Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Monday’s racing coming your way from Port Macquarie on 27 February 2023.
Best Bet: KING’S DUTY (Race 7)
Value Bet: GOLDEN BREEZE (Race 4)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
1 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
4 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
5 | 5 | 5 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 4
GOLDEN BREEZE followed up his penultimate run victory over this c&d with a second place finish next time out over the same c&d, two and a half lengths back from the winner, but he came three wide approaching the home turn that day and then hung in down the home straight, bumping another runner, so he had his excuses. The form of that race has been franked and from pole position, he is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card.
Two 4yr old fillies could chase him home, with the slight preference going to SNOWDROP who had her consistency rewarded with her maiden victory last time out over five furlongs by 0.8L, despite being slow away and losing two lengths. She also had to be eased at the 600M mark but finished strongly to win going away. She takes on stronger here and will have to negotiate draw nine, but she may well be up to the task on hand.
GRANDELLIE is drawn one inside the latter and is seldom far off the action, finishing fourth last time out over six furlongs, two and a half lengths back from the winner. She came three wide into the home straight that day, but made good late progress over the closing stages. She returns from a 23-week break, without having had the benefit of a barrier trial, so her fitness will have to be taken on trust, but she should not be lightly ignored.
Race 5
MR EIGHTY EIGHT struck the front at the 250M mark and was only outrun late when finishing second last time out over 1350M, 1.2L back from the winner. He has pulled a handy draw two, will have his peak run after returning from a 17-week rest and will get 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice to aid his cause.
CANTRELL overraced in the early and middle stages, but still showed solid improvement to finish second in his latest outing, three lengths adrift of the victor and the form of that race has been franked. If he is able to confirm that last effort and from a useful gate four, he should be right up there when they hit the line.
MEDIA MAN is drawn one outside the latter and was slow away, finding himself at the back of the field, but delivered a powerful finish to end up in fourth spot last time out over 1280M, just under a length and a half off the winner. If jumping on terms today, he should keep the top two selections honest.
Race 6
TWIGMAN has won two of his last three starts and finished third in the other, the latest victory coming over seven furlongs, albeit by just a short-head. He was returning from a 12-week rest that day and turned into the home straight in second last place, but finished off his race strongly, suggesting that he should have no issue with the step up in distance. The gelding has finished third in a subsequent barrier trial and whilst drawn wide in gate ten, he will be looking to chalk up his third career win here.
JOUSTING is drawn one inside the top choice and has finished third in his last two starts. He tried to go from jump to wire last time out when ending up one length back from the winner over a mile, only being run out of it late. From today’s draw, he is likely to attempt similar tactics today.
KENNYSING has consistent formlines to his name and had to be held up at the top of the home straight before finishing well to end up in second place in his latest outing over a mile, beaten a short-head in the shadow of the post. He is drawn the widest of them all in gate fifteen, but given his style of racing, he is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then start to pick off the front runners over the latter part of the race and should be included in all bets.
Race 7
The day’s best bet, KING’S DUTY has only had the two runs to date, winning on debut over 1150M and then finishing fifth over the same c&d next time out, 2.3L behind the winner. The gelding showed plenty of toe that day and would have come on further with that run under his belt. He jumps from gate seven and could prove hard to topple.
BARCOO RIVER has also only had the two runs and showed the expected improvement to win by a neck second time out over six furlongs, when returning from a 27-week spell and a change of trainer. He will have to deal with a wide gate ten, but he would have learnt further from that experience and could prove to be the biggest threat to the top pick.
RINNOVA is a 6yr old mare taking on the boys. She stayed on well when finishing fourth last time out over five furlongs, three lengths behind the winner and the form of that race has been franked. That was also her first outing for her new stable and from her kinder draw five, she should be involved in the finish.
