Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Sunday's racing coming your way from Gosford on 31 December 2023.
Best Bet: NEW REPUBLIC (Race 5)
Value Bet: AZAYAKA (Race 7)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
3 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
1 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
4 | 4 | 8 | |
| 3 | ||
10 |
|
Cost: R90.00
Race 4
LADY EXTREME is a 4-year-old filly taking on the boys, but she won her debut over five furlongs by 2.3L, despite coming four wide into the home straight. She hit the front at the 150M mark to win going away and the form of that race has been franked. She would have learnt from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected, she could be the one that they all have to beat, notwithstanding being drawn the widest of them all in gate fifteen.
LIANGELO followed up his penultimate run victory over 1300M with a ninth-place finish next time out when stepping up to 1500M, just over four lengths back from the winner. However, he jumped awkwardly that day, bumping another runner, but still finished off his race well. The gelding returns from a 23-week break, but has had two barrier trials, finishing third in the latest. From a far kinder draw three, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
OUR LADY STARDUST is another 4-year-old filly in the race. She jumped awkwardly bumping another runner and then did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight, only seeing daylight at the 200M mark, before staying on well, to end up in third spot last time out over five furlongs, two and a half-length behind the winner. She has her peak run for her new trainer after returning from a 29-week spell and although drawn wide in gate nine, she should be included in all bets.
Race 5
NEW REPUBLIC has cracked pole position and jumped awkwardly bumping another runner, before staying on strongly to end up in eighth place last time out over nine furlongs, suggesting that the extra ground on offer today will be to his liking. The gelding will have 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and is made the best bet on the day’s card.
A 4-year-old filly and a 6-year-old mare could chase him home, with the slight preference going to CARING LASS who won her penultimate start over a mile and then finished second next time out also over a mile, just a length behind the winner. She was bumped shortly after the start that day and then came the widest of them all into the home stretch, but stayed on well over the closing stages. She has a wideish draw eight, but she could be the biggest threat to the top pick.
LADY SUPERSPY also won her penultimate start, but in her case, over 1890M and then stayed on well to end up in fourth spot next time out over nine furlongs, just under four and a half lengths off the victor. She gets a handy gate four and should be involved in the finish.
Race 6
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. OSTRACISED was hampered at the start, but delivered a powerful finish to get up in the shadow of the post to win his last start over 1100M by a head and was immediately moved to another yard and rested for 16 weeks. He returns here after having had two barrier trials, finishing second in the latest. If fully settled into his new surroundings, he should give a good account of himself here, jumping from a useful draw three.
TORO TORO has consistent formlines to his name and battled all the way down to the wire when finishing third in his latest outing over 1150M, two and a half lengths back from the winner. The gelding has pulled a wideish draw eight but should turn in another honest performance today.
GOLD CARD has produced two solid last runs since moving to a new trainer, the latest when second over 1150M, one and a half lengths behind the winner, notwithstanding racing three wide and coming the widest of them all into the home straight. He has his peak run for his new yard after returning from a 19-week absence and whilst drawn one outside the latter, on the plus side, he will have 2kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.
Race 7
The day’s value bet, AZAYAKA had her consistency rewarded with her maiden victory last time out over five furlongs, albeit by just a length. She was squeezed out at the top of the home straight but finished off her race strongly and the form of that race has stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning. She does take on stronger here from a wideish draw eight, but she may well be up to the task at hand.
TO THE EXTREME also won her maiden last time out, but in her case over 1100M by one and a half lengths and that was at the second time of asking, which was encouraging as she was hampered at the start, finding herself towards the back of the field and forced to come four wide into the home straight, before finishing her race off well. She would have come on further with that run under her belt and from gate six, she should be a big runner here.
NO MORE LIES had solid form before finishing eighth in her last start over seven furlongs, 4.3L off the winner, but she was bumped at the start and overraced in the early stages. The form of that race has however stood up well with no less than four runners out of that contest subsequently winning. She faces a wide gate eleven, but she will have non-claiming apprentice, Zac Lloyd, son of ex-SA champion jockey, Jeff Lloyd in the irons, so she will get all the necessary assistance from the saddle.
