Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing coming your way from Scone on 21 January 2024.
Best Bet: MAGNUCAT (Race 4)
Value Bet: HOT BANDIT (Race 7)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
8 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
5 | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 6 | 2 | 12 |
|
| 5 |
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| 9 |
|
Cost: R90.00
Race 4
Two 3-year-old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but the day’s best bet, MAGNUCAT is taken to lead the field home. She won on debut over 900M when putting 3.3L between herself and the opposition after showing plenty of toe, but racing green. She would have learnt from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected, she could prove hard to topple. From her draw six, she will be looking to reel off a quick double.
SHINE YOUR LIGHT followed up her penultimate run victory over five furlongs with a ninth place finish next time out over six furlongs, 7.8L back from the winner, but that was in very heavy going and she was bumped at the start. She returns from a 41-week break but has had the benefit of two barrier trials and from a handy gate two, she could emerge as the biggest danger to the top pick.
HOMBRE jumped awkwardly, but stayed on well over the closing stages to finish fifth last time out over six furlongs, just under three and a half lengths back from the winner. The gelding has his first run after a shorter 32-week absence but has finished second and third in his two barrier trials to showcase his well-being. He gets draw five and should be involved in the finish.
Race 5
OPUS has cracked pole position and won his penultimate start over a mile and then delivered a powerful finish from some way back to end up in fourth place next time out over 1750M, 1.7L off the victor, suggesting that he should appreciate the extra ground on offer here.
Two 5-year-old mares could chase him home, with the slight preference going to LOVE RULES who also won her penultimate start, but in her case over ten furlongs and then finished fourth next time out over the same journey, 2,2L behind the winner, but she raced three wide without cover in that event and had to be checked at the 200M mark, so she had her excuses. The mare jumps from gate five and should be right up there when they hit the line.
WILSHIRE BOULEVARD came the widest of them all into the home straight but finished off her race well to end up in fifth place in her latest outing over 2100M, just under five lengths behind the victor. She has her peak run for her new trainer after returning from a 30-week break and although drawn wideish in gate eight, she should be included in all bets.
Race 6
There are two unraced runners in the field, so keep an eye on the betting markets to determine whether either of the connections believe that they can win first time out. Any betting support for either, or both, should be respected. Of the raced runners, PERRI LASS may prove to be the best. She is a 3yr old filly taking on the boys, but she finished seventh first time out over six furlongs, just over three and a half lengths off the winner when turning second last into the home straight and then had to be held up at the 100M mark, so she had her excuses. She faces a wide draw thirteen, but she 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.
JAMAICAN has finished closer to the winner in his last three starts, the latest when second over 1300M, a half-length behind the winner. He raced just behind the leaders that day and then finished strongly, only to just fail to snare the winner. The gelding resumes after a 31-week spell, but has had two barrier trials, finishing third in the latest. He will have to negotiate a wide draw ten, but he should turn in another honest run in this line-up.
SPANISH FOX had to be steadied off the heels of another runner at the 400M pole when finishing third first time out over 1300M, just over a length behind the winner. He would have come on further with that run under his belt and whilst drawn wide in gate fourteen, he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.
Race 7
The day’s value bet, HOT BANDIT won over 1100M three runs back, finished six in his penultimate start over the same c&d and then fourth in his latest outing over six furlongs, 6.8L behind the winner, but he did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight that day, having to be held up at the 200M mark. He will have to deal with a wideish gate eight, but he will be having his peak run after returning from a 17-week rest.
NIGHT FIGHTER finished eleventh on debut over six furlongs but then showed the expected improvement to win his next start over the same sprint distance by three and a half lengths. He struck the front at the 200M pole, and the result was never in doubt from that point. The gelding faces a wide draw sixteen, but he is a speedy sort who should be able to work his way across without using up too much energy.
INVASIVE DREAMS is a 3-year-old filly taking on males, but she has consistent formlines to her name and followed up her penultimate start victory over six furlongs with a second-place finish next time out over 1300M, just 0.8L back from the winner. She jumps from a wide gate twelve, but she should be doing her best work late.
