Winning Form shares all of their best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing, coming your way from Wagga on 1 May 2025.
Best Bet: SACRED MISTRESS (Race 6)
Value Bet: EXCEEDINGLY HOT (Race 8)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
2 | 6 | 3 | 8 |
8 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
6 |
| 6 | 14 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 5
XCEPTIONAL FELLA followed up his penultimate run victory over 1300M with a third-place finish next time out over 1400M, three lengths back from the winner. He made good late progress that day, despite his jockey dropping his reins. From a wideish draw seven, he will be hoping to return to winning ways here. Two 4yr old fillies could chase him home, but GROUP CHAT may well prove to be the better. She has only had two runs to date, finishing fifth on debut over 1000M and then showing the expected improvement to win by one and a half lengths next time out over 1200M. She finished strongly that day to win going away and although drawn wider in gate thirteen, she should be doing her best work late.
WEXFORD MISS has finished closer to the winner in each of her last three starts, the latest when eighth over 1400M, just over four lengths behind the victor, but she raced three wide throughout in that event and still managed to stay on well over the closing stages. The filly has her peak run for her new trainer and after returning from a 20 week break, but from her handy draw four, she should be included in all bets.
Race 6
SACRED MISTRESS is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys, but she completed her quartet when winning her last start over 1600M by one and a half lengths. She sat just behind the leaders that day and then struck the front at the 200M mark to win easing down at the wire. The form of that race has been franked and whilst drawn wide in gate twelve, she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card to complete a rare five timer.
EXTRAVAGANT CHOICE in turn has won two of his last three starts, the latest over 1800M by just over two and a half lengths. He kicked clear of the opposition at the 150m mark to record a comfortable victory and whilst drawn wideish in gate seven, on the plus side he will have 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.
BURGUNDY GIRL is a 6yr old mare who won her penultimate run over 1800M and then finished seventh next time out over the same c&d, four and a half lengths behind the winner. She finished well from some way back that day and was crowded at the 200M mark, so she had her excuse. The mare is drawn wider in gate eleven, but she will have 1.5kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice.
Race 7
THE INSTRUCTOR goes for his hat-trick after two victories over 1200M, albeit the latest by just a short-head. He showed plenty of toe that day and will be having his peak run after returning from a lengthy 42 week spell. The gelding has pulled a wide draw ten, but he is a speedy sort who should be able to work his way across without too much effort and the trio is very much on the cards.
FELIX MAJESTIC was returning from a 17 week rest and was slow away, but chased hard all the way down to the wire when ending up in fourth spot last time our over 1100M, 3.3L back from the winner and has won a subsequent barrier trial. From his kinder draw six, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
COMPELLING TRUTH had his consistency rewarded with a 0.8L victory last time out over 1200M. He galloped clear of the field at the 200M mark in that event and then held off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. The gelding jumps from a wide draw twelve, but he should start to pick off the front runners over the latter part of the race.
Race 8
The day’s value bet, EXCEEDINGLY HOT has cracked pole position and won over 1400M three runs back, finished third in his penultimate start over the same journey and then second in his latest outing over 1500M, 1.3L behind the winner. He tried to go from jump to wire that day and was only grabbed late and he is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today.
DARK VADOR finished closer to the winner in each of his last three starts, the latest when fourth over 1600M, 1.2L behind the victor, this after battling all the way down to the wire. From his useful draw three, he should turn in another honest performance here.
GATCHAN is a 5yr old mare bumping males, but she is seldom too far off the action, finishing second last time out over 1300M, just under two and a half lengths back from the winner and the form of that race has been franked. The mare is drawn wide in gate eleven, but she should be doing her best work late.
