Australian racing tips – Monday 17 March 2025 – Taree

Race 5

HIGHLY TEMPTED has finished second three time and third on two occasion in his last five outings, the latest, one of those seconds over 1400M, beaten just a neck. He finished strongly that day, just failing to overhaul the winner in the shadow of the post. The gelding jumps from gate seven and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.

He renews his rivalry with TSUNODA who finished third last time out in the same race mentioned above, 2.8L back from the victor. He delivered a powerful finish from well back that day and should appreciate the extra ground on offer here. The gelding gets gate five, but does face the top pick on 1kg worse term at today’s weight, so it may be difficult to reverse that result.

YAMBA’S GIRL is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she tried to go from jump to wire when finishing second last time out over 1600M, just a short-head behind the winner. She faces a wide draw ten, but she is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today to be involved in the finish.

Race 6

GOLDEN DUBAI is seldom too far off the action, finishing second last time out over 1110M, two and a half lengths back from the winner, but he raced wide throughout in that event, before managing to make good late progress over the closing stages. The gelding has pulled gate five and will be having his peak run after returning from a 26 week break.

SO YOU SUGGEST is a 4yr old filly bumping males, but she jumped awkwardly before staying on well over the latter stages to end up in third spot last time out over 1300M, 2.7L back from the victor. She is drawn one outside the top pick and returns from a 47 week spell, but has had three barrier trials, winning the first two and finishing second in the latest and the fact that her connections have brought her back into racing after such a lengthy absence would seem to suggest that they believe that she still has something more to offer them.

EL BEATLE followed up his penultimate run victory over 1000M with a second place finish next time out over the same sprint trip, just a half length back from the winner. He showed plenty of toe on that occasion and from a handy draw three and with 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice, he should be included in all bets.

Race 7

The day’s value bet, IN SPADES is a 6yr old mare taking on boys, but she has won two of her last four outings, the latest over 1000M by a short-head. She raced three wide without cover in that event, but was still able to strike the front at the 200M pole and then fought off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. The mare has pulled a useful gate two and could prove hard to topple.

DIS IS HEAVEN showed solid improvement when finishing third in his latest start over 1000M, beaten just a short-head, this after having to weave his way through traffic down the home straight, so he can be considered an unlucky loser. He is drawn one outside the top choice and should be right up there when they hit the line.

LADY TULESSA is a 7yr old mare who won over 1000M three runs back, finished third in her penultimate start over 1100M and then sixth in her latest outing over the same c&d, 3.2L behind the winner. She has her first run after an 18 week without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so her fitness will have to be taken on trust, but from gate four, she should not be easily overlooked.

Race 8

This looks to be a tricky race to end off the day’s Jackpot with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is suggested. MOSGIEL DAISY is a 4yr old filly taking on males, but she was returning from a 12 week rest and had to be eased at the 1000M mark before finishing well from some way back to end up in third spot last time out over 1250M, just under a length behind the winner. She jumps from a cozy draw four and could be the one that they all have to beat.

CRITICAL TIME has cracked pole position and chased hard all the way down to the wire when finishing fourth last time out over 1250M, 2.3L off the winner and the form of that race has been franked.

PRORATA followed up his penultimate run victory over 1300M with a sixth place finish next time out over 1400M, five and a half lengths back from the winner, but he lost a length at the start that day and was forced to come the widest of them all into the home stretch. The gelding has gate five and will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways here.