Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Randwick on 1 April 2023.
Best Bet: OPAL RIDGE (Race 10)
Value Bet: PERICLES (Race 9)
Jackpot (race 7 – 10)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
10 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
15 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 | 9 |
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| 16 |
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|
| 8 |
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Cost: R90.00
Race 7
GIGA KICK jumped awkwardly and was crowded early on, finding himself in last place and had to come three wide approaching the home turn, before delivering a powerful finish to end up in third place last time out in a Group 2 event over five furlongs, just under a length and a half behind the winner. The extra distance will be to his liking and although drawn wide in gate nine, he looks to be the one to side with here.
IN SECRET is a 3yr old filly taking on the boys, but she has won two of her last three outings and finished third in the other, the latest victory coming in a Group 1 contest over six furlongs by one length. She jumped awkwardly, but struck the front at the 300M mark and then held off the chasing pack in the dash down to the wire. She will have to negotiate a wider draw twelve, but with a bit of luck in running, she should be right up there when they hit the line.
NATURE STRIP is a nine-time Group 1 winner and has won this race over the past three years. He finished a somewhat disappointing sixth last time out over five furlongs, 2.3L back from the winner, but he was returning from a 15-week rest that day. The gelding gets draw seven and should be included in all bets.
Race 8
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. MR BRIGHTSIDE won the All-Star Mile last time out by a half-length and despite coming five wide into the home straight, he finished full of running. He also won this race last year and from a handy draw two, the double is very much on the cards. FANGIRL is a 4yr old filly taking on males. She had to be held up in the home straight until the 200M pole but then finished strongly to end up in second place last time out in a Group 1 race over 1500M, just under a half-length off the victor. She will have to overcome a wide draw nineteen, but she should be doing her best work late.
ALLIGATOR BLOOD missed out on his hat-trick after wins over a mile and seven furlongs when finishing fourth in the All-Star Mile, 1.2L behind the top choice. He hit the front at the 150M mark, but was run out of it late. He faces a wide gate twelve, but he has his peak run after returning from a 16-week break and is 2kgs better off at today’s weight with the top pick, so there should not be much separating the pair when they hit the line.
Race 9
The day’s value bet, PERICLES followed up his penultimate run victory over nine furlongs with a second-place finish next time out in a Group 1 contest over ten furlongs, beaten a short-head, after battling all the way down to the wire. The extra ground on offer here will be to his liking and from draw six, he will be looking to chalk up his third career win today.
SHARP ‘N’ SMART goes for his hat-trick after two wins in New Zealand, the latest victory coming in the NZ Derby which he won by just under a half-length. He raced just behind the leaders that day, before hitting the front at the top of the home straight and staying on well over the closing stages. He faces a wide draw seventeen, but a Derby double is a distinct possibility.
MARK TWAIN finished strongly from some way back to end up fourth in the NZ Derby, 2.2L behind the latter, but it should be noted that the gelding shifted outward from the 400M mark and his jockey was charged with careless riding. He has a far kinder draw five and may well be able to reverse that form with his conqueror.
Race 10
OPAL RIDGE has won five of her eight starts to date and has her hat-trick run after victories over seven furlongs and the latest by two lengths over six furlongs, when returning from a 23-week absence. She jumped awkwardly that day, finding herself towards the rear of the field and then only saw daylight at the 280M, but finished well to win going away. She will have to overcome a wide draw ten, but nevertheless, she is made the best bet on the day’s card.
PARISAL complete her trio with a neck victory last time out in a Group 3 event over six furlongs. She showed plenty of toe in that contest and shifted out from the 100M mark, but just lasted long enough to claim the win. She jumps from gate six and could emerge as the biggest danger to the top pick.
MAGIC TIME has won her first two starts, her maiden victory coming over six furlongs and the latest over seven furlongs by 0.8L. She raced three wide without cover in that contest and the form of that race has been franked, so that effort was encouraging. She has a wideish gate eight and returns from a 21-week break without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so her fitness will have to be taken on trust, but she seems a fair sort and should be involved in the finish.
