Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Thursday, August 29th.
There's plenty of action around Australia with meetings at Warrnambool, Wagga and Rockhampton. Luke Krahe has given his best bets below!
Horse Racing Tips: Thursday, August 29th
Warrnambool Race 4 (Market)
No shock to see that the Bool is given out in the heavy range at this time of year, this time a Heavy 9. (8) The Great Hans has been to the races once, that was at Donald almost three weeks ago where he was hard in the market coming off a couple of decent trials. He settled well back in the run, got to the outside and ran on hard to miss by 0.2 lengths in the end. The winner of that race led all the way and has since come out and gone wire to wire at Ballarat on the synthetic at 58 grade, and the horse that finished third behind him has since come out and bolted in at Swan Hill on Monday. The track was a soft 7 that day so the conditions should not be an issue, drawn the car park, he will get back anyway and we know how wide they can get here, especially late in the day when the track has chopped up. The form line is there through his debut race, look for him to be finishing too well stepping up in trip.
Warrnambool Race 8 (Market)
My original tip here (5) Gigantic Effort has been scratched, which leaves me with a nice each-way bet in (2) Chas Marlow. The key with him is the sting out of the ground, he had a couple of runs on synthetic tracks before coming here to the Bool last time on the heavy. That was in the same grade as this, he showed good speed to lead and railed hard and won easily, sticking hard up against the paint. That won’t be the case today as he is drawn out and I can see them swinging wide by this stage of the day, but horses that can handle the heavy conditions here are at a distinct advantage. He had shown at the previous two starts that they won’t always ride him forward, but the way he bolted in last time with the same jock suggests tactics will be similar today.
(2) Chas Marlow E/W
$7.50
Wagga Race 3 (Market)
The speed map will show that there is a bit of speed here in the mile for the milers at BM66 grade, but from the inside alley, (1) Carano should have the option to lead and hold them out or take the sit. With the 4kg claiming kid taking the ride, I usually assume that they are given the instructions to lead if the horse and getaway allow it on runners that have options to do so. This High Chaparral mare has won two of three this campaign, both when able to control the race in front and stepping up in trip looks ideal as she has won two of three and placed the other time over the mile. It is always heart in your mouth stuff when backing these inexperienced apprentices, hopefully it can just be a sit and steer job and she can kick away around the bend. (6) Maid Of Ore looks the main danger, she has been ok at her last two runs in Sydney, but she is going to be giving them a start and will need everything to go right.
Rockhampton Race 4 (Market)
(1) Bantu Bay has placed at three of his five starts, he resumed here at his home track a month ago over 1200m but does have to come back in trip here. HE was last and off the fence when fresh, held-up early in the straight, got clear at the furlong and ran on hard but gave away too big a start when the interference came. A little concerning coming back in trip, but he showed a lot more tactical speed at his first pre, he actually led in two of his first three starts over similar trips to this. Ashley Butler stays on, from the wide draw should just amble forward, be camped behind the leaders with cover and explode out wide down this long testing straight.