International Racing: Weekend Racing – Australia

Winning Form brings you all of their best bets and tips for the weekend’s racing taking place in Australia. 

Newcastle

Best Bet: ENCHANTED HEART (Race 8)

Value Bet: RANIER (Race 7)

Jackpot (race 6 – 9) – Cost: R90.00

Race 6

This looks to be a very open Group 3 event to start off the Jackpot and some caution is advised. The tentative first choice goes to PERFECT RADIANCE who is a 3yr old filly taking on the boys, but she has turned in two solid performances over six furlongs, winning her penultimate outing and then finishing second in her latest start, just a head behind the winner. She had to be switched at the 200M mark, but then finished strongly to just be denied victory. She jumps from gate six and should keep the males honest. SHADDY has consistent formlines to his name and finished second last time out over seven furlongs, one length back from the winner. His jockey put up 1kg overweight that day, so he should have finished closer to the winner that he did. He has his peak run here and the blinkers go back on. ELLSBERG has only had the two runs to date, winning on debut over 1300M and then finishing second next time out over seven furlongs, a half-length behind the winner. From pole position and on that last effort, he should have no issue going the extra distance and he must be considered a big runner here. OBVIOUS STEP is another 3yr old filly in the race. She has made steady improvement in her last three runs and was bumped shortly after the start before ending up in fifth place last time out over seven furlongs, but just under a length behind the victor. She has gate five and is trained by ex-SA jockey/trainer David Payne. 

Race 7

Today’s feature race The Hunter for $1M provides the value bet on the card. RANIER has solid Group 1 & 2 form to his credit and was making good late progress when finishing fourth last time out over seven furlongs. He will have to negotiate gate eight, but his immediate dangers have far worse draws to overcome. FIESTA is a 5yr old mare taking on males, but she will be looking to complete her hat-trick today after wins over six furlongs and most recently, 1100M. She showed plenty of determination to hold off all challengers to win that last outing, but she steps up in trip and will have to deal with gate eighteen, which won’t make her task easy. TRUMBULL has won two out of his last three starts, the latest victory in a Group 3 event over six furlongs when returning from a 14-week break. He has also won a subsequent barrier trial and although drawn wide in gate thirteen, he should be included in all bets. 

Race 8

ENCHANTED HEART has cracked pole position for her hat-trick attempt, after winning her last run over seven furlongs by half a length and is taken to be the best bet on the day. She hit the front at the 250M mark that day and then fended off all challengers in the dash down to the wire. MISS EINSTEIN finished strongly to just fail by a head to win her last outing over six furlongs when returning from a 20-week absence. She will have to deal with a wide draw eleven, but given her style of running, she is likely to be dropped out of the race in the early stages and then start picking off the frontrunner in the closing stages. LUNA MIA followed up her penultimate run victory over this trip with a third-place finish next time out over six furlongs, just over a half-length behind the winner. She was returning from a longer 22-week rest and despite having drawn eight, she should be involved in the finish. 

Race 9

HILO had his consistency rewarded with a head victory last time out over six furlongs. He went from jump to wire that day and from his handy draw four, he could prove difficult to reel in over the latter stages of the contest. THROUGH THE CRACKS was rested for 28 weeks after winning his penultimate run over seven furlongs. He finished third over six furlongs on his return, just a neck off the winner, this despite only seeing daylight at the 300M pole. He jumps from gate six and could emerge as the biggest threat to the top choice. Although TWO BIG FARI is recorded as finishing fifth in his last outing over six furlongs, he was just a length and a half behind the victor. He took a bump at the 25M mark that day and should have finished closer to the winner as a result. He has drawn gate three and has won a barrier trial since that last outing.

Dubbo

Best Bet: LEEWARD (Race 8)

Value Bet: SECRET EMBRACE (Race 5)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8) – Cost: R90.00

Race 5

Two 5yr old mares and a 4yr old filly could dominate the finish to this race and complete the trifecta, but the day’s value bet, SECRET EMBRACE is taken to lead the pack home. She had her consistency rewarded with her maiden victory last time out over 1010M when finishing strongly and although draw wideish in gate eight, she could be the one to side with here. ANGIE EMM has one second and three third-place finishes to her credit from her last four runs, the latest when third over 1100M. She returns from a 25-week break but did finish second in her only barrier trial to prove her fitness. She is drawn one outside the top choice and has her first run for her new trainer, but if fully settled into her new surroundings, she should be right up there in the mix. KISS AND TELL went from jump to wire to win her maiden race in her last start over 1300M by over seven lengths. She faces stronger here and is drawn wideout at gate thirteen, but she is likely to attempt similar tactics here and could prove difficult to overhaul in the latter stages of the contest. 

Race 6

DEPLOYS ALONE followed up his two second-place finishes with a third spot last time out over 1118M. He stayed on well that day and the form of that race has been franked. From his handy draw four, he should be right up there when they hit the line. ALL HOLLYWOOD is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys. She won her last outing over six furlongs by over half a length but was then sent for a 20-week break. She returns here after finishing third in her only barrier trial and jumps from gate two. She looks the immediate danger to the top pick. RISK AND REWARD was disappointing when finishing twelfth last time out over six furlongs, that after finishing second in his two runs over the same trip prior to that and was immediately rested for 14 weeks. He returns without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so his fitness will have to be taken on trust, but on some of his better form, he should not be taken lightly in this line-up.  

Race 7

BLACKADDER has his hat-trick attempt after winning his last start over six furlongs at this track by just over a length and a half. He raced handy that day and then hit the front through the 100M mark to draw clear of the opposition. He will have to negotiate a wide draw of thirteen but nevertheless looks to be the one to side with here. Although BROTHER BASSY is recorded as finishing tenth in his latest outing over six furlongs, he was just 4.4L off the winner and did win his subsequent barrier trial. A repeat of his effort when winning over 1500M three runs back would make him a serious threat to the top selection. CLOUDS FACTORY came wide into the straight before ending up in fourth place last time out over 1310M, a neck behind the winner. He faces draw nine, but on the plus side, he will get 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice. WITNESS COLLECTOR followed up his penultimate run victory over 1100M with a third-place finish over six furlongs next time out, 3.3L off the winner. He jumps from a gate one outside the latter and should be included in all bets.

Race 8

LEEWARD is a 3yr old filly taking on males. She finished well to win by one length on debut over 1500M and would have learnt from that experience. With the natural improvement that can be expected, she could prove good enough to complete her double today. She jumps from a handy draw four and is made the best bet on the program. LUDIVINE is a 6yr old mare who stayed on well to finish third in her last start over this mile journey, despite racing four wide. She has a wideish gate eight, but she should be right up there in the firing line. FOR DA BOYS cruised into the lead at the 250M pole and then had almost a length to spare when they winning his last start over a mile. He is stuck out even wider in gate eleven, but on the positive side, he will have 1.5kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.  

Scone

Best Bet: LADY PATRICIA (Race 8)

Value Bet: BERRUTI Race 7)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8) – Cost: R54.00

Race 5

STEP ON FIRE is lightly raced having only had the five starts to date but has chalked up two wins and one second-place finish so far. The gelding won his latest outing over five furlongs by nearly two lengths when returning from a 24-week break. He drew clear at the 275M mark that day and although having to negotiate the widest draw of them all at gate eleven, he looks to be the one to side with here. ANETHOLE followed up his penultimate run victory over five furlongs with a somewhat disappointing ninth-place finish next time out when stepping up to six furlongs. he drops back to what appears to be a more suitable trip and has run second in a subsequent barrier trial. His draw three will do him no harm. PEARL ROAN is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys. She is seldom far off the action and stayed on well to end up in third place last time out over five furlongs, just a half-length off the winner. She faces a wideish gate nine but should be included in all bets. 

Race 6

MOTHER’S MERCY won by just under a length when making her debut over 1300M, but was immediately rested for a lengthy 26 weeks. She returns here having finished second in her only barrier trial and although drawn in gate nine, she should be right up there when they hit the line. Although LEISA LOUISE finished fifth in her last outing over 1350M, she was just over a length behind the winner. she is drawn one outside the top choice, but she has her peak run today and will have 3kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice. In addition, she will have a pair of blinkers fitted for the first time and if these have the desired effect, she could be the biggest danger to the top pick. NOW OR NEVER was making good late progress when finishing second in her latest start over 1280M, just a neck back from the victor. She has a kinder draw five and should be respected in this field. 

Race 7

BERRUTI took the lead when entering the straight and was only run out of it late when finishing second in his last outing over 1350M, just over two lengths behind the winner. He jumps from gate five and is sure to appreciate the slight drop in distance. THAILAND has only had the two runs to date and showed the expected improvement to win by 4.2L over 1280M at the second time of asking. He finished well that day and should have come on further. He faces draw eight but should be right up there to pick up the pieces should the top selection fluff his lines. FREE RIDER overraced in his last start over 1500M and not surprisingly had nothing to come over the closing stages. He drops in trip here and a repeat of his penultimate effort when finishing less than two lengths behind the winner over seven furlongs would make him a big runner in this contest, despite facing gate twelve.

Race 8

Two 4yr old fillies and a 5yr old mare could dominate the finish to this race and complete the trifecta, but the clear top pick goes to LADY PATRICIA who has only had the three runs to date, winning one and finishing third in the other, her latest over five furlongs, when just under two lengths back from the winner. She gets blinkers fitted for the first time and if these do the trick, she may prove to be difficult to topple. THE FIRST OF MAY disappointed last time out over 1280M in heavy going and returns from a 13-week break, but she won her only barrier trial by seven lengths to prove her well-being. A repeat of her run three starts back over five furlongs at this venue would make her a threat to the former. MOINDA finished fourth last time out over five furlongs when returning from a 22-week rest, but her jockey put up 0.5kgs overweight that day, so she should have finished closer to the winner as a result. She is drawn one outside the latter and should be involved in the finish.