Australian Racing: Weekend Racing (27 – 28 February 2021)

Winning Form brings you all of their best bets and tips for this Weekend’s races taking place in Australia. 

Saturday 27 February 2021 – Royal Randwick.

Best Bet: GREAT HOUSE (Race 8

Value Bet: LUCICELLO (Race 9

Jackpot (race 6 – 9). – Cost: R54.00

Race 6

The top three selections renew their rivalry today and there could be a confirmation and a reversal of the result of their last clash over seven furlongs, despite the fact that they meet on exactly the same weight terms. COLETTE is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she goes for her hat-trick after winning her last two starts over 1500M and the latest, a Group 2 event over seven furlongs, when returning from a 15-week rest. She drew clear of the opposition in the closing stages of that contest to record an emphatic victory. She will have to negotiate a wideish gate eight but is taken to confirm that last result. VERRY ELLEEGANT is a 5yr old mare that had to be steadied off the heels of runners at the 700M mark before finishing third in the race referred to above, 2.3L off the top choice. She also did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight that day and was returning from a slightly shorter 14-week break. She jumps from gate four and is taken to reverse the result with KOLDING who finished just two lengths behind the top pick. The latter hit the front as the field entered the straight, but was run down over the latter stages and may not be as suited to the extra ground on offer here as the top two choices

Race 7

DAME GISELLE made good late progress when finishing fourth in her last outing over six furlongs, just under one and a half lengths back from the winner when returning from an 18-week absence, but did win over this c&d three runs back, so she should enjoy the step-up in distance. She faces gate nine, but looks to be the one to side with here. AWAY GAME has finished third in her last two runs, the latest over six furlongs, just under a half-length adrift of the victor when dropping in trip from today’s journey in her penultimate start. She battled all the way down to the wire that day and from her wide draw fourteen, she is likely to be dropped out of the race in the early stages and then start chasing down the leaders over the latter stages. MONTEFILIA missed out on her hat-trick when finishing third last time out over 2500M, 2.6L back from the winner. She returns from a 16-week absence, but has had the benefit of two barrier trials. She gets gate eleven, but is a previous Group 1 winner and is trained by ex-SA jockey/trainer David Payne.

Race 8

GREAT HOUSE has won two of his last three runs, the latest over this distance by nearly three lengths. His record of four runs for two wins, a second and a third place finish speaks for itself and the form of her last race has been franked. He is drawn the widest of them all in gate thirteen, but notwithstanding this, he is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card. SKY LAB has not been out of the top three places in all six of his runs to date and completed his hat-trick by winning by a neck last time out over a mile. He has a slightly kinder gate nine and could be the immediate danger to the top pick. Although REALM OF FLOWERS is recorded as finishing sixth in her last outing over a mile, she was just over two lengths adrift of the winner. She is a 4yr old filly taking on males, but has a handy draw two and should give the boys a good run for their money

Race 9

LUCICELLO is a 4yr old filly taking on boys, but she has consistent formlines to her name and jumped awkwardly and then raced the widest into the home straight before being bumped at the 200M pole to finally end up a head third place finisher last time out over 1300M and was immediately rested for a lengthy 64 weeks. She has however had three barrier trials, finishing third in the last two. She has a cozy gate four and is made the value bet on the program. ZAKAT is seldom far off the action and was returning from a 15-week absence when finishing second last time out over six furlongs, just under a length behind the winner. He attracted plenty of betting support that day and he is drawn one inside the former. He will be hoping to go one better today. LINA’S HERO has his first run in Australia for his new trainer and returns from a lengthy 45 week break, but he has had two barrier trials, winning the latest. He drops back in trip after finishing fifth in his last start over nine furlongs in Hong Kong and could do better as a result.

Sunday 28 February 2021 – Mudgee

Best Bet: ARTIE’S AURA (Race 8)

Value Bet: OLD HARBOUR (Race 7)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8). – Cost R54

Race 5

AKASAWA had nothing go his way when finishing a head second last time out over 1450M when returning from a 22 week rest. He was checked, crowed and carried wide at the 200M mark that day. From his handy draw two today, he could be the one to side with here. LADYLOVESTOGAMBLE is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys. She came the widest into the home straight before finishing well to end up in third spot last time out over this mile journey, just over a length behind the winner. She faces a wide draw sixteen, but given her style of running, she is likely to be dropped out of it early and then start to pick off the frontrunners over the latter stages of the contest. NOTHING’S SACRED on the other hand has cracked pole position. He showed the expected improvement to win at the second time of asking over 1450M by nearly three lengths. He hit the front at the 200M mark that day to stride away from the opposition and may prove good enough to notch up a quick double

Race 6

ACTIVATION missed out on his hat-trick when finishing fourth last time out over a mile, just under two lengths back from the winner. He had to be steadied shortly after the start that day and then did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight. The form of that race has stood up well and he has pulled gate two. He does return from a 14 week rest, but did finish fourth in his only barrier trial to prove his fitness. GREAT BUY is in pole position and returns from a shorter 10 week break, but he did finish third in his only barrier trial. He came four wide into the straight when finishing fourth in his last outing over 1300M, just under three and a half lengths adrift of the victor and the form of that race has been franked. BAD BOY FOR LOVE is seldom far off the action and finished second in his last start over 1208M, 2.7L behind the winner, this after losing two lengths at the jump. He gets the blinkers removed for the first time and if this move has the desired effect, he should be right up there when they hit the line.

Race 7

The day’s value bet, OLD HARBOUR has his consistency rewarded with a half length victory last time out over 1375M and has won a subsequent barrier trial since then. He has pulled pole position and seems likely to turn in another honest performance today. HEALING HANDS returns from a lengthy 47 week break, but has had the benefit of four barrier trials, finishing second in the latest. Although recorded as finishing sixth in his last start over seven furlongs, he was just over one length behind the winner. He was bumped at the start and was then denied a clear run in the straight, so should have finished closer to the winner as a result. He will have to overcome draw thirteen, but the gelding should be doing his best work late. AMICUS CURIAE tried to go from jump to wire before ending up in third spot last time out over seven furlongs. He was only collared in the shadow of the post to be denied victory by a head. He is drawn one inside the latter, but should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy..

Race 8

A 3yr old and a 4yr old filly could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but the firm top selection and today’s best bet ARTIE’S AURA is taken to make it two wins from two starts. She put nearly six lengths between herself and the balance of the field when making her debut over six furlongs. She was pushed wide entering the straight, but took over smoothly and was then geared down approaching the finishing post to record an impressive victory. She has a cozy gate four and could prove difficult to topple here. LIGHT OF ULURU was a little disappointing when finishing eighth last time out over 1300M and was immediately rested for 29 weeks. She returns here after having posted two encouraging barrier trials. She is sure to put her pole position to good use and could emerge as the biggest danger to the former. BLACK SUNRISE was hampered at the start before ending up in fourth place in his latest outing over 1450M, just a half length adrift of the winner. He will have to overcome a wide gate fourteen, but he nevertheless should be involved in the finish.