Australian racing tips – Saturday 08 October 2022 – Randwick

Best Bet: NASTURTIUM (Race 10)

Value Bet: FINEPOINT (Race 9)

Jackpot (race 7 – 10).

Cost: R54.00  

Race 7.

WILLIAMSBURG sat towards the rear of the field and then delivered a powerful finish to win his last start over a mile by 0.8L, suggesting that the extra ground on offer here will be to his liking. He will have to negotiate a wide gate eighteen, but given his style of racing, he 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.

PROMITTO on the other hand has cracked pole position and only saw daylight at the 350M mark before finishing strongly to end up in tenth place last time out over seven furlongs, five lengths behind the winner, but that was in a Group 1 event, so that effort was encouraging.

SHARP ‘N’ SMART had his consistency rewarded with a victory last time out over seven furlongs, albeit by just a short-head and the form of that race has been franked. He was returning from a 13 week rest that day and now has his first run for his new trainer. From one gate outside the latter and if fully settled into his new surroundings, he should give a good account of himself here.

Race 8.

MR MOZART missed out on his hat-trick after victories over 1500M and seven furlongs when second in a Group 2 race over 1300M, but just a head back from the winner. He was crowded shortly after the start that day and then had to be steadied off the heels of other runners at the 1000M mark when overracing. In addition, he raced three wide without cover and then hung out in the home straight and then to top things off, he was reported to have lost an off-fore shoe. He was returning from a 19-week break that day and whilst he is drawn the widest of them all in gate eighteen, he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.

Two 4yr old fillies could chase him home, with the slight preference going to LAVISH GIRL, who is seldom far off the action, finishing second in a Group 3 event last time out over six furlongs, 1.3L off the winner, when returning from a 27 week absence. She was hampered at the start that day, but recovered quickly to pick up the lead, only to be run out of it late. She gets a handy draw two and could prove difficult to reel in over the latter stages.

STARTANTES won over seven furlongs three runs back and then finished eleventh in her latest outing over seven furlongs, 3.8L behind the winner in a Group 2 race. She was slow away that day and then had to be held up at the 150M pole and was also reported to have been cut into. She has her peak run after returning from a 11 week rest and from draw seven, she should be included in all bets.

Race 9.

The day’s value bet, FINEPOINT has won two of her last three starts and finished third in the other, the latest over seven by 0.8L when returning from a 15 week rest. She hit the front at the 220M mark in that contest and then held off the chasing pack in the dash down to the wire. She has pulled a wideish gate eight, but she should turn in another honest performance today.

HONEYCREEPER has finished closer to the winner in each of her last three runs, the latest when fifth over seven furlongs, 1.7L adrift of the victor, when returning from a 15 week spell. She did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight that day, coming from some way back. She gets gate six and should be right up there when they hit the line.

ATISHU is the stable companion to the top choice who raced three wide without cover and then came four wide into the home stretch, but still made good late progress to finish sixth last time out over 1500M in a Group 2 race, three and a half lengths behind the winner. She gets a useful draw two and makes a solid back-up for the powerful Chris Waller yard.

Race 10.

NASTURTIUM jumped awkwardly, but recovered quickly to take over the lead, but was then hampered at the 150m mark, eventually ending up in eighth place last time out over 1100M, just over four lengths behind the winner, so that effort is best ignored. He has his peak run after returning from a 27 week spell and will have 1.5kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and is sure to put his pole position to good use. As such, he is made the best bet on the day’s card to give the training partnership of Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou a double in the Jackpot, with the opening and closing legs.

TORO TORO finished well to end up in second spot last time out over five furlongs, just one length back from the victor. The gelding is drawn one outside the top pick and could emerge as his biggest danger.

CLASSY JAYBEE has won two of his last three outings and finished second in the other, the latest over five furlongs by a length, when returning from a 71 week spell. He was friendless in the betting markets that day and did come three wide into the home straight. The gelding has a wide draw nine draw, but on the plus side, he will get 2kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice and the fact that his connections have brought him back into racing after such a lengthy absence would seem to suggest that they believe that he still has something more to offer them.