Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Randwick on 2 March 2024.
Best Bet: FANGIRL (Race 7)
Value Bet: KOVALICA (Race 10)
Jackpot (race 7 – 10)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
9 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
1 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | 5 | 2 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 7
FANGIRL is a 5-year-old mare taking on the boys, but she is a three-time Group 1 and Group 2 winner, including her last time out victory over seven furlongs, when returning from a 14-week rest. She put two and a half lengths between herself and the opposition that day, this despite being bumped at the start and coming the widest of them all into the home straight. She struck the front at the 200M mark to win easing down and although drawn the widest of them all in gate ten, she could prove very hard to topple and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.
THINK IT OVER was returning from a longer 18-week break when finishing third behind the top pick in the race mentioned above, just under three lengths behind the victor. He is a two-time Group 1 winner as well as winning three Group 2 events, so he clearly has some ability. The gelding gets a kinder draw three, but as the pair meet on the same weight terms today, he may have to settle for the same result.
JUST FINE is trained by ex-SA jockey/trainer David Payne and missed completing his five-in-a-row victory when ending up in tenth place last time out over ten furlongs, 10.3L back from the winner, but that was a Group 1 contest, and he was immediately rested for 19 weeks. The gelding returns here after having had two barrier trials, finishing third in the first and second in the latest. He drops in distance, but has won twice over today’s trip, so this should not be an issue. From one gate inside the latter, he should be involved in the finish.
Race 8
The top three picks renew their rivalry, and we could see a confirmation and a reversal of the form of that race in this event. LEARNING TO FLY was returning from a lengthy 48-week spell and was hampered in the closing stages when finishing second last time out over six furlongs, beaten just a short-head, so can be considered an unlucky loser. She delivered a powerful finish from some way back that day and from gate six, she will be hoping to chalk up her fourth career victory.
TIZ INVINCIBLE has won two Group 2 races from four runs and finished sixth in the same race as the former last time out over six furlongs, 2.8L back from the winner, but she was hampered at the 900M mark and came the widest of them all into the home stretch, so she had her excuses. She was returning from a 15-week rest on that occasion, but as the pair meet on the same weight terms here, she may battle to reverse that last result with the top pick.
KIMOCHI had her consistency rewarded with a victory last time out in the same event above over six furlongs, albeit by just a short-head. She was returning from a 13-week absence and had to be held up till the 300M pole, before finishing off her race strongly, so that effort was encouraging. The filly has pulled draw seven and meets her competitor on the same weight conditions, so there should not be much separating the trio when they hit the line.
Race 9
HINGED raced three wide without cover and came four wide into the home straight when finishing sixth last time out in a Group 2 event over a mile, just over two and a half lengths off the winner. She stayed on well that day and from gate six, she could provide the trainer/jockey combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald with their second winner in the day’s Jackpot, should the top choice win the first leg. The mare returns from an 11-week rest but has had two barrier trials to showcase her well-being.
DUAIS made good late progress when ending up in second spot last time out over ten furlongs, 1.8L behind the winner. She returns from a longer 15-week break but has had the benefit of three barrier trials. The mare is drawn one outside the top pick and should turn in another honest performance today.
MORE SECRETS was crowded at the 1200M mark but stayed on well when finishing tenth in her latest outing in a Group 1 race over a mile, 5.2L back from the victor. She returns here after a 12-week rest without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so her fitness will have to be taken on trust and is drawn wideish in gate eight, but she gets the services of non-claiming apprentice, Zac Lloyd, son of ex-SA champion jockey, Jeff Lloyd and she should be doing her best work late.
Race 10
The day’s value bet, KOVALICA is a six-time winner from thirteen starts who finished a disappointing seventeenth last time out over 1500M, just over ten and a half lengths adrift of the victor, but she was reported to have cardiac arrhythmia that day, so that effort is best ignored. He returns from a 16-week rest and three barrier trials and from a useful draw four, he could provide the same trainer jockey combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald yet another winner, to close off a red-letter day.
DEMOCRACY MANIFEST is the stable companion of the top choice and is seldom far off the action, finishing fourth last time out over nine furlongs, 0.7L back from the winner, but it should be noted that he raced three wide throughout, was bumped at the 300M pole and then came four wide into the home straight. The gelding has his first run after a 15-week absence but has had three barrier trials to prove his fitness. He faces a wide draw eleven, but 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 and make a solid back-up for the powerful Chris Waller yard.
COAL CRUSHER followed up his penultimate run victory over 1300M with a second-place finish next time out over six furlongs, just under a half lengths back from the winner, but he was bumped at the start in that event. The gelding will have to overcome a wide draw twelve, but nevertheless, he should be included in all bets.
