The following is a selection of Australian racing tips for Saturday, January 20. The focus is on Flemington and Randwick. Ascot, Doomben and Morphettville are also covered. More tips and previews will be added as they become available.
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Best bets of the weekend
Flemington Race 3: No.1 Civil Disobedience
Flemington Race 4: No.2 Addison
Flemington Race 9: No.3 Wise Hero
Randwick Race 4: No.6 Hunter Jack
Randwick Race 7: No.5 Flow, No.4 Level Eight
Ascot
Race 1: 5. Princess Zelda
Race 2: 4. Jackpot Prince
Race 3: 2. At The Ready
Race 4: 3. Paddy’s Shadow – BEST BET
Race 5: 2. Senso
Race 6: 10 Klondike Kenny
Race 7: 11. Shackleton
Race 8: 4. My Grace
Doomben
Race 1: 6. Snicki Minaj
Race 2: 3. Don’t Tell Mama
Race 3: 3. Downloading
Race 4: 1. Bat A Kat – BEST BET – 4 stars
Race 5: 1. Stella Ombra
Race 6: 4. Plucky Girl
Race 7: 2. Kirini
Race 8: 11. Publishing Power
Race 9: 6. Happy Hooves
Flemington
Race 1: 8. Willi Willi
Race 2: 8. Last Week
Race 3: 1. Civil Disobedience
Race 4: 2. Addison – BEST BET – 4 stars
Race 5: 6. Krusty
Race 6: 6. Handsome Thief
Race 7: 4. Nature Strip
Race 8: 2. Amber Sky
Race 9: 3. Wise Hero – BEST BET – 4.5 stars
Quaddie: 3, 6, 11, 13 / 4 / 1, 2, 3, 5 / 3, 8, 10, 11, 12
Race 1: SHOREHAM
Race 2: AL HARAM
Race 3: CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
Race 4: ADDISON
Race 5: SOHOOL
Race 6: GLENROWAN PRINCE
Race 7: OVERSHARE
Race 8: FLAMBERGE
Race 9: WISE HERO
Race 1:
Back Willi Willi (3.10) and Mutarakem (10.00)
If spending 10 units have 7 units on Willi Willi and 3 units on Mutarakem.
Race 7:
1. Nature Strip
2. Bravo Tango
3. Prezado
Suggested Bets:
Back Bravo Tango (3.10) to place and to win (6.00) in the favourite out market.
Unibet – From the Trader’s Desk:
Race 8, No.5, THERMAL CURRENT
Race 6: 5 Leodoro, 6 Handsome Thief, 11 Sheriff John Stone, 13 Just Hifalutin
Race 7: 2 Onehundred Percent, 3 Prezado, 4 Nature Strip, 12 See Me Exceed
Race 8: 1 Flamberge, 3 Lord of the Sky, 5 Thermal Current, 8 Itz Invincible
Race 9: 3 Wise Hero, 6 Curragh, 10 Malaise, 12 The Avenger
Race 6:
If last Saturday is any guide then the main speed is drawn to come outside rail. JUST HIFALUTIN is fit and flying. She was good at 1400m last time but I like her back to 1200m and this race might set up nicely for her. HANDSOME THIEF is a strong danger. He looked most unlucky 1st up and can only be fitter. KING RIVER might be ready now 3rd up. Not much went right at MV and I’m encouraged that D Oliver sticks. LEODORO and MANOLO BLANIQ are ready to win but wasn’t sure how the inside barriers would work out. SHERIFF JOHN STONE and MURPHY’S REWARD are right there.
Selections 13 Just Hifalutin, 6 Handsome Thief, 9 King River, 11 Sheriff John Stone
Race 7:
Terrific race. I think we’re all hoping to see NATURE STRIP win impressively and announce himself as one of the sprinting stars for the coming season. The way he won at MV and then Sandown 1st up it’s definitely on the cards. He’ll have some smart horses chasing him. PREZADO won the straight race on Cup Day that NATURE STRIP was scratched from. He’s jumped out well and we know he loves the straight. SEE ME EXCEED looked desperately unlucky 1st up. Who knows how good she is. The same can be said for BRAVO TANGO who should be unbeaten. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT is fit and flying.
Selections 4 Nature Strip, 3 Prezado, 12 See Me Exceed, 6 Bravo Tango
Race 8:
Tricky race with half of them resuming and a two G1 winners on the come-back. I can’t help but default to the race fit THERMAL CURRENT. Back to 1000m is certainly not against him as his past two wins have been at this trip. He gets some weight relief to help. SARACINO is an interesting runner. He returns gelded. His last prep was terrible and for mine a jump-out going into that prep wasn’t flash. A recent jump-out was far more encouraging suggesting he might be back. LORD OF THE SKY also has race fitness although curious that Oliver rides SARACINO. Top two must be respected and HUSSON EAGLE.
Selections 5 Thermal Current, 4 Saracino, 3 Lord of the Sky, 6 Husson Eagle
Race 9:
If Dan Zephyr comes across we could get a genuine speed. Any luck from a tricky wide draw and MALAISE will be hard to beat. No surprise he was able to win 3rd up after two handy lead up runs. The last time he was at Flemington, he finished 2nd to Hey Doc in a good 3yo race. WISE HERO is a strong danger because he always runs well. He should be even better for that 1400m victory last time. STAR STEALER was most impressive at Kilmore. This is his 1st run at 1400m and the way he won at Kilmore I doubt it’s against. ADIRONDACK’s past two fresh 1400m runs are good. THE AVENGER and CURRAGH next.
Selections 10 Malaise, 3 Wise Hero, 5 Adirondack
Race 6:
HANDSOME THIEF was narrowly beaten as a favourite last start at Caulfield when resuming and generally strong second-up placing at Caulfield last second-up attempt, genuine contender. JUST HIFALUTIN 2 wins from six attempts this campaign and amongst the placegetters last start running second at Flemington, place hope. SHERIFF JOHN STONE won at big odds last start at Caulfield. Has been running well this campaign winning twice and placing in all other outings, quinella. LEODORO is a strong finisher and drops 2kg from last run, place only.
Race 7:
This looks like a one act affair. NATURE STRIP gave nothing else a chance to win last start at Sandown, tough to beat. ONEHUNDRED PERCENT looking for a hatrick after winning two in a row at Caulfield and Werribee, not the worst. PREZADO back from let-up. Comes to hand quickly and placed at Echuca when last first-up, strong place chance. SEE ME EXCEED kept chasing and just missed last start at Caulfield when fresh, place best.
Race 8:
ITZ INVINCIBLE hasn’t run a bad race and coming off a win at Morphettville when fresh, key chance. THERMAL CURRENT on a seven day back-up and five of seven wins have come from dry ground, looks threatening. LORD OF THE SKY was a winner last start at long odds at Flemington when fresh and has good early speed, not the worst. FLAMBERGE back from long 43 week spell and proven first-up winning two from eight when fresh, place hope.
WinQuinell
Race 9:
WISE HERO led all the way to win last start at Flemington and generally races near the speed., big chance. THE AVENGER won last start at Caulfield and won two of three as a favourite, not without each-way claims. MALAISE and came on strong to win last start at Randwick and won two of four as a favourite, needs the breaks. CURRAGH resumes from a 29 week spell and winner of three when first-up including a win at Ballarat last go, place chance.
Morphettville
Race 1: 2. Aristocratic Miss – BEST BET
Race 2: 2. Wallace Street
Race 3: 4. Star Fortune
Race 4: 6. Something More
Race 5: 6. Miss Wahoo
Race 6: 1. Lord Topper
Race 7: 1. Mile High
Race 8: 2. Brugal Reward
Randwick
Race 1: 8. Estijaab – BEST BET – 3 stars
Race 2: 3. D’argento
Race 3: 12. Vivid Pink
Race 4: 6. Hunter Jack – BEST BET – 4 stars
Race 5: 6. Memes
Race 6: 5. Xebec
Race 7: 5. Flow
Race 8: 1. Pelethronius – BEST VALUE BET – each-way – 3 stars
Race 9: 9. Bye See – BEST BET – BEST BET – 4 stars
Quaddie: 5, 6, 7, 9, 11 / 4, 5, 6, 8 / 1, 2, 5, 6 / 5, 7, 9
Race 1: RULING SYMBOL
Race 2: MEROVEE
Race 3: KOPI LUWAK
Race 4: HUNTER JACK
Race 5: BOSS LANE
Race 6: CHATELARD
Race 7: FLOW
Race 8: GUARD OF HONOUR
Race 9: LIVE TO DREAM
Race 3: Back Kopi Luwak (4.60)
Race 7: Back Flow (3.10)
Unibet – From the Trader’s Desk:
Race 5, No.6, MEMES – best bet
Race 7, No.5, FLOW – LAY bet
Race 9, No.1, PIONEERING – value bet
Race 6: 6 Zourkhan, 7 Vaucluse Bay, 8 Chatelard, 9 High Opinion
Race 7: 4 Level Eight, 5 Flow
Race 8: 2 Guard of Honour, 11 Faraway Town, 12 Difficult to Get
Race 9: 5 Siren’s Fury, 6 Jaunty, 7 Queen Misty, 9 Bye See
Race 6:
Waller with 6 of the 11 in the field proper. What that means is that we wait until Saturday morning and the stable will notify us of changes of tactics (for probably a couple of their runners) and that will help us……maybe a bit? In this case, there isn’t a designated go-forward horse in the race so the lead is absolutely up for grabs. (Odds-on VAUCLUSE BAY is one of those change of tactics runners.) Frankly these sorts of races fill me with indifference but Waller does seem to have the best chances in XEBEC and ZOURKHAN (both still improving this prep) and the consistent CARZOFF. Best of luck.
Selections 5 Xebec, 1 Carzoff, 6 Zourkhan, 4 More Energy
Race 7:
A race loaded up with dual acceptors, half the field in fact. 1,3,6,8 and 10 all have other options so this could end up looking very different. 3 and 5 the most likely leaders. FLOW, pending scratchings, could end up seeing a cosy lead and even if the field remains intact has the right sort of form to be in the finish. MALAISE has accepted in Melbourne but drew double figures down there which could sway the decision. FORTENSKY nothing if not honest and for mine probably better suited rising to this 1400m journey for his 2nd-up outing.
Selections 5 Flow, 4 Level Eight
Race 8:
This is clearly among the more interesting races on the card. I’m not sure I can rule out any as some winning hope. Potential leaders 5 and 7 but they are both acceptors in the previous and their absence would give the event less genuine tempo which may drastically alter ‘the look’ of the field. As things stand I will take a chance on a few resuming mares. PUMPKIN PIE, INSENSATA and FARAWAY TOWN have all offered nice runs fresh and could be closing in hard. Given the lack of opposition pace FORTENSKY could be tempted to stay at 1200m. Huge chance if he does.
Selections 8 Insensata, 11 Faraway Town, 10 Pumpkin Pie, 5 Fortensky
Race 9:
We end the day with a reasonable event for the mares. 4 and 9 can cross up front. 11 and 12 handiest? And, like the previous, most of these can be given a chance of success. BYE SEE fought gamely to win on Boxing Day and comes to this off a similar break to what she was there (this 25 days, that was 30). She is still on the up in her prep and will cross into an on-pace position without really hustling early. QUEEN MISTY looked to have a long hard think about going past SIREN’S FURY last start and decided against it. Blinkers first time might do the trick. (I hadn’t considered she hadn’t tried them before.)
Selections 9 Bye See, 7 Queen Misty, 8 Baysa, 6 Jaunty
Race 6:
ZOURKHAN placed when fresh and finished fourth last start at Randwick, well placed. VAUCLUSE BAY short back-up of seven days and should look to roll forward in a race without much early pace, looks threatening. CHATELARD all three wins have come in the dry and should lead in a race without much pressure up front, dangerous. HIGH OPINION placed as a favourite last start at Canterbury but a big drop in weight and has two placings from three runs this prep, cannot be ruled out.
Race 7:
FLOW couldn’t hold on and just missed last start at Randwick, has solid claims. MALAISE bolted in last start at Randwick and won two of four as a favourite, in with a chance. LEVEL EIGHT has placed three times at Randwick before and has two placings from three runs this prep, don’t treat lightly. FORTENSKY won last start at Randwick when resuming and gets out to the right distance range, place chance.
Race 8:
GUARD OF HONOUR a winner at first outing this prep and carrying less weight, commands respect. DIFFICULT TO GET goes down in weight and has two placings from three runs this prep, don’t dismiss. WILD ‘N’ FAMOUS was a winner last start at long odds at Warwick Farm when first up and won two of eight as a favourite, in with a chance. FARAWAY TOWN resumes from a 29 week spell and has a place in two trials, strong place chance.
Race 9:
This is an open affair. JAUNTY in strong form with two wins from five attempts this campaign and came on strong when just beaten last start at Randwick, a close top selection. BYE SEE coming off a win at Randwick and Winona Costin has had success aboard previously, a real threat. QUEEN MISTY has four placings from four runs this prep and gets the blinkers on for the first time, expect to be right up there. SIREN’S FURY chased strongly to win last start at Randwick and capable of finising strongly, dangerous.