Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing coming your way from Port Macquarie on 16 February 2025.
Best Bet: MONTE TIANA (Race 6)
Value Bet: SIGSWORTH (Race 8)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
3 | 9 | 9 | 3 |
5 | 14 | 6 | 1 |
9 |
| 1 | 8 |
|
| 8 |
|
|
| 10 |
|
Cost: R90.00
Race 5
KOSUKE followed up his penultimate run victory over 1850M with an eighth place finish next time out over 1800M, six lengths back from the winner, but he did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight that day, so he had his excuse and was immediately rested for 18 weeks. The colt returns here after having the benefit of two barrier trials and from draw seven, he will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways here.
MONTE MAXIMUS finished seventh last time out over 1350M, six lengths behind the winner, but that was at a stronger center. He has his peak run for his new trainer and after returning from a 26 week break. From one gate inside the top pick, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
TOOTSIE is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys, but she has cracked pole position and followed up her penultimate run victory over 1600M with a nineth place finish last time out over the same journey, 6.2L back from the winner, but it should be noted that she had to be held up approaching the home turn in that event. The form of that race has however been franked and she should be included in all bets.
Race 6
A 4yr and a 3yr old filly, as well as a 6yr old mare could fight out the finish to this race and complete the trifecta, but the day’s best bet, MONTE TIANA is taken to lead the field home. She put her disappointing penultimate start over 1200M behind her when finishing second next time out over 1400M, just a length back from the winner. She chased hard all the way down to the wire that day, suggesting that she should appreciate the extra ground on offer here. From gate six, she could prove hard to topple.
HELL OF A FOX has finished closer to the winner in each of her last three starts, the latest when fifth over 16200M, two lengths behind the victor. She tried to go from jump to wire that day and was only grabbed late. From her wide draw fourteen, she is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today to emerge as the biggest danger to the top pick.
MAGIC SHANNON has finished third in three of her last four outings, the latest over 1400M, 1.2L back from the winner, but she did overrace in the early and middle stages on that occasion. She still managed to battle all the way down to the wire and from one gate outside the latter, she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.
Race 7
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. LAIZABOUT won over 1000M three runs back, finished twelfth in his penultimate start over 1200M and then third in his latest outing over 1000M, 1.8L behind the winner, when returning from a 24 week break. He made good late progress that day and from his handy draw three, he could be the one to side with here.
BODHI BOY is three for three and showed plenty of toe to win his last start over 1000M by 1,8L and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding faces a wide draw twelve, but he is a speedy sort who should be able to work his way across without too much effort.
SUMO FISH also completed his hat-trick when winning his last start over 1100M, albeit by just a short-head. He overraced and was hanging in from the 100M pole in that event, so that effort was commendable. The form of that race has also been franked and from gate six, the quartet is very much on the cards.
Race 8
The day’s value bet, SIGSWORTH is seldom far off the action and although recorded as finishing sixth last time out over 1250M, he was just 2.7L back from the winner, this after coming five wide into the home stretch and having to be eased at the 200M mark. The gelding gets a useful gate two and should turn in another honest performance here.
TOOMUCHINFORMATION sat just behind the leaders and then chased hard all the way down to the line when finishing fourth in his latest outing over 1100M, just under two lengths back from the winner. The gelding jumps from gate six and will have 4kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.
QUEEN OF A HAND is a 3yr old filly bumping males, but she has finished second in her last two runs, the latest over 1000M, just a length and a half behind the winner. She will have to deal with a wide draw twelve, but on the plus side she will have 1.5kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice and she will be hoping to go one better today.
