Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Monday’s racing coming your way from Albury on 15 April 2024.
Best Bet: CHECK SIDE (Race 5)
Value Bet: SNAP BOOK (Race 7)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
2 |
| 5 | 8 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 4
A 4-year-old filly and a 5-year-old mare could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but SHOOTING FOR STARS is taken to lead the field home. She jumped awkwardly but showed solid improvement to win her last start over five furlongs by one and a half lengths. She battled all the way down to the wire that day and from the widest draw of them all in gate ten, she should be doing her best work late.
DUPRIDE STAR on the other hand has cracked pole position and won over 1175M three runs back, finished a disappointing thirteenth in her penultimate start when stepping up to seven furlongs and then fifth in her latest outing over five furlongs, 2.8L behind the winner, but she did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight that day and had to weave her way through traffics. With better luck in running, she should be right up there when they hit the line.
NOBLE NIGHTOWL tried to go from jump to wire when ending up in third place last time out over 1100M, 1.3L behind the winner. From his wideish draw eight, he is likely to adopt similar frontrunning tactics today.
Race 5
CHECK SIDE won his maiden race last time out over 1175M by one and a half lengths, at the fourth time of asking, this despite losing a length at the start and hanging out approaching the home turn. He finished powerfully in that event and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding jumps from gate six and whilst taking on stronger here, he may well be up to the task at hand and is made the best bet on the day’s card.
ARTIST followed up his penultimate victory over six furlongs with a seventh-place finish next time out over the same sprint trip, just over five lengths adrift of the winner, when returning from a 23-week break. He had to weave his way down the home stretch from some way back in that contest, so that effort was promising. The gelding has pulled a wideish draw eight, but he could emerge as the biggest danger to the top pick.
AMEN BROTHER has posted two encouraging last runs, the latest when second over six furlongs, two and a half lengths back from the winner, but he delivered a strong finish from off the pace that day. The gelding faces a wide draw eleven, but given his style of racing, he 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.
Race 6
LYRICAL BEAUTY is a 3-year-old filly taking on the boys. She was slow away but recovered quickly to race just behind the leaders and then struck the front at the entrance to the home stretch and was only run down late to end up in third spot last time out over six furlongs, just over two and a half lengths back from the winner. She has her peak run after returning from a 17-week rest and although drawn wide in gate twelve, she should use her early gate speed to move across without using up too much energy.
CHOP THE ICE missed out on his hat-trick in his penultimate start and then disappointed when overracing approaching the home turn to finish tenth last time out over seven furlongs, twelve and a half lengths adrift of the victor and was immediately rested for 25 weeks. The gelding returns here without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so his fitness will have to be taken on trust, but from a kinder draw seven, he will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.
BRIDIE’S LUCK is a 4-year-old filly who is seldom far off the action and finished powerful from second last to end up in second place last time out over five furlongs, 1.8L off the winner. She jumps from gate five and should turn in another honest performance today.
Race 7
The day’s value bet, SNAP BOOK had to be held up approaching the home straight but battled all the way down to the wire when finishing second in his latest outing over 1500M, just a half lengths behind the winner. The gelding has his peak run after returning from a 14-week rest, has gate five and will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and could prove hard to topple.
ALL SO EASY is a 6-year-old mare taking on males, but she jumped awkwardly before finishing strongly to show marked improvement to win her last start over a mile, albeit by just a short-head. She faces a wide draw twelve, but is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then should be doing her best work late.
COUNTY KILKENNY overraced throughout when finishing seventh in his latest outing over seven furlongs, 5.2L back from the winner, so he had his excuse. The gelding is drawn one inside the latter and should be included in all bets.
