Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from Warwick Farm on 26 Janury 2023.
Best Bet: SPIRIT RIDGE (Race 7)
Value Bet: SILVANITO (Race 6)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
10 | 14 | 1 | 12 |
4 | 13 | 2 | 10 |
7 | 6 |
| 4 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 5
CADETSHIP followed up his penultimate run victory over six furlongs with a fourth-place finish next time out over seven furlongs, beaten just a short-head. He hung out down the home straight that day and his jockey put up 1kg overweight, so can be considered an unlucky loser. He gets draw seven and will be having his peak run after returning from a 33-week break.
REGAL POM has consistent formlines to his name and had to be held up at the top of the home straight and then only saw daylight at the 300M mark before finishing off his race well to end up in fourth place last time out over 1300M, just under a length behind the winner. He has his peak run after returning from a shorter 20-week rest and from his handy draw two, he should turn in another honest performance today.
MISSION VALUE also won his penultimate run over six furlongs and then followed that up with a second-place finish next time out over the same sprint trip, 1.3L back from the winner. The gelding came three wide into the home stretch on that occasion, but stayed on well over the closing stages. He faces a wide draw nine, but he should be doing his best work late.
Race 6
The day’s value bet, SILVANITO showed solid improvement when making good late progress to win his maiden race last time out over 1100M by half a length and was immediately rested for 17 weeks. He returns here after having had two barrier trials, finishing third in the latest to showcase his well-being. He has pulled gate six and takes on stronger here, but he has only had the four starts to date and could well be up to the task at hand.
A 4yr old filly and a 5yr old mare could chase him home, with the slight preference for PETULANT, who although recorded as finishing eight last time out over six furlongs, was just four lengths behind the winner, this after being hampered at the start. She returns from a longer 23-week break, but she did win her only barrier trial and whilst she will have to overcome a wide draw thirteen out of fourteen, she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.
ZAIN’S GIRL on the other hand has cracked pole position and won her penultimate start over five furlongs. She then finished fifth next time out over the same trip, just under two and a half lengths off the winner, but she had nothing go her way that day. She jumped awkwardly, was crowded and hampered shortly after the start, before only seeing daylight at the 150M mark. With better luck in running, she should give a good account of herself here.
Race 7
SPIRIT RIDGE struck the front at the 200M pole and then held off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire to win his latest outing over ten furlongs by 0.8L and could give champion jockey James McDonald his second winner in the day’s Jackpot, should the top pick win the first leg. He has a useful gate two and is made the best bet on the day’s card.
BONNY EZRA is seldom far off the action, finishing third last time out over ten furlongs, just a half-length back from the winner, but he was bumped at the start and then severely hampered at the 1500M mark. His jockey also put up 0.5kgs overweight and the form of that race has been franked, so that effort was encouraging. From one gate outside the top choice, he could emerge as the biggest danger to the former.
MISSION PHOENIX has won three of his last four starts, the latest over ten furlongs, albeit by just a head. He jumped awkwardly, but recovered quickly to get to the lead and then held on well to chalk up his fifth career victory. It should be noted that his jockey lost his crop at the start that day. The gelding faces a wide draw fifteen, but he is likely to adopt the same front-running tactics today and should be involved in the finish.
Race 8
PONCA missed out on her hat-trick after two victories over six furlongs when finishing fourth last time out when stepping up to 1300M, just over a length and a half behind the winner, but she hung out from the 250M mark and the form of that race has been franked. She is sure to put her pole position to good use and looks to be the one to side with here.
BEIRUT MISS won her penultimate start over 1300M and then finished a neck second next time out over 1500M, but she did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight that day, only managing to switch out at the 280M mark, before finishing powerfully. She will have to deal with a wide draw thirteen, but she is a speedy sort who should be able to work her way across without using up too much gas.
AFRICAN DAISY won over this journey three runs back, then finished fourth in her penultimate run over 1500M and then fourth again over the same c&d last time out, just over a length and a half behind the victor. She jumped awkwardly and then raced three wide without cover from the 1100M pole on that occasion, before hanging out on the home turn, but nevertheless managed to stay on well over the latter stages. She gets gate six and should be included in all bets.
