Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Wednesday, November 20th.
The build up to Railway Stakes day in the West continues with some quality midweek racing throughout Australia today.
We've scouted the form for the Sandown Lakeside, Rosehill and Ascot meetings today and picked out three selections from each track.
To find out our best bet from each track, watch the short video preview below!
Horse Racing Tips: Wednesday, November 20th
SANDOWN LAKESIDE
Sandown Race 3 (Market)
I think one of the best bets on the program is (4) The Pugilist for Tony and Calvin McEvoy. He resumed with a win over 1400m in Adelaide and now crosses the border to return to Melbourne, where he raced in his final few starts last prep. This stable has had 27 runners on the Lakeside course in the past 12 months, with six of those winning, a 22% strike rate and a 106% ROI. This is their only runner of the day in Melbourne and I doubt they'd be going there if he wasn't a very strong winning chance. He looked as if he had more to come first up so he's a clear top pick.
Sandown Race 4 (Market)
(3) Miss Damita has returned in superb order this preparation. She ran home very strongly first up at Geelong, running the strongest final 800m, 600m, 400m and 200m of the race. That was followed by a narrow win in a small field at Kyneton and then last start, she bolted in to win the Mortlake Cup. Teo Nugent keeps the ride on her and gets a useful 2kg claim in town, she draws well in barrier 2 and the 2100m is perfect. There's a few queries about some of her opposition here so I'm happy to back the horse in the best form.
Sandown Race 6 (Market)
(9) Iona Hawkeye broke his maiden first up from a spell at Bendigo and he looks an each way chance of making it back-to-back wins here. The race he won has already produced two subsequent winners, which is a good singn for the form. He should jump and lead, which is always a plus on the Lakeside course, which can tend to play to those on pace. Trainer Mike Moroney has a great record here, with six winners from 21 starters in the past 12 months, resulting in a 84% ROI. I'd be surprised if he didn't run top three here.
ROSEHILL
Rosehill Race 3 (Market)
(4) Rari has been a horse I've liked throughout his four-start career but he's very short here at $2.25 and I'm almost surprised (1) Mission Dream isn't favourite. Rari gets the blinkers on for the first time but I'm jumping off and siding with the Mark Newnham-trained debutant, who has trialled twice leading into his first race today. The first trial he jumped slowly and worked home just fairly, but his second trial was much better. He was under a stranglehold the entire trial by jockey Josh Parr and he cruised to the line under no pressure at all. Hopefully he travels like that today and there's a good turn of foot when they let the brakes off in the straight. He needs to jump well, that's the only little query with him.
Rosehill Race 4 (Market)
Pretty keen on the chances of (7) Aquitaine. She's still a maiden tackling a BM64 but she's unlucky not to have won a race. She's had two career starts - on debut she was only got clear late in the straight and was eventually beaten 0.2L. They fired in a protest but were unsuccessful. Then at her second start she was trapped three-wide without cover the entire race and was beaten less than a length by Betcha Flying, who we saw win during Cup week at Flemington. She's had two nice trials leading into her first up run today, James McDonald is booked to ride and she's drawn well in barrier 2. Looks very hard to beat.
Rosehill Race 7 (Market)
(2) Statuesquely lumps top weight of 61kg here but she appears hard to beat. She's placed in both runs back from a spell and now steps up to 1500m third up, having been beaten less than half-a-length last start. The distance is no issue as she's won up to the mile previously, she won third up last preparation, Tim Clark jumps back aboard today and she probably comes across to lead. The blinkers go on for the first time today and when Waterhouse throws them on, they generally have the desired effect.
ASCOT
Ascot Race 3 (Market)
This race appears very competitive in terms of the big field and the open market, but I think a lot of the form in this is actually pretty weak. I'm going to forgive (5) Gotta Motor for his poor first up run, where the connections thought he possibly didn't handle the soft conditions. That was in a strong race and his trial leading into it was good. Needs a good ride from the awkward gate but can bounce back on the firmer track. Pike takes the ride on (8) Dance Cockney, who was caught three-wide without cover first up and still battled on to run 3rd. He's drawn wide again today but the Wizard jumps on and his form as a two-year-old behind Mia Dolce looks good. The only horse that really scares me is (3) Sirius Magic - the rest I am happy to oppose based on their form. Backing Gotta Motor and Dance Cockney.
Value: (8) Dance Cockney $8.00
Ascot Race 5 (Market)
The $6.00 for (11) Cuballing here is a terrific bet, in my opinion. He won on debut at Bunbury on Melbourne Cup day, where he jumped straight to the front and never looked like getting beat. He did it very comfortably and the horse that ran 2nd to him then came out and won its next start, so the form looks fairly decent. Prior to his debut he had trialled very well as well, so I think he's more than capable of stepping up to midweek city class here. Drawn barrier 10, he'll go forward and land right on pace. The other key is at this stage, he looks one of the few 1000m horses in the race. A number of these are dropping back in distance or resuming over an unsuitable distance, whereas he looks a speed horse perfectly suited to the trip. (2) Grand Design is an interesting runner to keep safe. He ran 2nd to Tuscan Queen last start and she's since come out and won the Champion Fillies Stakes. He's one that drops back from 1200m to 1000m though, which is always a query. Having a good each way bet on Cuballing at $6.00/$2.38.
Ascot Race 8 (Market)
I think we can end the day with a bit of value here at Ascot. The favourite (11) Bee Quick brings strong form to the race and gets a drop in class on what he's been competing against, but it's not such an easy Class 1. (10) Our Idyll looks a good chance at double figure odds. She bolted in two starts ago at Northam and then came to town and ran 2nd to Superstorm over this track and distance. She draws well again and that looks very good form for a race like this so I expect her to shorten from her current price and run a very good race. (6) Mr Kunafa won on debut at Bunbury where he actually beat Superstorm, who as aforementioned, then came to town and won. He wasn't given a good ride last start when heavily backed, so with a better ride today he could well bounce back. (3) Costa Del Santo is another that was ridden poorly last start. Prior to that she broke her maiden in nice style at Bunbury in a race that's produced two subsequent winners. Big jockey change today with Troy Turner replacing Kyra Yuill. Drawn well and can go close at $20. (2) Carlton Castle is the stablemate of Mr Kunafa and comes off a maiden win at Bunbury. Not hopeless. I'll be betting around the favourite here and hoping we land a blow with Our Idyll, Mr Kunafa or Costa Del Santo.
Also backing (6) Mr Kunafa $7.50 & (3) Costa Del Santo $20
