Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Friday, January 17th.
We head in to the weekend with a big day of racing this Friday, and our preview will be focusing on the meetings at Geelong, Ballina and Cranbourne. Check out the best bets Luke Krahe has highlighted below!
Horse Racing Tips: Friday, January 17th
Cranbourne Race 1
Really want to be against the likely favourite (3) Full Ahead here so have gone looking for a bit of each-way value, bearing in mind at the time of writing there is only eight runners, any more scratching’s will result it turning into a place 1-2 race. (8) Queen of Havana has been unplaced at all 8 career starts so she has hardly set the track on fire but there are a few reasons I think she can improve. She started her career in Queensland and showed very little at her first 7 starts. She was off the scene for almost a year before being shipped south to the Greg Eurell stable. She resumed over 1300m at big odds her eat her new home track of Cranbourne, was a mile back in the run and was under heavy riding from the 700m mark. She came wide but the horse in front didn’t take her into it, switched back between runners and really attacked the line. She looks to be crying out for the mile, I expect big improvement at the second run for the stable.
(8) Queen Of Havana E/W
$12
Cranbourne Race 4
(4) Dargo got out to the 2000m at career start number two, sat up on the speed, took the lead in the straight before being nabbed late. He was very heavily backed that day eventually starting favourite. Last time at Mornington he had to work extremely hard in the run three-wide on the speed throughout, took over before the straight and kicked clear. All the work told as he walked and was run down over the last few strides. It was a huge run and those that backed him heavily would have been feeling sick post-race. Nonetheless they get their chance to go again, this looks no harder and gets the blinkers off for the first time. Hopefully they are positive again and he doesn’t stop until he finds the top.
Ballina Race 4
(8) Tough Times placed at two consecutive runs at her home track of Toowoomba before going for a spell, still a s a maiden. She had 23 weeks off the scene before resuming, again at Clifford Park as an easing second favourite, starting around the $3 mark with most vendors. She was given a lovely run in transit behind the leaders, eased around the heels at the top of the straight before bursting clear and putting a gap in them. She was eased down very late and won by the best part of 6 lengths, it was most impressive. The two place-getters that were beaten out of sight have since run a place at their next run, another horse that was well beaten has since won its maiden at the non-TAB's. This doesn’t look much harder, it’s always tough to go from a maiden to Class 1 but that first win was one with authority.
Geelong Race 5
We tackle another staying maiden race at set weights, this time over 2275m on the soft track. (4) Arktika Klasse was beaten out of sight at his first two runs over unsuitably shorter trips, got out to the 2000m for career start number three last time at Werribee. He was poorly away and settled in the back half, was left a little flat-footed when the runs came but showed toughness to rally and keep on grinding home. Trained by Steve Pateman who might have other things in mind with him come the winter, he looks suited getting out in trip and gets a very winnable race. He doesn’t have any brilliance but if it’s a true staying test, he won’t be far away.
