Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Wednesday, March 4th.
Flemington hosts a rare midweek meeting today, which splits last weekend's Australian Guineas meeting and this weekend's Newmarket/Australian Cup meeting. Meanwhile, in Sydney, midweek racing takes place on the Kensington track at Randwick.
Find our highlighted bets for each track below, including our best of the day!
Horse Racing Tips: Wednesday, March 4th
Best Bet: Kensington Race 5 - (2) Hilo
Kensington Race 4 (Market)
(5) Mirra Vision resumes here attempting to keep her unbeaten run intact. She won on debut at Newcastle and backed it up in BM70 company at Warwick Farm at her second start. She's just had the one trial leading into this, which she won, and she looked in good enough shape to be a strong winning chance once again today. Should settle in the first four from barrier 6 and prove tough to beat.
Kensington Race 5 (Market)
(2) Hilo brings some exceptional formlines to this race. He resumes as a gelding for the first time today and finds a very winnable race. He opened last preparation with two wins before then competing against the likes of Alligator Blood and Alabama Express - both Group 1 winners this time in. He carries top weight here but he looks to have a distinct class edge and should roll forward from barrier 8 to sit right up on speed. James Cummings has a great record at Kensington this season, with seven winners from 24 runners and this looks a very good chance of being another.
Kensington Race 7 (Market)
(4) Sea Of Life is progressing nicely, winning two races on the bounce leading into this. Prior to that he went down by a nose first up, so his form this prep is very good. He did a good job coming from well off the pace to get the job done last time out and the step up to 1800m today is only going to help his cause. Robbie Dolan gives him a nice weight relief and he'll just need a good steer from barrier 11. This is a deeper race than last time so he'll need to improve again but I think that rise in distance is key.
Flemington Race 2 (Market)
Three here I'll be looking to build a book around here. (3) Delusions won here over track and distance in a very similar race two starts back. Craig Williams rode her on that occasion but jumped off last start; Michael Poy took the ride and struggled to get clear running in the straight so it will pay to forgive her for that. Williams jumps back aboard today and even though she's lumping 61kg, she looks well placed to go close again today. (4) Magnesium Rose is a very good each way chance at $7.00. She always takes two runs to peak and she ran 3rd behind Delusions last start over track and distance. She was beaten a head there, gets a 2.5kg weight swing in her favour today, and this is when she really hits her straps. Her record at the distance is a concern but her one win at the trip did come third up from a spell. (7) Jamaican Hurry can improve second up at big odds. Have taken $4.00 Delusions and $7.00 Magnesium Rose.
(4) Magnesium Rose E/W
$7.00
Flemington Race 4 (Market)
(10) Paradee should be unbeaten this preparation. She won first up at Bendigo and should have won last time out at Sandown but she was desperately unlucky in defeat. She knuckled at the start, was back at the tail of the field, was badly held up until about the 300m mark and when she eventually got clear, she charged home to be beaten a head. Hoefully she jumps better from barrier 2 today and can sit closer to the speed because with even luck she should be hard to hold out.
Flemington Race 7 (Market)
(4) Too Close The Sun comes across from the West and makes his Melbourne debut here for Lindsey Smith. He's drawn wide here but he'll jump straight to a position on speed and be very hard to run down. He's only missed a place once from nine starts in his career, the only time he finished out of the money being on debut when he ran 5th. We've seen how strong the WA form can be in Melbourne and we've seen how successful Lindsey Smith has been with these horses, so I'd be surprised if he wasn't in the finish here.
(4) Too Close The Sun
$3.80
