Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Sandown Hillside, Canterbury and Belmont on Wednesday, August 29th.
Sandown and Canterbury are both a Good 4 while Belmont is a Soft 6 (and will possibly be downgraded) after a stack of rain in the West.
We’ve gone through all three meetings and selected a few of the races to bet in below!
BEST BETS
Best Bet: Sandown Race 9 #4 Ocean’s Fourteen
Best Value Bet: Sandown Race 5 #3 Keep Courting
SANDOWN TIPS
RACE 2
(7) Master Rock looks a fairly smart type on debut here after two nice trials at Cranbourne. It’s a fairly competitive little race but he gets the blinkers on for race day and Craig Williams is a good lead. It’s notable that he debuts in a BM70 rather than something easier like a maiden. That geenerally indicates they are a bit above average. Drawn well and looks a huge chance.
RACE 4
Could be a race in two here between (3) Shoko and (9) Our Libretto. Shoko is undefeated from two career starts and justified very heavy market support when leading all the way over 1400m on the Lakeside course last Wednesday. Looks likely to go straight to the front again from barrier 1 and will have a big headstart on Our Libretto, but the step up to the mile for the first time is some query. For Our Libretto, the step up to the mile second up looks ideal. She absolutely charged home to win super impressively at her first Australian start six weeks ago. She’s had two trials since that win to keep her up to the mark. She’ll be giving Shoko a big start but the way she hit the line on the Lakeside course last start suggests she’s up to better races than this. It was only a maiden she won, but she could be even better suited today and will be hard to hold out.
RACE 5
Good little race. (10) Nariko comes off a last-start win at Moe, which followed a 2nd placing first up behind Parwan Prince, who then came to town and made it back-to-back wins. The horse she beat last start also looks to have some ability, so overall her form this prep looks to be fairly strong. The drop back in trip is some query but she goes on top. (9) Geneva Diva has won two of her four starts. She ran 2nd on debut to Soul Star who has since measured up in Saturday grade, and her only failure came at Caulfield as a $31 chance. She bounced back from that performance to post a 3L win last start and has won a trial by 4L since then. Craig Williams is a good lead and she looks ready for the step up to midweek metro company. The value in the race is (3) Keep Courting at $13. She beat a hose called All About Nicci two starts ago at Bendigo and that horse has since won her next two starts in Adelaide. Last start at Moonee Valley, Keep Courting was held up until the 100m mark so put a line through the run. She is going better than what her price suggests and I’d have something on at that price.
Value: (3) Keep Courting $13 Sportsbet
RACE 9
Keen on (4) Ocean’s Fourteen who ran a huge race behind The Passage last start when caught three-wide the trip and only went down by 0.5L. There was 4.25L back to the 3rd horse which is a good indicator that he’s up to better races than this grade. Prior to that he also had absolutely no luck at Caulfield, and before that he won at Geelong. With even luck here, he’ll be very hard to beat.
CANTERBURY TIPS
RACE 2
Interesting to see Hugh Bowman booked for the secont tier Waller runner (4) Bring The Magic here. I think the price represents a decent each way bet given she ran 3rd beaten 2.6L to Miss Fabulass on debut. Miss Fabulass is being talked about as a potential Group 1 horse following a blistering trial, so that form looks fairly good for another midweek race. Barrier 1 should see Bring The Magic ridden positively and at $6.50/$2.30 she’s a decent each way bet.
(4) Bring The Magic
$6.50
RACE 5
Bit of a throw at the stumps here with (3) Francesco at $17. He’s done absolutely nothing in two starts back from a spell this campaign but his third up record suggests he improves out of sight from his second to third run back. He’s been ridden near the back of the field in both starts so far but he trialed recently, where he led the field and ran 2nd. He’s got three wins from six starts over this track and distance, so third up from the good draw he may run a cheeky race at big odds.
RACE 6
Two that interest me here. (1) Junglized is undefeated third up and gets the blinkers back on for today’s race. Should be able to roll forward from the wide gate and lead this field and with the rail out 6m that will be a little advantage. She was disappointing last start but can bounce back here around $5.50. The one they all have to beat, however, is (3) Esperence. He flashed home first up to be beaten 0.3L over 1100m here. The step up to 1200m will suit him and hopefully from a slightly better barrier today he can settle a touch closer to the speed. Finished his race off very nicely and is clearly the one to beat if he’s come on from that.
RACE 7
Big field to finish off with here but going to stick with (3) Tarabai at around $4.40. She was a well-backed favourite over 1100m here two weeks ago, which was her firs tup run. She was beaten 1.7L but pulled up 2/5 lame. She had trialed well leading into that run and even though she goes up in weight today, she’s drawn well in barrier 2 with Kerrin McEvoy aboard and can atone for that defeat.
BELMONT TIPS
RACE 4
There really doesn’t look to be a great deal to beat for the favourite (13) I’m Pretty, who comes off a 0.3L defeat on debut at Northam, when held up until the 200m mark before working home nicely to get close on the line. Stays at 1400m for her second career start today and Peter Knuckey retains the ride. Barrier 5 sees her get a lovely run and she looks well suited in a weak field.
RACE 7
Two at decent odds I think can go close here. (8) Lofty Lad should have won first up but was butchered, having to sit three-wide on the speed the entire trip before going down by 0.75L. That would have taken his record to two wins and a 2nd from three starts. Drawn awkwardly again today in barrier 10 but Lucy Warwick takes over and if she can give him a decent ride, he’ll be in the finish here at $7.50. (10) Another Story is another at each way odds ($11) that can go close. She’s only won two of her 18 starts but she’s had four starts over this track and distance for two wins and two 2nds. Three of those have been her last three races. Kate Witten isn’t one of my jockeys to follow but her job is pretty simple with this mare – just take her to the front and steer. Worth having something on again today at the odds with conditions to suit. (1) Arctic Stream could be the best horse in the race but is 1200m first up a touch sharp?
Value: (10) Another Story $11 BetEasy
