Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing coming your way from Wyong onm 13 December 2023.
Best Bet: ROYAL MERCHANT (Race 4)
Value Bet: LITTLE BEGINNINGS (Race 5)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
6 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
7 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 5 | 8 | 4 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 4
Two 4-year-old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but the day’s best bet, ROYAL MERCHANT, is taken to lead the field home. She is a four-time winner from sixteen starts, finishing fourth last time out over seven furlongs, 3.7L behind the winner, but she was bumped at the start and hung out at the 200M mark, making contact with another runner. She has won a subsequent barrier trial and although drawn wide in gate ten, she should use her early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.
SEMANA is the stable companion to the top choice and has consistent formlines to her name, following up her penultimate run victory over seven furlongs with a fifth-place finish next time out over 1500M, just over three lengths back from the winner, but she was bumped at the start, before not quite going on with her effort over the closing stages, suggesting that the drop in trip will be in her favour. She returns from a 20-week rest but has had the benefit of two barrier trials. The filly has a kinder draw five and makes a solid back-up for the yard.
FLEETWOOD had his consistency rewarded with his second career victory last time out over six furlongs, albeit by just a neck. He jumped awkwardly, bumping another runner, but recovered quickly to pick up the lead, before holding off the closing pack in the dash down to the wire. The colt is drawn one inside the latter and should be involved in the finish.
Race 5
LITTLE BEGINNINGS had solid form before being a tad disappointing last time out when finishing sixth over six furlongs, six and a half lengths adrift of the victor, but he jumped awkwardly bumping another runner that day and raced wide without cover in the early stages. The gelding did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight in that contest, never really seeing daylight and as such, that effort is best ignored. He was returning from a 17-week rest on that occasion and from a handy draw four, he is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card.
ANNULUS came four wide into the home straight and finished strongly to win his last start over six furlongs by 1.3L. He faces a wideish gate eight, but on the plus side, he will get 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.
He renews his rivalry with THE EMPIRE who finished second in the race over six furlongs mentioned above, 1.3L behind the top pick. He raced just behind the leaders in that event, only to be run out of it over the latter stages. He gets a useful gate two and does meet the second choice on 2kgs better terms, so there should not be too much separating the pair when they reach the finishing post.
Race 6
Seven out of the nine runners here are unraced, so as is always the case in these types of races, a keen eye should be kept on the betting markets to get some indication as to whether any of the connections believe that they can win first time out. Any betting support for a runner or runners should be respected. Of the two raced runners, SPYWIRE may well prove to be the best. He showed plenty of toe and then kept on going well to win by 2.3L when making his debut over 1100M. He would have come on further with that run under his belt and although draw wide gate eight, he could well give the training partnership of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace their second winning in the day’s Jackpot, should the top selection win the opening leg.
HIGHNESS jumped awkwardly, bumping another runner, raced green approaching the home turn, before coming four wide into the home stretch when finishing sixth first time out over five furlongs, 1.8L behind the winner. He would have learnt from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected, he could trouble the top picks.
TOQUE is a filly taking on the boys and makes her debut after winning both barrier trials. She has a useful draw three and may prove up to winning a race of this nature.
Race 7
BOJANGLES had finished a close up fourth in his two runs before winning his last start over 1100M by one-and-a-half-lengths when returning from a 19-week rest and racing three wide throughout. He finished off his race strongly that day and from a wide draw twelve, he should be doing his best work late.
NORTHUMBRIA has cracked pole position and goes for his hat-trick since returning from a 27-week spell and a change of trainer, after two victories over five furlongs, albeit the latest by just a neck. He came four wide into the home straight and was hampered at the 250M mark that day, so that effort was encouraging.
SMILING PROPHET is a 4-year-old filly taking on males, but she won her last start over 1100M by a neck. She was bumped at the start in that event but delivered a powerful finish from some way back to get up in the shadow of the post. She jumps from draw five and should be included in all bets.
