Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Monday, September 23rd.
We begin the new week with meetings at Grafton and Mildura. Luke Krahe has provided his best bets for each track below!
Horse Racing Tips: Monday, September 23rd
Grafton Race 4 (Market)
(2) Congregate is a last start maiden winner at Tamworth that has to take that step up in grade, but gets a very winnable 58 to start with. He is an ex James Cummings horse that only had one start for a failure at Newcastle, he was then moved on to his current home at Tamworth for trainer Craig Martin. He sat up on the speed in that maiden win last time and was heavily backed from $5 into $3.1 favourite being the official flucs. He had been off the scene for 35 weeks prior to that win, drawn wider on the track he should be rolling forward early again and sitting up outside the lead. (5) Institution looks the main danger and is very speedy, but I think if Congregate can get outside him and put the pressure on throughout, he will be the stronger of the two at the back-end.
Grafton Race 7 (Market)
(1) Kingly has the wide draw to overcome, he won’t be looking for the top early so I expect that he will be a drifter in the market. There are plenty of horses here that have been tried at this level and won’t go much further, he may not be one of them. He was a dominant maiden winner at his second start then was beaten as favourite in a harder race than this before going to the paddock. He resumed at the Gold Coast and got further back than what he had been racing during his first prep, and never got into the race which was dominated by those up on the speed. He has had a 5-week freshen up and trialed since, that race resuming has proven to be a very good form reference as well with three subsequent winners coming through it. He will need a little luck early getting cover, if he does he will be finishing best.
Mildura Race 2 (Market)
(1) Artworks has been to the races twice in his career, was well backed on debut at Bendigo but never fired a shot. He then went to Casterton last time and over-raced and settled up on the speed, he was beaten on his merits but chased valiantly to run second on the heavy track. The winkers come off and the blinkers go on, drawn out wide, Dean Holland should let him slide forward and with the gear changes, hopefully he settles better. (10) Bronski Girl will be near the top of the betting but very happy to take her on. She has placed at her last two runs but the beaten margins have been large, both of them on the synthetic tracks also. She comes back on to the turf today she looks a good risk.
Mildura Race 6 (Market)
The top four saddlecloths could all win this race, but the one I am most interested in is the visiting South Australian (3) Shall We Hope. He has recently changed stables after a fair start to his career with just the one win from 13 starts. That maiden win was at Gawler 18 months ago, he led all the way that day after doing some work. That is his pattern of racing and should be perfectly suited form the wide gate and using his speed to find the front, if he does so he will be very hard to run down. I would like to see some money come for him back in this grade after a long break. Another SA raider (1) Daskulya was a last start winner in easier grade here at the track after a gem of a ride. He maps to get that soft run again from the good draw but will be keen to take him on if he is at the top of the betting up in grade.
