Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Monday’s racing coming your way from Randwick on 26 December 2022.
Best Bet: ROYAL MERCHANT (Race 5)
Value Bet: KAHAWATY (Race 8)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
6 | 1 | 12 | 5 |
| 4 | 5 | 1 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 5
ROYAL MERCHANT goes for her hat-trick after victories over 1100M and the latest over 1250M by just under half a length. She came three wide into the home straight that day, but drew clear over the closing stages to win going away. She gets draw six and will be having her peak run after returning from a 23-week break and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.
BLACK ON BEAUTY has only had the five runs to date, but has posted two wins, two thirds and the latest, a fifth-place finish over 1250M, 2.2L behind the winner. She stayed on well that day and the form of that race has been franked. She is drawn wide in gate ten, but she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy and could emerge as the biggest threat to the top choice.
HELLAVADANCER raced three wide without cover and then came three wide into the home straight, when ending up in third place last time out over 1300M, 1.8L back from the victor. She was returning from a 16-week rest that day and whilst draw even wider in gate twelve, on the plus side, she will get 2kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice and should be involved in the finish.
Race 6
SKY LAB has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three runs, the latest when fifth over a mile, just 1.2L off of the victor. He made good late progress on that occasion, suggesting that he should appreciate the extra ground on offer here. The gelding gets a handy draw three and the services of Zac Lloyd, son of ex-SA champion jockey, Jeff Lloyd.
LION’S ROAR has cracked pole position and has produced two solid last runs, the latest when second over a mile just a head behind the winner. He had to be steadied at the 1400M mark that day and his jockey put up 0.5kgs overweight, so could be considered an unlucky loser.
DIAMIL is the stable companion to the latter and although recorded as finishing thirteenth last time out over a mile, was just 3.3L adrift of the winner, despite having to be eased at the six-furlong pole. From a wideish gate eight, he makes a solid backup for the yard.
Race 7
THE MILKYBAR KID missed out on his hat-trick when finishing seven lengths third last time out over eleven furlongs, but that was in very heavy going and he was immediately rested for 21 weeks. He returns here after having had the two barrier trials, finishing third in the latest. He is drawn the widest of them all in gate thirteen, but he is a speedy sort who should be able to work his way across without using up too much gas and he will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.
MISS LENORR is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she had her consistency rewarded with a 1.3L victory last time out over seven furlongs, notwithstanding coming four wide into the home stretch. She struck the front at the 250M mark that day, but hung out over the last 200M, so that effort was commendable. She has pulled gate six and will have 1.5kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice.
REBEL COUNTY is drawn one outside the latter and jumped awkwardly and was hampered at the 250M mark when finishing seventh in his latest outing over seven furlongs, just under two lengths off the winner. The gelding has his peak run after returning from an 11-week rest and should be included in all bets.
Race 8
Two 4yr old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but the day’s value bet, KAHAWATY is taken to lead the field home. She has won three of her last four runs and went from jump to wire to win her last start over six furlongs, putting three lengths between herself and the opposition. She jumps from draw six and will have the services of a 2kg claiming apprentice.
VIENTIANE is the stable mate to the top choice and showed plenty of toe when racing just behind the leaders and then battling all the way down to the wire to finish second in her latest start over 1100M, one and a half lengths behind the winner. She will have to negotiate a wide draw fourteen, but she has her peak run after returning from a 17-week absence and does possess early gate speed, so she should be able to move across without expending too much energy and makes a genuine back-up for the yard.
REGAL POM on the other hand has pulled pole position and has his hat-trick run after two victories over a mile, the latest by half a length. He jumped awkwardly in that contest, but recovered quickly to take the lead, but did shift out over the latter stages, which clearly did his cause no favour. If keeping to a straight course today, he should be a big runner here.
