Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Thursday, April 23rd.
There's plenty of racing to get involved in on Thursday, with five meetings across Australia. We've focused our attention on the meetings at Newcastle, Kilmore and Pakenham.
Find Luke Krahe's best bets below!
Horse Racing Tips: Thursday, April 23rd
Newcastle Race 1 - (Market)
(5) Queen Snip has placed at her last three runs and surely won’t be a maiden for long, hopefully this is her day to break the duck. She placed here at Newcastle and then at Wyong after getting back in the run and hitting the line hard. Last start she was at Wyong again and was very well backed. She was last in the run, still spotting them 6 lengths in the short run home and ran on hard into second, beaten just over a length. She goes from 1350m – 1500m which looks ideal, has the inside draw and although she will need a little luck as she will get back, back on the bigger track here she should have plenty of time to get a run and finish well.
Newcastle Race 4 - (Market)
The babies go around over the flying 900m here, 8 of the 12, including our tip (3) Kinloch, are coming to the races for the first time. He has had four official trials leading into this, two of them back before Xmas before going to the paddock. He was bought back into work and has had two recent trials, the latest on the inner track here at Newcastle. He jumped beautifully and held the rail, kicked in the straight and was pushed out over the last furlong to win easily. The time was par for the day for the 2YO’s, what I really liked was the professionalism he did it with and the speed he showed. He is drawn out wide but that is of little concern over the 900m at Newcastle, they start in a chute and basically only have 150m-200m around a slight turn into the long straight. Speedy horses can sit wide and win. Obviously with all the unknowns I would like to see some support, love the Lees/Gibbons combo around here.
Kilmore Race 1 - (Market)
(7) Scrambler debuted at Mornington three weeks ago and got back in the run, he was only fair in the run home but looked to have plenty to learn. He had 12 days between starts one and two, that was at Warracknabeal in a maiden similar to this. He was slowly away on this occasion and again got further back, got wide on the turn and ran on well for second and only beaten a half-length. He should be fully fit now and can settle closer in the run from the good draw, assuming he jumps away with them. The speed should be genuine and if he lands mid-field early with cover, should be too string in the run home.
Pakenham Race 1- (Market)
On a night where there looks to be shorties galore, (10) Secret Sauce looks one of the best plays. The Danny O’Brien trained filly has only had one start, that was in SA way back in June last year. She was fairly away before getting a spot behind the leader, she was very green and all over the shop and stuck on ok for third behind a couple of smart ones. The winner has come out and been very competitive in harder races and the runner-up has won 4 races since. She has had three jump-outs in preparation for this, the latest of those at Flemington. She showed plenty of speed to lead and although she was run down in the run home, she was never really let down and the horse that beat her is a three-time winner. A replay of that latest jump-out can be found here (trial 15). Love the booking of Willow and off the inside gate, assuming she jumps away cleanly, he should be able to kick her up early and lead all the way.