Winning form share all of their best bets and tips for Monday’s racing coming your way from Armidale on 9 October 2023.
Best Bet: CALGARY KING (Race 4)
Value Bet: THE POLENITSA (Race 5)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
3 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
1 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 |
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Cost: R54.00
Race 4
CALGARY KING goes for his hat-trick after victories over six furlongs and the latest over seven furlongs by 1.3L. He showed plenty of toe that day, kicking clear of the opposition at the entrance to the home straight and was eased down approaching the line. The gelding is drawn six and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.
REBEL’S EDGE had his consistency rewarded with a 0.8L win last time out over a mile. He had to be held up at the 600M mark, but finished off his race well and from his handy draw two, he could emerge as the immediate danger to the top choice. He returns from a 13 week rest, without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so his fitness will have to be taken on trust, but he should turn in another honest performance here.
GOBBLED is seldom far off the action and raced three wide without cover, before battling all the way down to the wire to end up in third place last time out over 1300M, 0.7L back from the winner. The gelding is drawn the widest of them all in gate nine, but he should still be involved in the finish.
Race 5
The day’s value bet, THE POLENITSA is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys, but she has finished second in her last two starts over this c&d, the latest when just a half length back from the winner and the form of that race has stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning. She is drawn wideish in gate eight, but on the plus side, she will get 2kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice and will be hoping to go one better today.
HARDYO has finished closer to the winner in each of his last four starts, the latest when second over a mile, just a head behind the winner. From gate five he should be right up there when they hit the line. OUR GIRL EVE is a 6yr old mare that has her hat-trick run after wins over ten furlongs and the latest over a mile by a head. She delivered a powerful finish in that event to get up in the shadow of the post. She jumps from draw seven and will have 1.5kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice. She should be doing her best work late.
Race 6
A 4yr old filly, a 5yr old and a 6yr old mare could dominate the finish to this race and complete the trifecta, but QUICK AS A FLASH is taken to lead the field home. She won over seven furlongs three runs back, finished sixth in her penultimate start over 1300M and then second in her latest outing over 1300M at this track, just under a half length behind the winner, but she overraced in the early stages and had to be eased off the heels of another runner at the 1000M pole, before staying on well over the closing stages, so she has her excuses. She jumps from gate five and will be looking for her third career victory.
RAZZLE DAZZLE is the stable companion to the top choice who made good late progress to finish fifth last time out over six furlongs, 2.8L off the winner, suggesting that the extra ground on offer here will be to her liking. She has a useful draw two and will be having her peak run after returning from a 52 week spell 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. She makes a solid back-up for the yard.
COME ON EILEEN stayed on well when finishing third last time out over this c&d, three and a half lengths adrift of the victor and the form of that race has been franked. She will have to deal with a wide gate ten, but she gets a set of blinkers fitted for the first time and if these have the desired effect, she should be a big runner here.
Race 7
LEOPARDI had solid form prior to finishing eighth last time out over 1100M, 5.3L back from the winner, but he was bumped at the start and hung in at the 1000M mark. He returns from a 19 week break, but has put in two encouraging barrier trial to showcase his well-being. The gelding has pulled draw six and will be looking to bounce back to his better form today.
SPIRIT OF PLUTO has consistent formlines to his name, chalking up one second and two third place finishes in his last three starts, the latest over his c&d, just under two and a half lengths back from the winner, this despite coming three wide into the home straight from some way back. He jumps from a cozy draw four and will have the services of a 2kg claiming apprentice.
SIR DONALD is another who has consistent formlines to his credit, finishing third in his last two outings over today’s sprint trip, the latest just one and a half lengths behind the winner. The gelding raced three wide without cover in that contest, but stayed on well over the latter stages. He is drawn one outside the latter and will also have a 2kg claiming aboard and as such, he should be included in all bets.
