Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Friday's racing coming your way from Kensington on 2 December 2022.
Best Bet: SUNSHINE IN PARIS (Race 4)
Value Bet: ARAMIS (Race 7)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
10 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
4 | 11 | 4 | 3 |
| 7 | 5 | 8 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 4
Two 3yr old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and secure the exacta, but the day’s best bet, SUNSHINE IN PARIS is taken to lead the pack home. She was well tried, having had four barrier trials before winning by two lengths when making her debut over six furlongs, despite being slow away and finding herself towards the rear of the field, before unwinding a powerful finish to win going away. She would have learnt from that experience and with the further natural improvement that can be expected, she could be the one that they all have to beat, notwithstanding being drawn the widest of them all in gate eleven.
ROYAL MERCHANT finished fifth first time out over 1100M and then showed the expected improvement to win by 2.3L next time out over the same sprint distance when returning from a 23-week break. She was slow away that day but hit the front at the 150M mark to win with a bit in hand. From her kinder draw three, she could emerge as the biggest danger to the top choice.
TANGO FAME won over seven furlongs three runs back and then put his disappointing penultimate run over the same journey behind him when finishing fourth last time out over six furlongs, just under two lengths off the winner. He was returning from a 24-week spell on that occasion and was hampered soon after the start and overraced in the early stages, so that effort was commendable. The colt faces a wide draw ten, but he should be doing his best work late.
Race 5
SHADOW DEVIL has finished second in his last two outings over six furlongs, the latest by just under a half-length, but he was bumped shortly after the start and then came five wide into the home straight, before making good late progress over the closing stages. From gate six, he will be hoping to go one better today.
GUNDY BRIDGE has a wideish draw eight, but made solid improvement to win his last start over six furlongs by 2.8L and was immediately rested for 57 weeks. He returns here after having had two barrier trial, winning the latest and the fact that his connections have brought him back into racing after such a lengthy absence would seem to suggest that they believe that he still has something more to offer them.
MICRO has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three runs, the latest when fifth over six furlongs, just over two and a half lengths adrift of the victor and the form of that race has been franked. He has his first run since a shorter 24-week rest but has had the benefit of two barrier trials, finishing second in the latest to showcase his well-being.
Race 6
FULLER is seldom far off the action, finishing second last time out over a mile, just a head back from the winner, but he had to be held up straightening that day and only saw daylight at the 150M mark, before finishing off his race well. He will have to negotiate gate nine and with better luck in running here, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
ROSOVO has consistent formlines to his name and came the widest of them all into the home straight when ending up in second place last time out over 1500M, just a neck behind the winner. He has a handy draw four and will have 1.5kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice to aid his cause.
TRAVELLING KATE is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys, but she has finished second in three of her last five runs, including the latest when two lengths back from the winner over nine furlongs. She tried to go from jump to wire that day and from a wide draw ten, she is likely to adopt the same tactics today.
Race 7
The day’s value bet, ARAMIS narrowly missed out on his hat-trick after two victories over a mile when finishing fifth last time out when stepping up to nine furlongs, 1.8L behind the winner. He sat just behind the leaders that day and then struck the front at the 300M pole, only to hang out over the latter stages and to be run out of it late. On that effort, he seems likely to enjoy the drop in distance. The gelding returns from a 17 week absence, but has had the three barrier trials, finishing fourth in the last two to prove his fitness. His draw three will do him no harm.
BALTIC COAST won over a mile three runs back and then disappointed over the same journey in his penultimate run, but bounced back to finish second last time out over 1300M, 1.3L behind the winner when returning from a 24-week spell. The gelding has pulled a wideish draw eight, but he should not be easily overlooked.
TO THE NINES had his consistency rewarded with a 1.3L win last time out over seven furlongs, this despite him coming three wide into the home stretch and being hampered at the 300M mark. He was also friendless in the betting markets that day. From his useful gate two and with having 3kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice, he should be considered a big runner in this line-up.
