Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Wednesday's racing coming your way from on 17 July 2024.
Best Bet: LITTLE COINTREAU (Race 6)
Value Bet: AUTUMNMATION (Race 5)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
1 | 4 | 2 | 13 |
2 | 5 | 10 | 4 |
3 | 1 | 7 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 4
OCEANS ONE tried to go from jump to wire when finishing third last time out over 1100M, 3.2L behind the winner, but that was on a very heavy track. He gets draw six and is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today to prove difficult to reel in over the closing stages.
RUSH HOUR did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight before finishing well to end up in fifth spot last time out over 1200M, 2.2L behind the winner. He jumps from a handy draw four and with better luck in running, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
VEGAS RAIDER is the stable companion of the top choice and showed plenty of toe when finishing second in his latest outing over 1100M, just a half-length back from the winner. The gelding is drawn the widest of them all in gate nine, but he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy and makes a solid back-up for the yard.
Race 5
AUTUMNMATION goes for her hat-trick after victories over 1660M and the latest over 1550M by 0.8L, this despite jumping awkwardly. She recovered quickly to race just behind the pace, before striking the front at the 150M mark and then fought off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. She has a useful gate four and is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card.
SHE’S UNUSUAL has consistent formlines to her name and followed up her penultimate run victory over 1400M with a second-place finish next time out over 1300M, 1.3L back from the winner. It should, however, be noted that she was bumped at the start, but battled all the way down to the wire and from her cosy draw two, she seems likely to turn in another honest effort here.
ANA’S WISH did not get a clear run in the home stretch, only seeing daylight at the 300M mark, before finishing off her race well, ending up in sixth place last time out over 1800M, just over six lengths behind the winner, so she had her excuse. She on the other hand faces a wide draw ten, but on the plus side, she will have 3kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice.
Race 6
The day’s best bet, LITTLE COINTREAU won over 1250M three runs back, then finished third in his next two starts over 1400M, the latest two and a half lengths behind the winner, but he was crowded at the start that day, overraced in the middle stages and was then only able to secure a clear run at the 200M pole. The form of that race has been franked and from his handy draw two, he could provide title-chasing jockey Nash Rawiller with his second winner in the day’s Jackpot, should the top pick win the opening leg.
NANSHE is a 4-year-old filly taking on the boys, but she has cracked pole position and won her last start over 1400M by 1.8L, notwithstanding racing three wide into the home straight. She skipped clear of the opposition at the 150M mark on that occasion and then held off the chasing field courageously. The form of that race has stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning and she could be the biggest threat to the top choice.
YASUKE was returning from a 38-week break and jumped awkwardly and overraced in the early stages, having to ease off the heels of another runner at the 900M mark, when ending up in sixth place last time out over 1250M, five and a half lengths adrift of the victor. He on the other hand is drawn wide in gate eleven, but he would have come on further with that run under his belt and he should be doing his best work late to be involved in the finish.
Race 7
ALCABEEL won on debut over 1400M, albeit by just a head, but he was bumped at the start, came three wide into the home straight and then bumped twice again, once at the 300M mark and then at the 200M pole, so that victory was full of merit. The gelding would have learnt from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected, he could be the one that they all have to beat, notwithstanding his wide gate nine.
WEST OF AFRICA followed up his penultimate run victory over 1300M with a ninth place finish next time out over 1400M, just over six and a half lengths back from the winner, but he was bumped at the start and never really got into the race, so a line should be drawn through that effort. From a kinder draw five, he will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.
MAGNATEAR won over 1550M at this track three runs back, finished third in his penultimate start over 1700M and then eleventh in his latest outing over 1600M, 8.3L behind the winner, but he was forced to race three wide without cover that day. The gelding has pulled a wideish gate eight, but he should not be lightly dismissed and should be included in all bets.
