Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Monday’s racing coming your way from Grafton on 3 April 2023.
Best Bet: IAMRUSTYPARKER (Race 6)
Value Bet: SHOTGUN BOBBY (Race 8)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
2 | 8 | 3 | 5 |
4 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
8 | 1 | 8 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 5
ALF’S MAGIC took a heavy bump at the 200M mark before finishing third last time out over five furlongs, just under a length behind the winner, so can be considered an unlucky loser. He is drawn wide in gate eleven, but on the plus side, he will get 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.
ABSOLUTE LEGEND has won two of his last four runs, the latest over five furlongs by 2.8L. He showed plenty of toe that day to run out a comfortable winner. The gelding gets gate seven and should be right up there when they hit the line.
PATRIOTIC KING was returning from a lengthy 49-week spell when finishing seventh last time out over five furlongs, just under three lengths back from the winner, but he jumped awkwardly and raced four wide without cover in that event. He gets a handy draw two and could complete the trifecta.
Race 6
IAMRUSTYPARKER won her maiden race last time out over 800M by 0.8L, despite being held up at the top of the home straight, but she accelerated past the leaders at the 200M mark and then held off the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. She faces a wide draw nine, but she should use her early gate speed to move across without using up too much energy.
PERKOVA had her consistency rewarded with a victory last time out over five furlongs, albeit by just a short-head. She went from jump to wire that day and from a wide draw sixteen out of seventeen and with 2kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice, she is likely to adopt the same tactics here.
AWESOME MISS on the other hand has cracked pole position and showed solid improvement to finish fourth last time out over five furlongs, just over two lengths behind the winner. She looked the winner down the home stretch, but was collared over the final 100M. She will have 1.5kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice and if she can confirm that last effort, she should be involved in the finish.
Race 7
A 5yr old mare and a 4yr old filly could fight out the finish to this race and secure the exacta, but MORNING HAS BROKEN is taken to lead the field home. She had consistent formlines to her name before disappointing last time out when finishing eleventh over a mile, twelve and a half lengths adrift of the victor, but she was reported to have not handled the going that day, so that effort is best ignored. She returns from an 18-week break and has her first run for her new trainer, but has had the benefit of two barrier trials, finishing third in the latest. She is drawn wideish in gate eight, but if fully settled into her new surroundings, she should give a good account of herself here.
INDY ROSE WARRIOR goes for her hat-trick for her new trainer after victories over six furlongs and the latest over seven furlongs by one length. She found herself at the back of the field and had to come five wide approaching the home turn that day, but produced a powerful finish to win going away. She will have to overcome a wide gate fifteen, but given her style of racing, she 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.
NOBLE MISSILE won over six furlongs three runs back, finished third in his penultimate start over seven furlongs and then eighth last time out over six furlongs, but that was at a stronger centre. He will have to negotiate draw ten, but nevertheless, he should be included in all bets.
Race 8
The day’s value bet, SHOTGUN BOBBY overraced in the early stages and had to be held up between the 600M and 450M marks, before coming three wide approaching the home stretch, but finished well to win his latest outing over 1700M by 1.2L. The gelding is sure to put his pole position to good use.
Two 4yr old fillies could chase him home, but TWOSRET is the slight preference. She followed up his penultimate run victory over six furlongs with a second-place finish next time out over 1300M, 0.7L back from the winner. She came three wide into the home straight in that event, but made good late progress over the closing stages. She will have to deal with a wideish gate eight, but she should be right up there when they hit the line.
OCEAN FLYER came three wide approaching the home turn and finished strongly from some way back to end up in second spot last time out over a mile, just under six and a half lengths behind the winner. She has her peak run after returning from a 16-week rest and is drawn wide out in gate thirteen, but she should be doing her best work late.
