Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Sunday's racing coming your way from Parkes on 19 May 2024.
Best Bet: LISTEN TO THE BAND (Race 7)
Value Bet: RAGING RUSH (Race 6)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
16 | 4 | 8 | 13 |
12 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
2 | 8 |
| 11 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 5
EILRAHC has finished second in his last four starts and overraced in the early stages and was crowded at the 1000m mark before being held up approaching the home turn to end up a half-length behind the winner last time out over 1400M. The gelding will have to negotiate a wide draw fifteen, but on the plus side, he will get 1.5kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and should be doing his best work late, in an attempt to go one better here.
DEEP SHIMMER is a 4-year-old filly taking on the boys, but she was trapped three wide without cover and came wide into the home straight before making good late progress to finish fifth last time out over 1200M, 4.2L back from the victor. She gets a wideish gate eight, but will be having her peak run after returning from a 20-week break and should enjoy the extra ground on offer here.
SKYFORGER followed up his penultimate run victory over 1600M with a fifteenth place finish next time out over the same journey, just over six and a half lengths back from the winner, but he raced three wide without cover in that event, which was also at a stronger centre. The gelding returns here from a 26-week spell, without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so his fitness will have to be taken on trust, but from draw six and with him having 3kgs removed from his allocated weight, he should be included in all bets.
Race 6
The day’s value bet, RAGING RUSH won over 1100M three runs back, finished third in his penultimate start over the same sprint trip and then second in his latest outing, again over 1100M, 1.8L behind the winner. He raced three wide without cover on that occasion, striking the front at the 200M mark, only to be grabbed late. The gelding has pulled gate six and will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.
KATTEGAT won his penultimate outing over 1000M and then finished second next time out over 1200M, just a neck behind the winner. He tried to go from jump to wire that day and from one gate inside the top pick, he is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today.
EXTRAVAGENT LAD jumped awkwardly and was forced to race three wide without cover, but still managed to stay on well to end up in third place last time out over 1200M, two lengths back from the victor. The gelding is in turn drawn one inside the latter and should not be lightly dismissed.
Race 7
LISTEN TO THE BAND is a five-time winner from twelve starts and put his disappointing penultimate start over 1400M in heavy going behind him when finishing eighth next time out over 1200M, just under two and a half lengths back from the winner. If able to confirm that effort, he could prove hard to topple and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card, to give the trainer/jockey combination of Craig Lundholm and Jason Pracey-Holmes a quick double in the Jackpot.
TORETTO has cracked pole position and has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three starts, the latest when second over 1400M, one and a half lengths off the winner, but he was slow away that day, before battling all the way down to the wire. The gelding could emerge as the biggest threat to the top pick.
FROM THE BUSH was bumped at the start, but stayed on well to end up in fourth place last time out over 1600M, 2.8L behind the winner, but that was at a stronger centre. He has pulled draw seven and will have the services of a 1.5kg claiming apprentice and should be involved in the finish.
Race 8
CRUIZINGDAFIELD is a 4-year-old filly taking on males, but she showed plenty of toe when finishing fourth in her last start over 1000M, just over a length and a half back from the winner. She was having her first run for her new trainer and returning from a 93-week spell that day 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. The filly will have to deal with a wide draw twelve, but she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.
STURN WORDS won his penultimate start over 1200M and then finished strongly from mid-field to end up in fifth spot next time out over 1400M, three lengths adrift of the victor. He gets a set of blinkers re-fitted for today’s run and if this move has the desired effect, he should be a big runner here, jumping from draw six.
CHEAP GAS was returning from a ten-week rest when winning his maiden race last time out over 1100M, albeit by just a head. The gelding is drawn one outside the latter and takes on stronger, but he may well be up to the task at hand.
