Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Friday's racing coming your way from Tamworth on 26 April 2024.
Best Bet: GULF OF TOMINI (Race 6)
Value Bet: HARBOUR GOLD (Race 8)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
2 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
10 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
1 |
| 9 | 2 |
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| 2 |
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| 3 |
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Cost: R90.00
Race 5
ARCTIC LEGEND raced just behind the leaders and struck the front at the top of the home straight and then held off the chasing pack in the dash down to the wire to win his maiden race last time out over six furlongs by 2.3L. He was returning from a 29-week break that day and whilst taking on stronger here, he gets gate six and may well be up to the task at hand.
LONHRO’S QUEEN is a 3-year-old filly taking on the boys, but she has cracked pole position and also won her maiden race last time out over six furlongs, in her case by just under a half-length. She was returning from a shorter 25-week spell on that occasion and was having her first run for her new trainer and in addition, has finished second in a subsequent barrier trial.
EXTREME MERGER has consistent formlines to his name, having finished second in his last three outings, the latest over six furlongs, just a half-length behind the winner. The gelding kicked clear of the opposition at the entrance to the home straight that day, but hung in over the closing stages and was snared late. He faces a wide gate eleven, but he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy and will be hoping to go one better today.
Race 6
GULF OF TOMINI had his consistency rewarded with his sixth career victory by winning last time out over 2100M by two and a half lengths. He picked up the running approaching the home turn in that event and the result was never in doubt from that point. He jumps from gate six and could prove hard to topple and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.
The immediate danger appears to be AIMPOINT whose last three runs have yielded two seconds and a third-place finish, the latest one of those seconds over ten furlongs, two lengths back from the victor. He tried to go from jump to wire that day and from his wide draw eleven, he is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today.
ZOFFANY’S GAZE in turn has finished second in his last two starts, the latest over 2100M, one and a half lengths off the winner. The gelding is sure to put his pole position to good use and should be involved in the finish.
Race 7
This looks to be a tricky race with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is suggested. The tentative top pick goes to GRINGOTTS who won at a stronger centre last time out over seven furlongs by a length, when returning from a 20-week rest. He raced three wide without cover in that event, but shot clear of the opposition at the 120M mark, before holding on for a battling victory. The gelding has a wideish draw eight, but he could complete a quick double.
OVERRIDING by contrast has pulled pole position and won her last start over 1500M by 2.3L. She is a 4-year-old filly taking on males, but she jumped awkwardly in that contest, overraced in the early stages, but still managed to find extra over the latter stages to secure her fifth career victory.
WILLINGA FREEFALL is seldom far off the action, finishing fourth last time out over seven furlongs, just under two lengths back from the winner, but that was at a stronger centre, and he raced five wide into the home straight. The gelding is drawn one outside the latter and could complete the trifecta.
Race 8
The day’s value bet, HARBOUR GOLD has finished closer to the winner in his last two starts, the latest when fourth over 900M, just under one and a half lengths back from the victor, but he was hampered at the start, before staying on well over the closing stages. He returns from a 22-week break but has finished fourth in his only barrier trial to showcase his well-being.
SHE’S EXOTIC is a 3-year-old filly taking on boys, but she won by two lengths on debut over five furlongs and that was at a stronger centre. She finished strongly from some way back that day and was immediately rested for 20 weeks. She returns here without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so her fitness will have to be taken on trust, but from one gate outside the top choice, she may prove too good for this field.
SACCA finished strongly despite hanging in from the 100M pole to show solid improvement to win his last start over five furlongs by a length. The gelding has pulled a useful draw two and should be included in all bets.
