26-week break that day and had nothing go her way in the race. She was crowded and checked shortly after the start and then overraced in the middle stages, before not getting the clearest of passages in the home straight. With better luck in the running today, she should be involved in the finish. 

Race 6.

Three 4yr old fillies could dominate the finish to this race and complete the trifecta, but LE GAI SOLEIL looks to be the one to side with. She has won three of her last five starts and followed up her penultimate run victory over today’s trip with a fourth-place finish next time out over nine furlongs, 1.7L back from the winner. She stayed on well that day and the form of that race has been franked. She does return from a 20-week rest, but has had the benefit of two barrier trials to prove her fitness. She is drawn in gate seven and takes a drop in distance, but she did win over seven furlongs five runs back, so this should not be an issue. SAIGON also won her penultimate start, but in her case, over seven furlongs and then ended up in second place over this c&d next time out, beaten a short-head. She hung out on the turn that day, but was making good late progress over the latter stages, only to be denied victory in the shadow of the post. She has a wideish draw nine, but she should be right up there when they hit the line. PHEMONOE has made solid improvement in her last two starts, resulting in a head victory in her latest outing over 1300M. She stayed on well that day and has her peak run here after returning from a 17 week absence. From her cozy gate two, she should be included in all bets.

Race 7.

Not too differently from the previous race, fillies are likely to dominate the finish to this contest and secure the trifecta. BELLUCI BABE is a 4yr old filly who missed out on her hat-trick last time out when finishing third over 1100M, just under two lengths behind the winner, but the form of that race has stood up well with four runners from that contest winning since. She has her first run since a 21 week absence, but has had two barrier trials, winning the first and finishing third in the latest. She is yet to finish out of the top three spots in her five career starts, winning three of them. From gate three, she seems likely to turn in another honest performance today. CHIANTI is a 3yr old filly who returns from a slightly shorter 20 rest and has had three barrier trials, winning the last two. She has consistent formlines to her credit and had to held up at the 300M mark last time out when sixth over 1100M, just over a length behind the winner. In the circumstance, that effort was most encouraging. SALINA DREAMING is another 4yr filly who also failed to convert her trio of victories when finishing sixth last time out over 1100M, 5.3L adrift of the winner. She was bumped a number of times shortly after the start that day and was also reported to have aggravated an existing bumper abrasion to both hind legs, so that effort is best ignored. She will have to deal with draw ten, but she will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways here. 

Race 8.

Two runners from the powerful Chris Waller stable could fight out the finish to this race, with a slight preference going to the day’s value bet, THE GRINDER. He showed solid improvement to win his last start over seven furlongs by a head and was immediately move on to the Waller camp. He returns from a 16-week break, but has had two barrier trials, finishing second in the latest. He jumps from gate three and if fully acclimatized in his new environment, he could lead his stable companion, GREEN FLASH home. The latter has only had the one run, winning on debut over six furlongs by one length, this despite coming three-wide into the home straight. He did however show plenty of determination to grind out the victory and looks to be a solid back-up for the yard, notwithstanding his wide draw eleven. QUIET RIOT is lightly raced having had just the three outings to date, but he won on debut at this track and then was a tad disappointing in his second run when fourth over 1250M, one and a half lengths behind the winner and was immediately rested for a lengthy 55 weeks. He then led all the way to win his comeback start over six furlongs by half a length, so the rest clearly did the trick. He will have to overcome a wide draw fifteen, but given her style of racing, he is likely to use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.