Australian racing tips – Monday 5 August 2024 – Moruya

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 XSPIRITOUS is taken to lead the field home. She has only had two runs to date, finishing third on debut over 1000M and then showing the expected improvement to win next time out over the same sprint trip by one and a half lengths. She showed any amount of toe that day and then kicked clear of the opposition at the 200M mark to win going away. The filly returns from a 22-week rest, but has finished second in her only barrier trial and from her handy draw two, she will be hoping to chalk up her double.

FOURTH SPARGO finished second in her last two outings, the latest over 1280M, two and a half lengths behind the winner, but she was hampered at the start and again at the 600M pole, so that effort was commendable. The mare has a wideish draw eight, but nevertheless, she should be right up there when they hit the line.

RUSSIAN ASSASSIN has in turn finished third in his last three runs, the latest over 1000M, 2.3L back from the winner and the form of that race has been franked. He sat just behind the leaders that day, before staying on well over the closing stages. The gelding has pulled gate five and should be included in all bets.

Race 5

THOUGHTFUL struck the front at the 200M mark and despite hanging in down the home straight, he won his debut over 1200M by 2.8L and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding takes on stronger here, but he jumps from gate five and may well be up to the task at hand and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card. A 6-year-old mare and a 4-year-old filly could chase him home, with the slight preference going to

SANTORINI SUN who although recorded as finishing eighth last time out over 1400M, was just under a length and a half off the victor and it should be noted that she raced wide throughout in that event, The form of that race has however stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning and from her useful draw three and with her having 3kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice, she could emerge as the biggest threat to the top pick.

STRAIGHT FIRE had solid form prior to being slow away and never really getting into the race when ending up in eighth place last time out over 1400M, 5.3L adrift of the winner and was immediately rested for 19 weeks. She returns here after finishing second in her only barrier trial and although drawn the widest of them all in gate fourteen, she should be involved in the finish.

Race 6

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. SEBASTIAN’S FLYER disappointed when finishing eighth last time out over 1600M, ten lengths behind the winner, but that was in soft going and he raced three wide without cover. The gelding will have to negotiate a wide gate eleven, but he will be hoping to bounce back to his better form today.

VAAROOM has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three starts, the latest when third over 1300M, 5.3L behind the winner and if he has continued down the same path of improvement, he should be right up there when they arrive at the finishing post.

SPIRITLY was slow away, but made good late progress when finishing second in his latest outing over 1600M, just a head back from the winner. The gelding faces a wide draw twelve, but on the plus side, he will have 1,5kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.

Race 7

The day’s value bet, STAR BUYER has cracked pole position and has finished third in his last two runs, the latest over 1200M by just under two and a half lengths, when having his first run for his new trainer and returning from a 31-week spell. He raced up with the speed that day and then stayed on well over the latter stages. The gelding would have come on further with that run under his belt and could prove hard to topple.

AUNT ROBERTA is the stable companion of the top choice and is a 5-year-old mare taking on boys, but she is a two-time winner from eleven starts who finished sixth last time out over 2100M, 7.8L off the winner and was moved to another yard and rested for 33 weeks. She returns here without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so her fitness will have to be taken on trust, but she now has her first run for her new trainer and if fully settled into her new surroundings, she should give a good account of herself here to make a solid back-up for the yard.

ALMOST PERSUADED is a 7-year-old mare who has consistent formlines to her name and raced just behind the frontrunners when finishing second last time out over 1400M, beaten just a short-head. The mare will have to deal with a wide gate sixteen, but she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.