Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Eagle Farm on Saturday, May 25th.
The Brisbane Winter racing carnival continues with the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup as today's feature race. The track is rated a Good 4 and the rail in the true position.
We've got tips and comments for every race on the card below!
Eagle Farm Racing Tips: Saturday, May 25th
Best Bet: Race 4 - (4) Quilista
Best Value Bet: Race 3 - (9) Bobby Dee
Race 1
Looks a two-horse race to kick things off. (6) Noble Boy is a winner of six of his seven career starts and was a dominant winner of the Country Championships Final in Sydney last start. That was over 1400m so he drops back in trip to 1200m here, and although barrier 3 isn't ideal for him (he tends to get back in the field), he has the best jockey in the land on board and a big spacious straight at Eagle Farm to help him out. He's the one to beat. (7) Ef Troop will shoot forward from his wide barrier and race on speed, so Noble Boy will be giving him a decent head start. Ef Troop resumed with a tough win in a Class 6 at Doomben a fortnight ago. He should be better off for that run but he's probably better suited to Doomben rather than Eagle Farm.
Race 2
There's any number of chances in this wide-open race, so I'll just highlight a couple at good odds that catch my attention. (3) Magnufighter resumes from a spell as a gelding today. He's got a good first up record, which includes a 0.1L defeat in a similar sort of race at Doomben last preparation. He's drawn awkwardly but it wouldn't shock me to see him run a good race fresh at $26. (10) The Avenger is building towards another win, with two solid efforts in his past two starts. He didn't get the greatest run in transit last start but he's drawn well again today which gives him his chance to break through for another success. (11) Final Zero is a blowout chance at $61. She had no luck first up, caught wide on very heavy ground. Back onto firm ground today and she goes well at Eagle Farm, so expect some improvement. Chances don't end there.
Value: (3) Magnufighter $26 & (11) Final Zero $61
Race 3
The Kiwis (8) Lord Arthur and (9) Bobby Dee seem to add the depth here in what seems a race full of plodders. Both represent the stables of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and both faced each other over 2100m at Group 2 level at Ellerslie five weeks ago. Lord Arthur got the upper hand on that occasion, with Bobby Dee back in 3rd, 3.5L away. What's noteworthy though is the fact that Bobby Dee started a $4.00 favourite for that race, with Lord Arthur a $20 outsider. Bobby Dee was having his first start in seven weeks so perhaps lacked a bit of fitness. It's a bit the other way around today, as Bobby Dee has since won a 2100m race at Te Rapa, while Lord Arthur has had five weeks between runs. So with all that in mind, I'm going with the $6.00 chance Bobby Dee on top. Outside of those two, the value could be (13) Angel Of Heaven, who had absolutely no luck at Warwick Farm last start.
Value: (13) Angel Of Heaven $11
Race 4
(4) Quilista looks exceptionally hard to beat here on the back of a 3.5L romp at Doomben last weekend, carrying 60kg. She drops slightly in weight today and should be very hard to run down again. Although the move to Eagle Farm isn't necessarily ideal for her as Doomben tends to suit frontrunners more than Eagle Farm does, she's absolutely flying and looks to be too good for this lot. (8) Savatiano is always around the mark in these sorts of races, while (6) Sexy Eyes could be a value chance at double figure odds.
Race 5
(1) Tom Melbourne at $2.35, deal me out! I couldn't back him at that price with stolen money. He'll be in the finish but that's a poisonous price, so I'll look elsewhere. (4) Lite'n In My Veins looks a god each way chance. He took a few runs to get going this prep but he hit his straps at Morphettville last start, with a good win over this distance. Drawn awkwardly here but looks a nice race for him. (5) Le Juge is dropping back in trip from 2000m to 1600m but he's looking for his eight win in his past 10 starts. The horse is absolutely flying and has to be considered a chance again today. JMac takes the ride on (7) Duca Valentinois for Godolphin. He's third up into this race and hasn't been far away in his two runs back from a spell. (13) Happy Go Plucky looks a ridiculous price at $126 and (16) Articus certainly isn't hopeless at $21.
(4) Lite'n In My Veins
$7.00
Race 6
Competitive race for the babies. (1) Accession returned from a nine-week spell on the heavy track at the Gold Coast. He was run down late to be beaten a nose, and he should be much better off fitness-wise with that run under the belt. He's drawn well here and can atone for that defeat. (3) Czarson ran well for 2nd behind Dubious last start and steps up to 1400m for the first time now, third up from a spell. Drawn barrier 1, he'll go forward and be there for a long way. (6) Disruptor's run last start was better than what it may have seemed. He got a long way back and worked home well to be beaten 2.4L in the end. He's drawn much better today so expect to see him settle midfield at worst and I suspect he'll be right in the finish. (11) Gem Of Scotland was only narrowly denied a fifth career win from as many starts last time out. This horse just knows where the winning post is and even though he's drawn a tricky gate again today, it'd be no surprise to see him win.
Value: (6) Disruptor $6.50
Race 7
Absolute non-betting race for me as we have a field of 18 set to go around over 2200m. I'll go with (5) The Lord Mayor on top with James McDonald sticking with him after his last-start win at the Gold Coast. He's had a good foundation for this race and should be able to run well again. (20) The Candy Man gets a run here after scratchings and is looking for his seventh consecutive win. He's up beyond 2000m for the first time and this is certainly harder than what he's been competing against but he's flying so can't be discounted with a winning sequence like that. (11) Igraine went close behind Le Juge at his first Australian start. We'll get a gauge on that form with Le Juge going around in Race 5. (7) Luvaluva not without hope in these races.
Race 8 - Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup 1300m
Very hard race to assess this. (2) The Bostonian won the Doomben 10,000 at huge odds two weeks ago and typically weight-for-age Group 1 form is the best form for a weight-for-age Group 1! With that said, he won the lottery that day. He kept intact his unblemished first up record (5/5), drew well, got a suck run and a split at the ideal time to win. It's a bit different for him today with barrier 11, but if Osbourne Bulls was in this race, he'd be favourite, so it's hard to knock the form. (3) Victorem is the horse I'm leaning towards at each way odds ($8.50). I would have preferred a Group 1 jockey on board but if JMac were booked (for example) we wouldn't be getting $8.50. The horse ran super first up and he's got a terrific second up record. Drawn well here, hopefully he can sit a bit closer to the speed and unleash his turn of foot at the top of the straight. (4) Chapter And Verse had no luck whatsoever as favourite in the BRC Sprint last start. He's drawn wide today but will be out of trouble, and based on his first up win, you'd have to give him some sort of chance. (5) Dollar For Dollar also brings WFA G1 form, with a 3rd placing behind The Bostonian in the Doomben 10,000 last start, beaten less than half-a-length. (6) Trekking is flying, with two impressive wins leading into this. This is his first try at Group 1 level since he ran in the Slipper as a two-year-old and he gets his chance from barrier 1. Stablemate (11) Encryption isn't hopeless; (14) Ringerdingding drops back to 1300m after winning over the mile last start, and gets JMac booked to ride; and (15) Irithea should lead this field and has never finished out of the top two from five runs when third up. Tough race!
Race 9
Another big field with 18 to go around over 1400m to close out the day. Keen to be with (2) Military Zone, who was a Group 3 winner at Hawkesbury two starts ago before running 2nd behind Wild Planet at Scone last start. James McDonald gets the ride back today and this horse should really be suited by the big straight at Eagle Farm. (6) Vega One was a dominant winner over Multaja last start and that form is good enough to see him be very competitive in this. (9) Vigor Winner is arguably unlucky not to be udnefeated from four career starts in New Zealand. He makes his Australian debut here and although he's drawn sticky, Blake Shinn is a positive jockey booking. (15) Krone is another at big odds to throw in. She won two starts back and then had little luck in Sydney last start in a strong race. She never really got clear and was only beaten 1.4L by Fasika and Millard Reaction, with Wild Planet a length ahead of her. Wild Planet then won at Scone so the form is obviously strong. She looks over the odds at $26.
