Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing taking place at Happy Valley and Gulfstream Park.
Happy Valley Best Bets
Race 1: GALAXY RACER (1)
Trainer: Caspar Fownes
Jockey: C Y Ho
The best possible result to get punters off to a flying start is a victory for GALAXY RACER who is carded to start favourite and rightly so after troubling the judge on both his starts in 2020. Under Ho he was beaten just half a length in first-time blinkers over 1400m in early February, then when stepped up to 1650m went down fighting under Zac Purton, beaten threequarters of a length in a blanket finish. The headgear is having a positive effect on the gelding who looks the part with Ho back in the irons.
Race 2: MURRAY’S PARTNERS (9)
Trainer: C Yip
Jockey: Zac Purton
The New Zealand-bred MURRAY’S PARTNERS provides value in an open second race with the critical factor being his trainer’s decision to bring him back to the 1650m distance. His fractions on two recent outings over 2000m have seen him lead or be prominent for most of the contest only to weaken inside the distance. If Purton can overcome a tricky outside draw the combination can earn.
Race 3: WINNING WAYS (4)
Trainer: C Shum
Jockey: Zac Purton
The betting suggests only four of the 12 starters can win this and they have Mssrs Van Niekerk, Callan, Purton and Moreira doing the navigating. But WINNING WAYS had been unlucky not to score and recorded a couple of near misses before Purton took the irons and steered him home in a Class C in early February. He then handled a class rise to place under his revised mark of 53, and that from a bad draw. In a nutshell, he should have the Indian sign on these foes with Winner’s Heart and Oversubscribed must be included in exotics.
Race 4: METHANE (6)
Trainer: David Ferraris
Jockey: Chad Schofield
METHANE is having just an eighth career start and can put one over for the team to the delight of his South African trainer. He’s never looked better than on his latest two outings at the Valley, but back at a slightly higher level needs to raise his game. He delivered under Lyle Hewitson early last month and then under Schofield in a stronger grade went close on his latest start. This 1650m looks an ideal trip for the gelding who can swoop to conquer.
Race 5: SHANGHAI MASTER (3)
Trainer: K Lui
Jockey: C Y Ho
Ho will need to call on his expertise to get SHANGHAI MASTER out of the gate and in contention but the 6yo knows every blade of the Valley grass, having raced here on each of his last ten outings. He’s shown very good gate speed on each of his last two starts and was in the firing line throughout before finishing third on what was his best finishing position of the season off his lowest rating (58), a drop of 12. He’s in a good place to deliver.
Race 6: DANCING FIGHTER (1) (Nap)
Trainer: Caspar Fownes
Jockey: Joao Moreira
If you’re well ahead by this stage only back DANCING FIGHTER to consolidate, if you’re behind the eight ball then he looks the perfect bet for get out purposes. The son of Australian stallion Zoustar has really clicked for Moreira and was in the form of his life at this Class 3 level at the end of 2019, posting a second and two wins. He’s been freshened up for the hat-trick bid, has pleased in his track work and is very much the one to beat.
Race 7: CINQUANTE CINQ (3)
Trainer: T P Yung
Jockey: Joao Moreira
I’m leaving it to the ‘Magic Man’ to get the job done on New Zealand-bred CINQUANTE CINQ whose been admirably consistent in his four forays to the track this season, his three efforts at the Valley resulting in better finishes than his sole outing at Sha Tin. Importantly, it was with Moreira in the hot seat that he swooped to conquer at the end of January, and the 5yo looks to hold the best of the cards.
Race 8: BEAUTY SPARK (7) (Each Way)
Trainer: F C Lor
Jockey: Zac Purton
The penny has started to drop for BEAUTY SPARK who offers good value to get into the money at the very least in the nightcap. Purton didn’t cut much ice with the Australian-bred last season but after a break has guided him into the money the last twice. He’s getting the hang of things and is ready to show further improvement off the same mark of 67.
Dundalk Best Bets (CANCELLED)
Race 3: POLITICISE (6) (Each Way)
Trainer: Adrian McGuinness
Jockey: Ronnie Whelan
POLITICISE has posted a couple of pleasing earning runs so far this year and looks on a good mark to consolidate for his in form stable. The key to his chance today is an abrupt pull back on the distance ladder from the two miles over which he placed here last month to a mile and a half. Beaten just half a length into third in a blanket finish that day, he’s shown the ability to travel and that should stand him in good stead.
Race 4: AGITARE (1)
Trainer: Jim Bolger
Jockey: Kevin Manning
This looks a straight fight between Tiger Moth and AGITARE, with the latter fancied to play the experience card to good effect. While Tiger Moth had just one back end outing last year, Agitare ran five times and hit the board each time, being unlucky to run into some useful foes. He’s looked more settled in his work ahead of this seasonal reappearance and can open his account.
Race 6: GIN BLOSSOM (9) (Nap)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
Jockey: TBA
As a 3yo filly GIN BLOSSOM gets all the allowances and appeals as the best bet on the card. She was a heavily-bet favourite at Gowran Park in the autumn and fully expected to break her maiden, but ran into a tartar in Lemista. However, she had a dozen fillies in her wake and is reported to have thrived, doing well both physically and mentally through the winter.
Gulfstream Park Best Bets
Race 3 (Claiming) CORY GAL (9)
Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
Jockey: Edgar Prado
CORY GAL looks the best of these distaffers with veteran Prado in the irons. The combination seek to better a near miss here a month back, the last outing the daughter of Corfu had for Larry Bates. ‘Chop Chop’ is operating at a near 30% strike-rate and can guide the 4yo home.
Race 4 (Maiden Claiming) CUY (4)
Trainer: Elizabeth Dobles
Jockey: Diego Gomez
CUY showed notable improvement with first-time blinkers to chase home At The Beach here at the beginning of the month. It’s the best form on offer over the same trip of a mile, while the selection is perfectly drawn to quickly get into a stalking position.
