Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Gosford 12 January 2024.
Best Bet: TREIZE (Race 7)
Value Bet: OAKFIELD EAGLE (Race 6)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
1 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
4 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
7 | 12 | 7 |
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| 1 |
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| 4 |
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Cost: R90.00
Race 4
MERRY MAC BOY had solid form before being a tad disappointing when finishing fifth last time out over 1300M, 12.7L adrift of the winner, but he did not act in the very heavy going that day, so that effort is best ignored. He faces a wide draw nine, but on the plus side he will have 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and will be looking to bounce back to winning ways here.
TIME FOR VICTORY is another who was in good form before his last start, finishing fourth over 1100M, just over five and a half lengths behind the winner, but he raced three wide without cover in that event and was hampered at the 200M mark. The form of that race has been franked and from his kinder draw four, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
MAD DEEL won over 1300M three runs back, finished fifth in his penultimate start over seven furlongs and then sixth in his latest outing over 1100M, just under six and a half lengths back from the winner, but he did jump awkwardly bumping another runner in that contest. The gelding has finished seventh in a subsequent barrier trial and whilst drawn wideish in gate eight, he will have non-claiming apprentice, Zac Lloyd, son of ex-SA champion jockey, Jeff Lloyd in the irons to aid his cause.
Race 5
There are five unraced runners in the field, so as is always the case in these types of races, a keen eye should be kept on the betting markets to get some indication as to whether any of the connections believe that they can win first-time out. Any betting support for a runner or runners should be respected. Of the raced runners, MIDNIGHT HARRY may well prove to be the best. He put his disappointing penultimate start over six furlongs behind him when finishing second next time out over 1100M, just a head back from the winner. He was returning from a 13-week rest that day and raced just behind the leaders, before staying on well over the closing stages. The gelding has a handy draw three and is trained by ex-SA jockey/trainer David Payne and will be partnered by ex-SA jockey Keagan Latham.
Two 3-year-old fillies could chase him home, with the slight preference going to FULL REVOLUTION who is seldom far off the action, finishing second last time out over 1100M, two lengths back from the winner, when returning from a longer 19-week break. She did however hang out approaching the home turn, before coming five wide into the straight. The filly is drawn one outside the top pick and seems likely to turn in another honest performance today.
IMPULSIVITY is the stable companion to the latter and has only had two runs to date, finishing third on debut over five furlongs and then fifth next time out over 1100M, 2.7L back from the winner. She did come the widest of them all into the home straight that day and would have come on further with that run under her belt. She returns here from a 20-week absence without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so her fitness will have to be taken on trust and will have to overcome a wide gate fifteen, but she is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then start to pick off the front runners over the latter part of the race and makes a solid back-up for the yard.
Race 6
The day’s value bet, OAKFIELD EAGLE won over a mile three runs back and then finished second in his next two starts, also over a mile, the latest over this track, just a head behind the victor. He tried to go from jump to wire that day and from his useful draw two, he is likely to attempt similar tactics today and could prove hard to reel in over the latter stages.
EKELER was bumped shortly after the start but recovered quickly to pick up the lead, before accelerating smartly to mow down the leaders just short of the wire to win his maiden race over 1500M by just under a half-length. The colt is drawn in gate five and takes on stronger here, but he may well be up to the task at hand.
SUBARCTIC has cracked pole position and jumped awkwardly, bumping another runner, before making good late progress to end up in fifth spot last time out over a mile, just under two and a half lengths behind the winner. The gelding has his peak run after returning from a 27-week break and should not be lightly dismissed.
Race 7
TREIZE is a 4-year-old filly taking on the boys and goes for her hat-trick after victories over seven furlongs and the latest over seven furlongs by 0.8L when returning from a 23-week spell. She showed plenty of toe that day and from a cosy draw three and having 3kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice, she is made the best bet on the day’s card.
OCEANS ONE is a speedy sort and was returning from a 19-week rest when ending up in seventh place last time out over five furlongs, 3.2L off the winner. The form of that race has stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning and whilst drawn the widest of them all in gate eleven, he should use his early gate speed to work his way across without using up too much energy.
PROCRASTINATOR has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three starts, the latest when fourth over five furlongs, two lengths behind the winner. He hung out from the 600M mark in that event and came three wide into the home straight, but stayed on well over the latter stages. The gelding returns from a 16-week rest, but has finished third in his only barrier trial and from a useful gate four, he should be involved in the finish.
