Australian racing tips – Thursday 23 February 2023 – Kembla Grange

Best Bet: RING AHOY (Race 6)
Value Bet: PHEARSON (Race 7)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8)

Cost: R90.00

Race 5

This looks to be a tricky race to start off the day’s Jackpot with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is suggested. JUMEIRAH BEACH missed out on his hat-trick after victories over six furlongs and seven furlongs when finishing eleventh last time out over six furlongs, 4.2L behind the winner, but he did hang out from the 1000M mark and was eased down over the final 100M. The gelding was reported to have suffered from heat stress that day, so that effort is best ignored. From draw seven, he will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.

SEPTIME is drawn one inside the top choice and was slow away, but finished strongly to win his maiden race last time out over six furlongs by a neck and the form of that race has been franked. He was returning from a 12-week rest that day and whilst taking on stronger here, he may well be up to the task at hand.

GOLDEN AGE followed up his penultimate run victory over six furlongs with a sixth-place finish next time out over seven furlongs, 9.7L back from the winner when trying to go from jump to wire and was immediately rested for 16 weeks. The gelding returns here after finishing fifth in his only barrier trials and has cracked pole position. With Zac Lloyd, son of ex-SA champion jockey, Jeff Lloyd in the irons, he is likely to adopt a similar tactic today.

Race 6

There are four unraced runners in the field, so as is always the case in these types of races, a keen eye should be kept on the betting markets to get some indication as to whether any of the connections believe that they can win first-time out. Any betting support for a runner or runners should be respected. Of the raced runners, the day’s best bet, RING AHOY may well prove to be the best. He was slow away, came four wide into the home straight and then hung out all the way down the home straight when finishing third last time out over six furlongs, just over a length and a half behind the winner. He was returning from a 16-week spell that day and attracted plenty of betting support. He is sure to put his pole position to good use and will be hoping to make amends today.

CRAZY RUSSIAN has only had the two runs to date, finishing second on debut over seven furlongs and then fourth over the same journey next time out, just over a half-length back from the winner, but he was bumped at the 400M mark, so that effort was encouraging. He faces a wide draw ten, but he would have come on further with that run under his belt and he could be the biggest danger to the top pick.

SEPARATIST is seldom far off the action, finishing fourth last time out over six furlongs, just under one and a half lengths back from the winner. He tried to go from jump to wire that day and from his wide draw twelve, he is likely to attempt similar tactics today.

Race 7

The day’s value bet, PHEARSON goes for his hat-trick after wins over 1300M and the latest over seven furlongs by 1.3L. He overraced in the early and middle stages in that event, but still managed to battle all the way down to the wire and the form of that race has been franked. He returns here after a 17-week rest, but he did finish second in his only barrier trial to prove his fitness and notwithstanding a wide gate seventeen, he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.

BYRON has turned in two solid last runs, the latest when fourth over 1300M, just over one and a half lengths off the winner. He showed plenty of toe that day, only to be run out of it late. The gelding will have to deal with a wide draw twelve, but he is a speedy sort who should be able to work his way across without using up too much gas.

ESSONNE is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she won her penultimate outing over six furlongs and then bucked at the start next time out dislodging her jockey. She has had a barrier trial since then and from a slightly kinder gate nine, she should not be lightly dismissed.

Race 8

MIDORI BURLY raced four wide from the 500M pole and was then green in the home stretch, but still managed to win his last start over a mile by half a length. He has pulled pole position and on that last effort, he should have no issue dealing with the step up in distance to give jockey Brad Rawiller the opening and closing leg of the day’s Jackpot.

A 4yr old filly and a 5yr old mare could chase him home, with the slight preference going to SULWAAN who had her consistency rewarded with her maiden victory last time out over a mile, albeit by just a short head, but it should be noted that she came three wide into the home straight and was inconvenienced at the 300M mark and hampered at the 75M pole. She jumps from a useful draw two and should turn in another honest performance here.

ENDORPHINS is rarely too far off the action and had to be held up between the 400M and 300M marks before ending up in third spot last time out over twelve furlongs, just over two lengths back from the winner. She will have to negotiate gate ten, but she should be included in all bets.