Welcome to our harness racing preview and betting tips for racing at Albion Park and Menangle on Saturday, May 25th.
We've picked out our best bets from each track below with five selections in total.
Harness Racing Tips: Saturday, May 25th
Albion Park Race 1 – 4:43pm AEST
A C4+ to kick off the 11-race program at Albion Park with a full field competing over the 1660m. (9) Jumping Jolt is my top pick but doesn’t appear to be value. I prefer (11) Jossie James at the price for trainer Wayne Graham and driver Adam Sanderson. The 5YO mare is a last-start winner when running down Gotta Go Jazzy Jet who ran home in a 27.3-final quarter. Prior to that Jossie James beat home Jumping Jolt who was unlucky. Happy to back at $4 or better.
Albion Park Race 4 – 6:08pm AEST
(4) Oliver Winkle comes up an odds-on favourite which seems extremely short from barrier four. He was a winner on May 11 when leading throughout in 1:56.4 and 55.6 for the last 800m. I’m not convinced he finds the lead with (1) Our Bondi Beach and (3) Rays Choice drawing inside. Rays Choice is the horse that interests me with the 6YO gelding runner up in 1:52.4 last start behind Corey William. I would have preferred the 1660m rather than 2138m but his form reads well enough to be a leading contender from barrier three. Happy to take $4.50 or better.
Albion Park Race 6 – 7:08pm AEST
The return of (5) Lilac Flash after consecutive victories at Melton in 1:51.6 and 1:52.3. The Kylie Rasmussen-trained and driven 5YO gelding was already in good form before the trip south with back-to-back wins at the track. He clearly looks the horse to beat and the smaller field of eight runners should make his task easier. (8) Colt Thirty One is the main danger in the race. Not interested in any other runner against the leading pair in the event. $2.20 or better looks backable for Lilac Flash.
Menangle Race 5 – 7:22pm AEST
Barrier two looks good for (2) Lettucefirestar who has recorded back-to-back victories. He qualified for this race with a 35m victory at Newcastle in 1:53.3. That is slick going in a C1 Only race. He then won a C1 at Tamworth by 11.3m. Three starts ago the Gregory Coney-trained 6YO gelding was third in a C2-C3 at Menangle in 1:51.9. The winner of the race has since run sixth in a Group 3 race. (12) Molly Kelly comes up the same price as Lettucefirestar despite drawing barrier 10 and her form doesn’t exactly jump off the page. She is a Group 1-winning juvenile, but I haven’t seen enough recently to suggest she is back to her best form. Happy with $2.30 or better for Lettucefirestar.
(2) Lettucefirestar
$2.90
Menangle Race 6 – 7:52pm AEST
An odds-on favourite in the form of (4) Royal Gamble clashes with an in-form (5) Misterfreeze. Royal Gamble looks a bit short at $1.90 considering Misterfreeze ran past him last start. Two wins from his past four starts looks good for Misterfreeze and I believe he is the horse to beat in the race for trainer Gemma Rue and driver Mat Rue. (10) Dream To Share and (8) Arma The Gun have each-way claims in the race. Happy to back Misterfreeze at $2.60 or more.
