International Racing: Australia – Wednesday 5 August 2020

Winning Form brings you all of their best bets from Wednesday’s racing from Cranbourne, Sunshine Coast and Belmont Park.

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Cranbourne Best Bets

Best Bet: LUNAR FLARE (Race 5)
Value Bet: ZENDE (Race 7)

Cost: R90.00

Race 5
With the late scratching of one of her main rivals, the door may have opened for LUNAR FLARE to notch up her fourth career victory. She is on her hat-trick after winning her last start over this c&d going away from the opposition. She is drawn out at gate nine, but the trio of victories is very much on the cards and she is taken as the best bet on today’s card. AUSTRIA has cracked pole position and renews her rivalry with the top choice here. She finished second in the race mentioned above in her last outing, 1.3L behind the former, but is 2kgs better off at today’s weights. That should bring the pair closer together, but the top pick is given the nod based on the manner in which she won that last contest. QUEEN OF TARTS stayed on without threatening the winner in her last start over 2300M and may well have not quite stayed the trip. She did finish second in her penultimate outing over the c&d and could complete the trifecta.

Race 6.
Two 4yr old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and secure the exacta. BLUEST SKY returns from a 26-week rest and has not had the benefit of a barrier trial, but she raced clear to win on debut over 1100M by some one and a half lengths, so clearly has some ability. She jumps from a mid-field draw and could be the one to side with here. NO FRONTIERS has her first run since a 13-week break and has also not had a barrier trial. She did however win over five furlongs first time out by two and a half lengths in soft going. She will have to negotiate a wide draw of thirteen, but she could emerge as the biggest danger to the former. KOSOWSKI is a speed sort who showed good improvement last time out when ending up third over five furlongs, just 0.6L off the winner. He gets gate six and should be included in all bets.

Race 7
ZENDE returns from a 25-week break and has not barrier trialed, but he was only outrun very late when finishing second in his last outing before the rest, just a head behind the victor. He jumps from gate eight and if not too much in need of the run, he should be right up there in the dash down to the wire. UNSHACKLED followed up his penultimate run win over 1100M with a fifth-place finish over this c&d next time out. He does have draw eleven to overcome, but he should be doing his best work late. LA LUCCIOLA is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys and finished second in her last outing over 1100M. She is having her first run for her new trainer, but if fully settled into her new surroundings, she should be involved in the finish here.

Race 8
This looks to be a tricky race to close off the Jackpot and some caution is advised. FOXTROT has put in two solid efforts over seven furlongs, winning her maiden race last time out by just over a length. He won from jump to wire that day and is sure to put his pole position to good use. TOFF CHOICE on the other hand will have to deal with draw sixteen. He finished one and a half-length off the winner in his last start over 1300M and takes on the mile today, but he has his peak run here and should be a factor in this line-up. EIGHT TIMES A LADY is a 6yr old mare taking on males, but she is seldom far off the action and should turn in another honest performance here to ensure that the boys known that they have been in a race. SUNSET EAGLE is a 4yr old filly who disappointed in her latest outing over seven furlongs, but if bouncing back to the form of her run prior to that, she should be considered a threat to the top three selections. 

Sunshine Coast Best Bets


Best Bet: EXPRESS FANTASY (Race 5)
Value Bet: OUR ECHO (Race 6)

Cost: R36.00.

Race 5
A 5yr mare and a 4yr old filly look as if they will fight out the finish of this race and secure the exacta, but the clear top choice goes to EXPRESS FANTASY who led all the way when putting three and a half lengths between herself and her opposition when securing her maiden victory last time out over six furlongs. She was resuming after a lengthy 47-week break that day but had finished third in her first two career outings. From her handy two draw, she looks good enough to complete her double today. DARING BELLE has consistent formlines to her name and was only beaten a head last time out over 1300M. Her gate five will do her no harm. PHABENI could be the first male home after he won his last start over this distance by a head and although drawn wide at gate ten, on the plus side he will get 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.

Race 6
Although OUR ECHO is recorded as finishing sixth in his last start over 1300M, he was just one and a half-length off the winner. He was making good late progress that day despite hanging in the latter stages, suggesting that the extra ground on offer here will be to his liking. He has his peak run here and starts from a handy gate five. He could be the one to side with here and is made the value bet on today’s program. STYLISH SAGA chased hard before ending up in second place in his latest outing over 1300M. He is drawn one outside the top pick and will get 2kg removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice to aid his cause. RUN FOR GLORY is drawn the widest of them all, but he finished well to win his last start by a half-length and given that style of racing, this may not be an issue.

Race 7
WAR’S END was an easy four and a half-length winner of his maiden race over this trip last time out when stepping up from his two previous runs over 1300m. He clearly relished the extra distance and from draw three, he could be good enough to chalk up his double here. APITHANOS is drawn one outside the former and finished third last time out over a mile. He ran around in the closing stages of that race and should have finished closer to the winner as a result. He should be right up there in the mix today. THE INVESTIGATOR was hampered in the latter stages of his last race when finishing second, 0.3L back. With better luck in running today, he should be viewed as a danger to the top two selections.

Race 8
MODELKA is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys and returns from a 19 break, but she has put in two solid barrier trials, winning the latest. She missed out on her hat-trick last time out when finishing third over five furlongs, just under a length behind the winner. She has a wide draw of twelve but gets the services of ex-SA jockey Robbie Fradd, so will get all the necessary assistance from the saddle. AZIZ JAMIL COUREUR has won two of his last three starts over this c&d, winning his latest by a half-length. He has a much kinder draw of three and looks the immediate danger to the top pick. BLUE ODYSSEY has his first run after a 24-week absence and has not had a barrier trial. He was a head back when finishing second over 1100M last time out and whilst drawn wideish at gate eight, he should be included in all bets.

Belmont Park Best Bets

Best Bet: OHBEEH (Race 5)
Value Bet: WEAPONSON (Race 8)

Cost: R54.00

Race 5
OHBEEH had his consistency rewarded with a two-length victory over 1300M last time out. He skipped clear as they entered the straight that day and then showed good determination in holding all challengers at bay in the closing stages. He has his peak run here and is likely to adopt similar tactics starting from a handy gate four. PURE MAGNUS is drawn one outside the top choice and showed marked improvement when finishing second over 1100M last time out, just a head behind the winner. He was making good late progress that day, suggesting that he will appreciate the extra ground on offer here. TRILLI FILLY is a 7yr old mare taking on the boys. She has posted three solid efforts over this trip, the latest when two lengths back from the winner. She is drawn in gate three and could complete the trifecta.

Race 6
GIANT LEAP followed up his penultimate run victory over seven furlongs with a 1.3L third-place finish next time out over 1300M. He is drawn in gate five and may well be looking for this greater test of stamina. HOTHAM VALLEY is seldom far off the action and stayed on well when ending up in third pace last time out over seven furlongs. He has to overcome a ten draw, but he should put in another honest performance in the line-up. ARAGAIN is a 4yr old filly taking on males. She showed good improvement when winning her last outing over a mile by one length. She hit the front early and then dug down deep to hold off the chasing pack in the latter stages of the contest. A repeat of the performance would see her right up there in the mix.

Race 7
SO SWAY won by just under a length over this c&d on debut, despite understandably racing green. He would have learned from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected, he could be in line to complete a quick double. His wideish draw of eight is only of minor concern. WARBLER won his maiden race by a neck last time out over this distance when returning from a lengthy 38-week break. He gets to jump from gate five and if he is able to reproduce that comeback effort here, he should be involved in the finish. SHOWZALI is a 4yr old filly taking on boys, but she drops down in distance after two outings over six furlongs, the latest when 2.2L behind the winner. She jumped awkwardly that day and should have finished closer to the winner that she eventually did. The drop in trip should be to her liking and she will get 3kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice.

Race 8
WEAPONSON last two runs since returning from a 23-week rest have been encouraging. He finishing second on both those occasions over this c&d and was just a length back in the latest of those outings. He will be hoping to go one better today when having his peak run. Despite being drawn in gate eight, he is taken to be the value bet on today’s card. SHE’S VITAL is a 6yr old mare taking on males. She is drawn one outside the former and only got a clear run very late before finishing strongly to win her last start over the c&d going away from the opposition. She looks to be the biggest threat to the top pick. CULZEAN had been making gradual improvement in his last two outings before moving on to a new yard. He has cracked pole position and if fully acclimatize in his new environment, he should be included in all bets.