Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Monday's racing coming your way from Wellington on 2 August 2024.
Best Bet: OCTAVIAN TREASURE (Race 6)
Value Bet: NAVAL DESTROYER (Race 9)
Jackpot (race 6 – 9)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
5 | 5 | 10 | 3 |
| 10 | 3 | 13 |
| 11 |
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| 6 |
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Cost: R90.00
Race 6
OCTAVIAN TREASURE is a 4-year-old filly taking on the boys, but she won over 1000M three runs back, finished a disappointing twelfth in her penultimate start over 1100M and then second in her latest outing over 1000M, just a neck behind the winner. She struck the front at the top of the home straight that day, only to be run out of it late. The filly gets a handy draw four and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.
GREEN PINEAPPLE won his maiden race last time out over 1100M, albeit by just a head. He lost a length at the start that day and then had to weave his way through traffic in the home straight, so that effort was encouraging. The gelding was returning from a 21-week rest on that occasion and the form of that race has been franked. From one gate outside the top pick, he could be her biggest danger.
TINCITY is a 5-year-old mare that had solid form prior to finishing sixth last time out over 1400M, just over seven lengths behind the winner, but that was in very heavy going and she was trapped three wide without cover, so she had her excuses. She faces a wide draw twelve, but she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy to 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. THAT’S BETTER jumped awkwardly and overraced in the early stages when finishing fifth last time out over 1100M, just over five lengths back from the victor and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding has a useful draw two and will have 1.5kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.
A 5-year-old and a 7-year-old mare could chase him home, with the slight preference going to MS REEVES who stayed on well from just off the speed to end up in third spot last time out over 1000M, four and a half lengths adrift of the winner. She has her peak run after returning from a 26-week rest and from her cosy draw four, she should be right up there when they hit the line.
OBEY was hampered in the closing stages when finishing sixth in her latest outing over 1200M, just over two and a half lengths off the winner. She is drawn one inside the latter and could complete the trifecta.
Race 8
TABORCA was returning from a 23-week spell and raced three wide without cover when disappointing to finish tenth last time out over 1200M, thirteen and a half-length behind the winner and was immediately rested for 10 weeks. He returns here after winning his only barrier trial and from his cosy draw two, he looks to be the one that they all must beat. The gelding gets a set of blinkers re-fitted and if this move has the desired effect, he should be a big runner here.
KORA MAGIC is a 6-year-old mare taking on males, but she has cracked pole position and has finished second in two of her last three starts, the latest over 1000M, three and a half lengths back from the winner. She showed plenty of toe that day and will be hoping to go one better today.
SHAQUILA is seldom far off the action and tried to go from jump to wire when finishing second last time out over 1200M, just a length off the winner. The gelding will have to deal with draw seven, but he is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today and could prove hard to reel in over the closing stages.
Race 9
The day’s value bet, NAVAL DESTROYER followed up his penultimate run victory over 1300M with a fourth-place finish next time out over 1400M, eight and a half lengths back from the winner, when returning from an eleven-week rest, but was reported to have been lame after that run, so that effort is best ignored. The gelding has pulled gate five and could provide the trainer/jockey combination of Cameron Crockett and Jake Pracey-Holmes with a quick double in the Jackpot.
BLISS is a 6-year-old mare taking on boys, but she has finished second in her last two starts over 1400M, the latest just a length back from the winner. She tried to go from gun to tape that day and was only collared late and from draw seven, she should keep the top choice honest.
SHEZA RAINBIRD is a 4-year-old filly who jumped awkwardly, but finished off her race well when ending up in fifth place last time out over 1100M, 2.2L off the winner. From her kinder draw two, she should be included in all bets.
