Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing coming your way from Warwick Farm on 22 February 2023.
Best Bet: EAU DE VIE (Race 4)
Value Bet: MIKASA (Race 5)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
3 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
1 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| 3 | 1 | 2 |
|
|
| 16 |
|
|
| 3 |
Cost: R90.00
Race 4
EAU DE VIE is a 3yr old filly taking on the boys, but she has not finished too far off the winner in her three runs to date. She jumped awkwardly and had to be held up until in the home straight until the 200M mark and only saw daylight at the 120M pole, before finishing off her race strongly, so can be considered an unlucky loser. She gets gate six and with champion jockey James McDonald in the irons, she is made the best bet on the day’s card.
HOLLYWOOD HERO has finished second in his last two starts, the latest over seven furlongs, beaten a short-head in the shadow of the post. He jumped awkwardly, had to be held up at the top of the home stretch, before shifting out at the 300M mark, bumping another runner. The colt has a handy draw four and will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and could prove to be the biggest threat to the top choice.
GORGEOUS ZARA is another 3yr old filly in the race. She jumped awkwardly and did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight when ending up in third place on debut over seven furlongs, just under a half-length back from the winner. She would have learnt from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected and from one gate inside the latter, she should be involved in the finish.
Race 5
MIKASA is a 4yr old filly taking on males, but she has won two of her last three starts and finished second in the other, so she clearly has some ability. Her last win came over eleven furlongs when going from jump to wire, holding on for a head victory. She is drawn the widest of them all in gate ten, so she is likely to attempt similar tactics today and could prove hard to reel in over the closing stages.
TIP OF THE SPEAR has turned in two solid last runs, the latest when finishing fourth over ten furlongs, just under two and a half lengths behind the winner. He overraced and had to be steadied off the heels of other runners at the 1600m mark, but stayed on well over the latter stages. The gelding has pulled a useful draw two and will be having his peak run after returning from a 25-week break.
OCEANIC FLASH has finished second in two of this last three outings, and came three wide into the home straight before battling all the way down to the wire last time out over twelve furlongs, just under a half-length off the winner. The gelding jumps from gate seven and should not be lightly overlooked here.
Race 6
MAJOR BEEL improved to win his last start over 1300M by a neck when returning from an 18-week rest, which was obviously just what was needed. He raced just behind the leaders that day before striking the front at the 200 and then held off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire.
The gelding has a wide draw nine to contend with, but if he is able to confirm that last effort, he could chalk up a quick double.
HIGH COURT raced three wide without cover and came four wide into the home straight when ending up in third spot last time out over nine furlongs, just under a length back from the victor. He gets gate six and should be right up there when they hit the line.
REGAL POM had his consistency rewarded with a victory last time out over 1500M, albeit by just a short-head. He came three wide into the home stretch on that occasion, but finished off his race well, suggesting that the extra ground on offer here will be to his liking. He is drawn one inside the latter and will have 2kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.
Race 7
This looks to be an open race with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is suggested. NOBLE CONQUEROR put his disappointing penultimate run over ten furlongs behind him when finishing fifth next time out over seven furlongs, just under two and a half lengths back from the winner. He was returning from a 14-week spell that day and did jump awkwardly and had to be held up till the 200m mark. The form of that race has however been franked and from his draw five he could give James McDonald his second winner in the day’s Jackpot.
THE GREAT HOUDINI had nothing go his way when ending up in fourth place last time out over six furlongs, just over four and a half lengths off the winner. He was bumped jumping, raced three wide without cover, hung out approaching the home turn before coming the widest of them all into the home straight. He gets draw seven, has his peak run after returning from a 26-week spell and will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice, Zac Lloyd, son of ex-SA champion jockey, Jeff Lloyd.
RUPERTAAR is a 4yr old filly facing boys, but she was hampered and forced wide at the 800M pole and then had to be eased at the 750M mark before ending up in fifth place last time out over 1300M, 3.7L behind the winner. She will have to deal with a wide draw nine, but she will have a greater 3kgs removed from her allocated weight for the services of her claiming apprentice.
