Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Monday, April 20th.
Two meetings to kick off the new week of Australian racing, with eight races at both Grafton and Mornington.
Luke Krahe has studied the form and provided his best bets for each track here!
Horse Racing Tips: Monday, April 20th
Grafton Race 3 - (Market)
(1) Holiday in Dubai has been to the races three times and placed on two of those occasions. She was coming off a 4-week break last start when engaged in what was probably a slightly harder maiden than this. Although she was only fairly away she worked across to get outside the leader and stuck on well enough for third without ever looking the winner. The form out of that race has proved to be very good. The winner has since come out and won a Class 1 as an even money favourite at Port Macquarie. The second horse won a Ballina maiden as a very short priced favourite, deep in the red, and the fifth horse across the line has also won its maiden. The inside draw looks a little hurdle coming back to the 1100m, with even luck she should be winning this.
(1) Holiday In Dubai
$2.25
Grafton Race 4 - (Market)
Tough maiden but when the likely favourite (2) Jet Pilot has been to the races 23 times and still without a win and only placed four times, it has me looking elsewhere. (3) Ramrod is an 8-start maiden that has placed at two of his three runs this time in. He was huge odds two starts back at Armidale on the sift track and after working hard early, stuck on well for third. He then was at Ballina on the good track last start, worked again early to get outside the leader and was fair late to hold on for third. He gets out to the 1700m for the first time this campaign, he looks to be improving with each run and hopefully can land on the bunny. We should be able to get double figure odds at some stage of betting, he looks a good each-way play if so.
Mornington Race 1 - (Market)
These maiden highweight races over middle distances can often be tricky, I usually like to look for horses that have more upside than the rest. (8) Beachgoer has only had two starts, he debuted at Ballarat over 1500m and after settling last, ran on well into third without ever threatening. He then went to 2100m at start two at Swan Hill and started favourite, he ran on ok into a place but did have his chance. The horse that ran second in that race has since come out and won a maiden, he will be better for that run and should be charging over the top.
Mornington Race 4 - (Market)
(7) Zazurak will start a short priced favourite here and I can only see one danger, so am playing it safe and backing (6) Rebuttal to place. With the favourite likely to be deep in the red we should be able to get even money the place about our selection at some stage of betting. Rebuttal has had two starts and after just missing a placing on debut, was sent to an Avoca maiden last time. He was a little one-paced and was well beaten, the winner was a different class and looks above average, and the horse that finished fifth in that race, has since won a maiden. In what looks a weak race behind the fave, the Maher/Eustace team should be able to improve this gelding enough to run a place.
(6) Rebuttal to place
$6.50
Tip: (6) Rebuttal to place. $6.50 @ Sportsbet.
