Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Sunday's racing coming your way from Gunnedah on 26 May 2024.
Best Bet: AKASAWA (Race 7)
Value Bet: NYALI SANDS (Race 8)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
1 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
2 | 7 |
| 1 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 5
MAGIC SHOT was hampered on the home turn, but stayed on well to finish fourth last time out over 1412M, just under five and a half lengths behind the winner. He gets cheek pieces re-fitted for today’s run and if this move has the desired effect, he should be a big runner here, despite a wide draw fifteen as he should be doing his best work late.
BLUE STEEL showed solid improvement to win his maiden race last time out over 1450M by 2.3L, notwithstanding being slow away and racing green. The gelding delivered a powerful finish to win going away and whilst taking on stronger here, and from gate seven, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
MAJOR MAKEOVER had solid form prior to finishing fifth in his latest outing over 1450M, eight lengths adrift of the victor, but that was in very heavy going, so that effort is best ignored. From one gate inside the latter, he is a must for all bets.
Race 6
CASINO LORD finished powerfully to win by 1,8L easing down in his latest outing over 1100M and has his peak run after returning from a 21-week break. The gelding faces a wide draw ten, but still looks to be the one to side with here.
DEFIANT HEART had solid form, winning three runs back over 1000M, but disappointed last time out when finishing eleventh over the same sprint trip, just over ten and a half lengths adrift of the victor, but that was at a stronger centre. He has a kinder draw six and will be having his peak run after returning from a shorter 13-week rest and gets the services of a 2kg claiming apprentice.
LEAVE ME SOME is an 8-year-old mare taking on the boys, but she is seldom far off the action, finishing fourth last time out over 1100M, one and a half lengths back from the winner. She jumped awkwardly in that event and was bumped at the 1000M pole, before coming three wide into the home straight. She then struck the front at the 150M mark, only to be collared late. The mare has a handy draw four and should not be easily overlooked.
Race 7
AKASAWA is an eight-time winner from seventeen starts and has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three starts, the latest when third over 1400M, just over a length and a half behind the winner, when returning from a 20-week break, but he had to weave his way through traffic down the home stretch that day. The gelding has pulled a useful draw four and with better luck in running, he could give jockey Aaron Bullock a quick double in the day’s Jackpot and is taken to be the best bet on the card.
ALWAYS SURE came three wide into the home straight, but hit the line hard to win his last start over 1500M by a half-length and that was also at a stronger centre. He will have to negotiate a wide draw twelve, 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.
RUSSLEY CROWN won over 1400M three runs back and then put his disappointing penultimate start over 1400M in heavy going behind him when finishing fifth next time out over the same journey, just under four lengths adrift of the winner. The gelding jumps from gate six and will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.
Race 8
The day’s value bet, NYALI SANDS is a 3-year-old filly taking on males, but she has consistent formlines to her credit and was returning from a 31-week spell when making good late progress to end up in second spot last time out over 1200M, 0.8L behind the winner. She has a wideish gate eight, but could prove hard to topple in this line-up.
REGATTA won his penultimate start over 1280M and then finished sixth next time out when stepping up to 1500M, 5.7L adrift of the victor, but he was reported to have pulled up lame in his off-hind that day, so a line can be drawn through that effort. The gelding returns from a 25-week absence, but has had two barrier trials, finishing third in the latest to showcase his well-being. He will have to deal with a wide gate ten, but could complete the exacta.
MAGNUS RED had finished third in his two runs prior to ending up in sixth place last time out over 1100M, 4.2L behind the winner, but he lost a length at the start in that event and the form of that race has been franked. He chased hard over the latter stages and does face a wide draw twelve, but on the plus side, he will have 3kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.
