Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Friday's racing coming your way from Scone on 22 March 2024.
Best Bet: BELVEDERE BOYS (Race 8)
Value Bet: APACHE JEWEL (Race 5)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
4 | 5 | 12 | 8 |
11 | 7 | 3 | 11 |
5 | 8 | 6 |
|
Cost: R54.00
Race 5
APACHE JEWEL is a 5-year-old mare taking on the boys, but she won over 1700M at this track four runs back and was bumped at the start and raced four wide throughout when finishing fourteenth last time out over 1500M, 7.7L behind the winner, but that was at a stronger centre and in a higher class. She has her peak run after returning from a lengthy 42 weeks and with 1.5kgs taken off her back and jumping from gate five, she is made the value bet on the day’s card.
WARIALDA WARRIOR followed up his penultimate run victory over eleven furlongs with an eighth-place finish next time out over 2500M, just over nine lengths back from the winner, but that was also at a stronger centre. He jumped awkwardly that day which did not help his cause, but he returns from a 19-week rest here and did finish fourth in his only barrier trial. From one gate outside the top pick, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
MORE SZYSLAK won his maiden race last time out over six furlongs by a half-length, at the third time of asking. He finished powerfully from some way back that day and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding takes on stronger here, but he will be having his peak run after returning from a 24-week break. He gets gate seven and should not be lightly dismissed.
Race 6
A 4-year-old and two 3-year-old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and complete the trifecta, but HELLCIBELL is taken to lead the field home. She missed out on her hat-trick after two victories over six furlongs when finishing third last time out over the same sprint trip, 1.3L behind the winner. She was returning from a 23-week break that day and jumped awkwardly, bumping another runner, before staying on well over the closing stages. The filly faces a wideish draw eight, but she looks to be the one to side with here.
Although SHINE YOUR LIGHT is recorded as finishing tenth in her latest outing over six furlongs, she was just over two lengths back from the victor, but she did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight that day. From her kinder draw two, she is made a big runner in this event.
SKY ARTIST won her penultimate start over six furlongs and then finished twelfth next time out over the same six furlongs, just under eight and a half lengths adrift of the winner, but she raced three wide without cover in that contest, before finishing well when eventually seeing daylight at the 350M pole. The filly will have to negotiate a wide gate nine, but she should be doing her best work late.
Race 7
REMEMBER JACK won over five furlongs three runs back, finished eleventh in his penultimate start over 1100M and then seventh in his latest outing back over five furlongs, 3.7L behind the winner, when returning from a 35-week spell. He was hampered at the start in that contest, raced four wide without cover, before coming the widest of them all into the home stretch. That was at a stronger centre and jumping from a wideish draw eight, he will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.
CASINO LORD has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three starts, the latest when third over six furlongs, just under one and a half lengths behind the winner, but he was slow away and raced three wide throughout, so he had his excuses. He returns from a 21-week rest, but has had the benefit of a barrier trial and has pulled a handy draw four, as well as having 3kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.
THE DRAMATIST was bumped at the start when ending up in tenth spot last time out over nine furlongs, 14.3L behind the winner and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding will have to negotiate a wide gate eleven, but he will have 3kgs taken off his back for the service of his claiming apprentice and the drop in distance will be to his liking.
Race 8
The day’s best bet, BELVEDERE BOYS has won two of his last three starts, the latest over seven furlongs by 0.8L. He finished strongly that day, striking the front at the 130M mark and then held off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. The gelding has pulled draw five and could prove hard to topple.
SHARP SHOCK has finished second in his last two runs, the latest over seven furlongs, 3.3L behind the winner, but he had to be held up between the 300M and 200M mark and only saw daylight at the 100M pole. The gelding faces a wide draw twenty one, but with better luck in running, he could emerge as the biggest threat to the top choice.
MELODY AGAIN is a 4-year-old filly taking on males, but she lost a length at the start, overraced throughout, before hanging out on the home turn when ending up in twelfth place in her latest outing over seven furlongs, just under six and a half lengths back from the winner. She jumps from a wideish gate eight and should be involved in the finish.
