Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Ballina on 1 March 2024.
Best Bet: HADOUKEN (Race 6)
Value Bet: WONDERLAND STAR (Race 8)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
11 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
10 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
13 |
| 2 | 3 |
12 |
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
Cost: R90.00
Race 5
This looks to be a tricky race to start off the day’s Jackpot with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is suggested, but two fillies and a 5-year-old mare could fight out the finish and complete the trifecta, but of the trio, BERTINELLI is taken to lead the field home. She won over six furlongs three runs back, finished second in her penultimate start over 1100M and then fourth in her latest outing over the same sprint trip, 2.7L behind the winner. She made good late progress over the closing stages that day and although returning from a 17-week rest, she has had two barrier trials, winning the first and finishing fourth in the latest. The filly will have to negotiate a wide draw of thirteen, but she should be doing her best work late.
NEGATION is seldom far off the action, finishing sixth last time out over 1300M, two and a half lengths back from the winner, but she was slow away in that event, before running on strongly from some way back. From her kinder draw four, she is likely to turn in another honest performance here.
TOP BIRD had her consistency rewarded with a 2.3L victory last time out over 1100M. She jumped awkwardly, but recovered quickly to take the lead and then fought off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. The mare is drawn one inside the latter and could prove hard to reel in over the closing stages.
Race 6
HADOUKEN tried to go from jump to wire when showing marked improvement to finish fifth last time out over a mile, three lengths off the winner, but that was at a stronger center. He has his peak run for his new trainer after returning from a 20-week break and from his handy draw three, he is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card, as he is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today.
BEEF WEEK PRINCESS is a 6-year-old mare taking on the boys, but she has finished closer to the winner in each of her last three starts, the latest when third over 1500M, just over two lengths behind the winner, but it should be noted that she was hampered at the start that day. She is drawn one outside the top pick and could emerge as his biggest danger.
YUKANUMA followed up his penultimate run victory over a mile with a sixth place finish next time out over the same journey, 6.2L adrift of the winner, but that was at a stronger center and he overraced in the early stages. He in turn is drawn one outside the latter and should be involved in the finish.
Race 7
SHAGGY ROGERS has consistent formlines to his name and overraced throughout, but still managed to battle all the way down to the wire when ending up in third place last time out over a mile, just under two and a half lengths adrift of the victor and was immediately rested for a lengthy 43 weeks. He returns here after finishing third in his only barrier trial and from his handy draw two, he looks to be the one to side with in this line-up.
DESERT MIST was returning from a 17-week rest and had to be eased at the 600M mark and never really recovered from that to finish eleventh last time out over six furlongs, 7.2L off the winner, so that effort is best ignored. The gelding is drawn the widest of them all in gate thirteen, but he gets a set of blinkers re-fitted for today’s outing and if this move has the desired effect, he should be a big runner here.
SHERRIFF CODY gets gate six and struck the front at the top of the home stretch, only to be snared in the shadow of the post when second in his latest outing over 1500M, just a head behind the winner. The gelding returns from a 28-week break without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so his fitness will have to be taken on trust, but he should appreciate the drop in trip and should be included in all bets.
Race 8
The day’s value bet, WONDERLAND STAR is a 3-year-old filly taking on males, but she had solid form prior to being a tad disappointing when finishing seventh last time out over a mile, 6.8L behind the winner, but she did overrace in the early stages and had to be eased at the 1400M pole, so she had her excuses. She returns from a 16-week rest but has had three barrier trials, winning the latest. She gets gate seven and will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today to give trainer Matthew Dunn the winner of the opening and closing legs of the day’s Jackpot.
The same comments can be attributed to GREYLANDER who disappointed in his latest outing over six furlongs when ending up in eleventh spot last time out over six furlongs, thirteen lengths adrift of the victor, but he returned lame in his near-hind after that contest, so a line should be drawn through that effort. The gelding returns after a 35-week spell, but has had two barrier trials, finishing second in the first and third in the latest to prove his fitness. He will have to deal with a wide draw fourteen, but he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.
THE ASTRONOMER has cracked pole position and raced just behind the leaders before staying on well to finish second last time out over 1100M, just under a half-length behind the winner, when returning from a 26-week absence. He should not be lightly overlooked.
