Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Tuesday's racing coming your way from Hawkesbury on 26 June 2024.
Best Bet: BATTLE OF VIENNA (Race 6)
Value Bet: AIX EN PROVENCE (Race 4)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
3 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
4 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
1 | 4 |
| 7 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 4
AIX EN PROVENCE is yet to finish out of the top three in his six runs to date and followed up his penultimate run victory over 1400M with a second-place finish next time out over 1500M, beaten just a head. He raced just behind the leaders that day and was only collared in the shadow of the post. The gelding jumps from gate six and will be hoping to go one better here and is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card.
MISSILE SEEKER jumped awkwardly and found himself towards the rear of the field and then had to be held up at the top of the home straight, but finished off his race well to end up in fourth spot last time out over 1500M, 3.7L behind the winner. The gelding will have to negotiate the widest draw of them all in gate nine, but he should be doing his best work late.
MICKEY’S MEDAL won his penultimate outing over 1500M and then finished second over the same journey next time out, 1.3L back from the victor, but he was slow away in that event and overraced throughout, so he had his excuses. From one gate inside the latter and with 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice, he should make his presence felt in this line-up.
Race 5
LET’S GO BRO won over 1400M three runs back, finished fifth in his penultimate start over 1300M and then a disappointing eighth in his latest outing over 1100M, 21.2L adrift of the winner, when returning from a 21-week break, but he was bumped shortly after the start and had to be steadied off the heels of another runner at the 800M mark. In addition, his jockey reported that he did not act in the heavy going, so a line should be drawn through that effort. The gelding jumps from draw six and will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.
SOVEREIGN EXPRESS has cracked pole position and has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three starts, the latest when fifth over 1300M, 0.8L behind the winner, this despite being hampered at the 150M pole and returning from a 25-week break. He would have come on further with that run under his belt and should be right up there when they hit the line.
BEND THE KNEE is another that has finished closer to the victor in each of his last three outings and he did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight, only seeing daylight at the 150M mark before finishing well to end up in seventh spot last time out over 1200M, just a length behind the winner. He on the other hard faces the widest gate nine, but he will be having his peak run after returning from a 15-week rest.
Race 6
The day’s best bet, BATTLE OF VIENNA won over 1100M three runs back, finished third in his penultimate start over 1300M and then seventh in his latest outing over 1200M, 2.2L behind the winner, but he raced three wide without cover on that occasion, before staying on well over the latter stages. The form of that race has been franked and from his useful draw three, he will be hoping to chalk up his second career victory.
HOUSE OF CARDS also won three runs back, but in his case over 1200M and then finished fifth in his penultimate start over 1300M and then finally third in his latest outing over 1400M, 3.8L behind the winner and was immediately rested for 23 weeks. The gelding returns here after having had two barrier trials, finishing fourth in the latest. He has pulled draw six and could emerge as the biggest danger to the top pick.
I AM FAMOUS is a 3-year-old filly taking on the boys, but she put her disappointing penultimate start over 1200M behind her when winning her maiden race next time out over 1300M, albeit by short-head. She was returning from a 19-week rest that day and raced three wide without cover, so that effort was encouraging. The filly takes on stronger here, but nevertheless, she should be involved in the finish.
Race 7
EYE OF THE FIRE has consistent formlines to his name and followed up his penultimate run victory over 1100M with a fifth-place finish next time out over the same sprint trip, one and a half lengths behind the winner. He showed plenty of toe that day and whilst drawn wide in gate twelve out of thirteen, he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.
GLOBAL EMPIRE was returning from a 20-week break when finishing eighth last time out over 1100M, just over six lengths back from the winner, but his jockey recommended that he gets blinkers fitted for his next run. The gelding finished third in a subsequent barrier trial and the blinkers have been added. If this move has the desired effect, he should be a big runner here. He will have to deal with a wide draw eleven, but on the plus side, he will have 4kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.
KIRIBATI won over 1400M three runs back, finished fifth in his penultimate start over the same trip before ending up in eighth place his latest outing, also over 1400M, 6.8L behind the winner, but it should be noted that he overraced in the early and middle stages in that event and had to be steadied off the heels of another runner at the 800M mark. He returns from a 20-week rest after having had two barrier trials, winning the latest to showcase his well-being. He starts from a wideish gate eight, but will have ex-SA jockey Keagan Latham in the irons, so he will get all the necessary assistance from the saddle.
