International Racing: Thursday 13 August 2020 – Australia

Winning Form brings you all of their best bets and tips for Thursday’s Australian racing coming your way from Newcastle, Ipswich and Northam.

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Newcastle

Best Bet: SKY LAB (Race 6)
Value Bet: SILENT AGENDA (Race 7)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8)

Cost: R45.00.

Race 5
This looks to be an open affair to kick off the Jackpot with plenty of runners with realistic chances of taking top honors. MORETHANNUMBERONE returns from a 27-week break but finished second in his only barrier trial to prove his well-being. He had consistent formlines to his credit before the rest and should put in another honest performance today. CENTIMENTAL is a 3yr old filly taking on the boys, but she showed good improvement in finishing fourth last time out over six furlongs. He objected unsuccessfully against the third horse that day and with better luck in running here, he should be right up there when they hit the line. REACHING is a 4yr old filly who has her first run since a 22-week rest, but has had the benefit of two barrier trials, winning the latest. She drops back from the mile of her last start to what appears to be a more suitable distance and she should be involved in the finish. HAPPY BABE has only had the two runs to date and stayed on well when finishing second in his last outing over 1300M. He should have come on from that run and he should be a factor here.

Race 6
SKY LAB has shown solid improvement in his last two starts and was only beaten a head in his latest outing over a mile. He has cracked pole position and could prove difficult to topple here. As such, he is taken to be the best bet on today’s program. PHYLAVE is seldom far off the actions and was hampered close to home before ending up in fourth place last time out over ten furlongs. He is drawn in gate two and could be the biggest danger to the top choice. QUEEN LEAR is a 5yr old mare taking on males. She steps up in distance today but was forced to race wide before being beaten a head in her last outing over the mile journey. She has a wide nine draw to negotiate, but she should still be involved in the finish here.

Race 7
SILENT AGENDA had his consistency rewarded with a last run victory over nine furlongs. He has drawn gate six and will have 1.5kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice. He looks to be the value in the contest. BLAZING SUNRISE has finished second in his last two runs over a mile and was just two lengths behind the winner in his latest outing. He was making good late progress that day, suggesting that the extra ground on offer here will be to his liking. He has a wide draw of twelve to overcome, but he should be doing his best work late. SOMNUS was a bit disappointing in his last start but did win his penultimate race over this c&d. From pole position, he will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.

Race 8
SWEEPING BROOK had finished second in his two prior starts before winning his maiden race last time out over 1300M. He put three and a half lengths between himself and the opposition that day and looks capable of following up here. He will get 3kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice to aid his cause. EXHIBITION has only had the two runs to date but showed the expected improvement to win over 1500M at the second time of asking. He has a handy three gate and looks to be the immediate threat to the top pick. HUBBLE is seldom far off the winner and finished second in his last start over 1500M, only a head behind the victor. He has the widest draw of them all at gate eleven, but on the plus side, he will have 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.

Ipswich

Best Bet: TRENGGANU (Race 6)
Value Bet: KOBANG (Race 5)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8)

Cost: R90.00.

Race 5
KOBANG steps up slightly in trip after finishing fifth last time out over five furlongs, 4.4L behind the winner. He had to be switched out wide to get a clear run that day and should have finished closer to the winner as a result. He has gate seven, but with better luck in running here, he could turn out to be the value bet on today’s card. HEARTS DENIED returns from a 16-week rest but did win his barrier trial to showcase his fitness. He drops back in distance after finishing second in his latest outing over 1300M and could do better as a result. LADY MELBA is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys and has her first run since a 20-week break, but she has put in two encouraging barrier trials. She disappointed in her last outing before the rest, but had recorded two second-place finishes in sprint race before that and will be hoping to recapture that type of form today. She is however drawn out wide at fourteen, which won’t make things easy for her.

Race 6
With the late scratchings of two of her main rivals, the gates may have opened for TRENGGANU to chalk up his third career victory. He won full of running when trotting up by over six-length last time out over five furlongs. He will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and from his gate five, he is taken to be the best bet on the day. JAZZ QUEEN was only denied victory by a head when run out of it late last time out over five furlongs. He was returning from a lengthy 43-week break that day and if not in need of one more run, he could threaten the top choice. He is drawn one inside the former and will get the services of ex-SA jockey Sean Cormack. STAY SMART returns from a 14-week rest and has not had the benefit of a barrier trial, so his fitness will have to be taken on trust. Although he finished fifth in his last outing over six furlongs, he was just 1.4L behind the winner. He jumps from gate three and could be involved in the finish here.

Race 7
This looks to be a tricky race and some caution is advised. THE WARDSMEN showed marked improvement in his last two runs, the latest when second over six furlongs, only a head behind the victor. He was making good late progress that day and should enjoy going over the extra distance. THE HAND has put up two solid last efforts, winning his last outing over the c&d by nearly four lengths, despite being friendless in the betting markets. He is faced with the widest draw of fifteen, but he is likely to be dropped out of the race early and start picking off the frontrunners over the closing stages of the contest. PHIONAIX has not done too much better with his draw of thirteen, but he jumped awkwardly in his last outing and then was hampered in running, so did well to finish fifth, 1.9L off the winner. With better luck in running today, he should he right up there in the dash down to the wire. ENGRAVED is seldom far off the action and has a kinder seven gate. He has his peak outing here and should be included in all bets.

Race 8
BLITZEN PASTURE followed up his penultimate run victory over seven furlongs with a third place finish over a mile next time out, 2.6L back from the winner. He stayed on well that day and on that effort, he should enjoy going over the extra trip. He does have a wide draw of eleven, but given his style of running, he should be doing his best work late. JEWEL OF THE CROWN is a 5yr old mare taking on males, but she had her consistency rewarded with her maiden win last time out over seven furlongs. She takes on stronger here, but has a handy draw of three and should give the boys a good run for their money. NITROGLYCERINE is seldom too far off the action. However, he did not appear to quite go on with his effort last time out over nine furlongs and seem certain to appreciate the drop back in distance today.

Northam

Best Bet: DELTA BELLE (Race 6)
Value Bet: THE SINGING TIGER (Race 7)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8)

Cost: R36.00.

Race 5
A 4yr old filly and two mares look as if they may fight out the finish to this race and complete the trifecta. PEARLS FROM HEAVEN had her consistent staying form rewarded with a head victory last time out over this distance. She fought off all challengers courageously that day and appears capable of completing her double. TREAT YO SELF is another with consistent formlines to her name and led from jump to wire to win her last start over this distance by one and a half lengths. She will get 2kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice and could be the biggest danger to the top choice. UNDER THE ARCHERS disappointed in her last outing over this trip, but did win her penultimate start over ten furlongs. She will be hoping to bounce back to that type of form today.

Race 6
Not too dissimilar to the previous race, a 5yr old mare and a 4yr old filly could secure the exacta here. DELTA BELLE is taken as the best bet on today’s card and her cause has been aided by the late scratching of one of her main rivals, possibly clearing the way for her third career victory. She was staying on strongly when finishing fourth last time out over 2100M and should enjoy going over the extra ground. FUSION finished best to win her maiden race by a short-head last time out over ten furlongs. She takes on stronger here, but still looks to be a threat to the top pick. ROLL THE GOODTIMES has cracked pole position and did not get the clearest of passages when finishing eighth last time out over 2100M. With better luck in running today, he could be involved in the finish.

Race 7
THE SINGING TIGER has shown steady improvement in his last two runs, the latest when third over six furlongs. He was making good late progress in that contest and should appreciate the extra ground on offer here. CRASH HAT LADY is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she showed marked improvement to win her maiden race last time out over 1300M by some four lengths. She has a wide draw of nine to overcome, but she should not be lightly dismissed in this line-up. MIRROR MOON is another 4yr old filly. She stayed on when ending up in fourth place last time out over seven furlongs, 2.6L off the victor. She is drawn one inside the latter and should make her presence felt today.

Race 8
SUNNYSILK is a 3yr old filly taking on males and returns from a 25-week break, but she did win her only barrier trial to prove her well-being. She had posted solid form before the rest, winning her latest over five furlongs by a short-head. She will have to negotiate a wide nine draw, but she should put in another honest effort here. THE HONEYMAN has his first run since a 22-week absence from the race track, but he did put up a fair effort in his only barrier trial. He followed up his penultimate run victory over six furlongs with a fifth-place finish over the same distance in his last run prior to the rest. He has a handy gate four and should be right up there in the mix. THE FINEST battled all the way down to the wire when finishing fifth last time out over five furlongs. On that effort, he seems likely to enjoys going over the extra distance. His wide draw of ten out of eleven runners is a bit of a concern though.