The following is a selection of Australian racing tips for Saturday, August 18. The focus is on the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (Race 7) at Caulfield, the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (Race 4) at Randwick and the Group 1 Winx Stakes (Race 6) at Randwick. The Gold Coast and Morphettville are also covered.
More tips and previews will be added as they become available.
Promotions
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Best bets of the day
Randwick Race 3, No. 8 Almanzora
Caulfield
Race 3, No. 14 Plutocracy – 3 stars
Race 5, No. 6 Tony Nicconi – 4.5 stars
Quaddie: 1, 2, 6, 9, 10 / 1, 2, 12, 13 / 3, 5, 7 / 3, 5, 7
Race 7 – PB Lawrence Stakes
Tips:
1. Grunt
2. Hartnell
3. Black Heart Bart
4. Boom Time
Suggested bet:
Back Grunt (6.00) to win.
Race 9: Back Another Coldie (5.50) to win.
Unibet – From the Trader’s Desk:
Race 7, #14, SHOWTIME
Race 5: BACK (WIN) The August for 2 units ($5 or better)
Race 5: BACK (WIN) Tony Nicconi at >$2.10 – Stake 2% of your total bank.
Betfair – Feature Race Reports:
Race 5:
Betting Confidence: Low
Back – #2 Ollivander
Race 6:
Betting Confidence: Low
Back – #10 Pippie
Race 7:
Betting Confidence: Medium
Back – #13 Grunt; #2 Black Heart Bart
Runners are listed in number order, not order of preference.
Race 5: 1 Long Leaf, 4 The August, 6 Tony Nicconi, 7 High Ratio
Race 7: 2 Black Hart Bart, 13 Grunt, 15 Holy Snow, 16 Miss Gunpowder
Unibet – Race Comments and Selections:
Race 5:
TONY NICCONI (6) Won by a big margin last start at this venue and should improve from that performance. Rates on top. ROCK HARD (3) Resuming after a break of 14 weeks. Solid effort when winning last time at here but rising in grade. Good chance and wouldn’t be surprised to see it pick up another win. THE AUGUST (4) Has not missed with 2 wins from 2 starts. Was fighting at the finish when winning last time at Flemington. Rates an each way chance. NATIVE SOLDIER (5) Back from a break of 27 weeks. Solid effort when winning two runs back at Moonee Valley. Capable of getting into the money.
Selections: 6 Tony Nicconi, 3 Rock Hard, 4 The August, 5 Native Soldier
Race 7:
GRUNT (13) First run back from a break of 24 weeks. Won narrowly last start at Flemington. Strong hope. HARTNELL (1) Strong record when resuming with 2 wins from 4 runs. Bold run when 4th last time at Randwick and will appreciate the drop in class. One of the major players. BLACK HEART BART (2) Strips fitter today. Bold run when 4th last time at here and has a good barrier draw. One of the chances. DANON LIBERTY (5) Japanese runner having first run for 36 weeks. Ran 8th by 3.4L last time at Hanshin but now having first start for a Darren Weir. One at a bit of odds
Selections: 13 Grunt, 1 Hartnell, 2 Black Hart Bart, 5 Danon Liberty
Sportsbet – Race Comments and Selections:
Race 5:
Speedmap unclear. 3, 4, 6, 8 most likely to be right up there. LONG LEAF has jumped out well and he won fresh last prep beating OLLIVANDER, who then struggled in Diamond Preview behind smart pair Written By and Plague Stone. Third in that race was NATIVE SOLDIER, who closed nicely. He resumes today. THE AUGUST off 10-week freshen is unbeaten and beat Good ‘n’ Fast (then won) in good time latest. HIGH RATIO beat The August in recent trial but he needs to do it on raceday! Big spruik on TONY NICCONI. ROCK HARD is unbeaten and trialled well.
Selections 5 Native Soldier, 1 Long Leaf, 4 The August, 7 High Ratio
Race 7:
8, 14 lead 16, 5 with 2, 11 not far off. SHOWTIME raced too fresh first up, was restrained, then forced wide. He closed quite well anyway and they ran fast time! His latest second up run he was beaten late here in G1 Futurity by Brave Smash/Tosen Stardom. GRUNT will have bigger fish to fry but he is just a good horse. He won in quick time fresh last prep beating Cliff’s Edge, who had run OK in Mackinnon as a 3YO remember. HOLY SNOW was brilliant winner fresh last prep here. DANON LIBERTY was backed to win Stradbroke but didn’t get to start. HARTNELL, BLACK HEART BART, KINGS WILL DREAM hopes.
Selections 14 Showtime, 13 Grunt, 5 Danon Liberty, 15 Holy Snow
Race 5:
There is a clear cut top pick. TONY NICCONI won at only start at Caulfield and down in weight, major contender. THE AUGUST unbeaten in both runs and drawn ideally, strong place chance. LONG LEAF back from 17 week spell. Proven first-up winning two from two when fresh and placed at Caulfield last go, place best. HIGH RATIO ran fourth last start at Sandown when fresh and has good early speed, place chance.
Race 7:
GRUNT first-up after 24 week break and last start win at Flemington took streak to four in a row, commands respect. MISS GUNPOWDER back from six week let-up and won last start at Flemington, place only. BLACK HEART BART has outstanding form at this track and could come on strong to threaten, needs the breaks. HOLY SNOW resumes from a 17 week spell. Resumes well and won at Caulfield when last first-up, place claims.
Gold Coast
Race 1, No. 1 Prue’s Angel – 4.5 stars
Race 3, No. 10 Rebel Miss – 4 stars
Race 5, No. 3 Reach For Heaven – 4.5 stars
Race 7, No. 4 Sista Act – 3.5 stars
Race 8, No. 4 Sold For Song – 4 stars
Morphettville
Betfair – Feature Race Reports:
Race 7:
Betting Confidence: Medium
Back – #2 Steel Frost
Randwick
Race 3, No. 8 Almanzora – 4.5 stars
Race 4, No. 6 Futooh – 4 stars
Race 8, No. 3 Zestful – each-way – 3.5 stars
Race 9, No. 3 Souchez – 3.5 stars
Quaddie: 1, 7 / 1, 2, 4, 7 / 1, 3, 8 / 1, 3, 9, 13
1. WINX, 2. Kementari, 3. Ace High, 4. D’Argento
Race 4 – Darley Silver Shadow Stakes:
Back Oohood (2.55) to win
Race 6 – Winx Stakes:
Back Kementari (7.00) to win.
Unibet – From the Trader’s Desk:
Race 1, #14, PANZERFAUST – LAY BET (bet against this horse with Betfair)
Race 3, #8, ALMANZORA – BEST BET
Race 8, #10, SMART AMELIA – VALUE BET
Betfair – Feature Race Reports:
Race 4:
Betting Confidence: Medium
Back – #4 Outback Barbie
Race 5:
Betting Confidence: High
Back – #6 Military Zone
Race 6:
Betting Confidence: Low
Back – #10 Winx
Race 7:
Betting Confidence: High
Back – #7 Siege Of Quebec
Race 8:
Betting Confidence: Medium
Back – #5 Luvaluva
Runners are listed in number order, not order of preference.
Race 4: 1 Fiesta, 3 Oohood, 4 Outback Barbie, 5 Secret Lady
Race 5: 1 Encryption, 3 Spin, 6 Military Zone, 7 Smart Elissim
Race 6: 7 Kementari, 9 D’Argento, 10 Winx, 11 Unforgotten
Unibet – Race Comments and Selections:
Race 4:
OOHOOD (3) First up from a break of 19 weeks. Dashed home into 2nd last run at the track but is drawn to do some work. Has to be strongly considered. FIESTA (1) Back from a break of 18 weeks. Charged home into 2nd last run at this course and can save some energy from the draw. Has the ability to take this out. OUTBACK BARBIE (4) Kept finding the line when 3rd last start at the track and has a good barrier draw. Among the major players. FUTOOH (6) Resuming from a spell. Won narrowly last start at this course but up in class. Suited here
Selections: 3 Oohood, 1 Fiesta, 4 Outback Barbie, 6 Futooh
Race 5:
ENCRYPTION (1) Fresh today after a break of 17 weeks. Came in 6th when beaten by 3.4L last run at this course but drops back to a suitable grade. Take holding out. IRUKANDJI (2) Was fighting at the finish when winning two runs back at Rosehill and is first up after a break of 17 weeks. Key hope. SMART ELISSIM (7) Unbeaten with 2 wins from 2 starts and will benefit with the weight drop. Winner last run at Sandown. Sound chances. MASTER ASH (5) Winner two runs back at Canterbury but up in class. Worth keeping safe
Selections: 1 Encryption, 2 Irukandji, 7 Smart Elissim, 5 Master Ash
Race 6:
WINX (10) All signs point to another win here for the best horse in Australia. Sit back and enjoy the show. KEMENTARI (7) Has the benefit of race fitness on its side and if anyone is going to give her a scare, it will be this horse. Should be running 2nd and looks an anchor for your exotics. D’ARGENTO (9) Will be running on strongly if the pace is on. Should be finishing in the top three here. ACE HIGH (8) Quality stayer who who will take plenty of improvement from this run. A place wouldn’t shock.
Selections: 10 Winx, 7 Kementari, 9 D’Argento, 8 Ace High
Sportsbet – Race Comments and Selections:
Race 4:
9 to lead 8 with 4 possibly pressing as well. Million dollar maiden OOHOOD draws widest and will likely settle back half from that draw. No question she’s got the class to overcome that though and despite trainer McEvoy warning us she still has a decidedly wintry look about her, I expect she returns with a win. Three consecutive G1 placings as a 2YO is something only a high grade youngster can manage. She has jumped out very positively recently. FIESTA could get a bit buried from the inside barrier but she too has something of a class edge on most of these and has trialled in encouraging fashion.
Selections 3 Oohood, 1 Fiesta, 4 Outback Barbie, 7 Laburnum
Race 5:
5 to lead 9. ENCRYPTION will need some luck to unfold but he is yet to run poorly and if the gaps open at the right time he could end up having last say. SMART ELISSIM comes from left field but will secure the sort of run that could have him deep in the finish. He has it all to do but is weighted accordingly. SPIN and IRUKANDJI have met previously a couple of times, the former presenting here after a hopefully confidence-boosting win on resumption. MILITARY ZONE and DANAWI can also be given a chance here. More of a learning race than a betting one for me.
Selections 1 Encryption, 7 Smart Elissim, 3 Spin, 2 Irukandji
Race 6:
4 to lead 6 then 2 and 1 next in line. So….what if they not only renamed a race in your honour but in doing so upgraded it from Group Two to Group One. You’d want to step out and win it wouldn’t you! There is a part of me that fancies KEMENTARI – on likely hard ground and with one exceptional run under his belt – to crash the party here. Remember WINX scrambled in to win this race last year (albeit after bombing the start by 4L), remember even her second-up win was too close for the comfort of most, remember the widespread thought at that time that she was searching for ground with some give – and she won’t have that here. All that said, I have many times thought she has looked up against it – both before and during races – and on every occasion she has overcome it on the basis of pure and peerless quality. I am very much hoping – and expecting – that happens again.
Selections 10 Winx, 7 Kementari, 9 D’Argento, 11 Unforgotten
Race 4:
Hard to imagine top pick being beaten. OOHOOD resumes after a spell of 19 weeks and placed in all races to date, rates a long way in front. OUTBACK BARBIE back after 18 week break and won at Doomben in first outing, place only. FIESTA first-up after 18 week break and blinkers come off for the first time, place claims. SECRET LADY back from 21 week spell and placed at Rosehill on debut, quinella.
Race 5:
SMART ELISSIM has won both races so far and running 5kg lighter than last start, serious player. SPIN won last start to break maiden at Kembla when resuming, could upset. MILITARY ZONE can’t knock the form winning two in a row at Randwick and Newcastle, the real danger in the race. ENCRYPTION resumes after a spell of 17 weeks and has a place in two trials, not the worst.
Race 6:
Hard to see anything beating the favourite. WINX back from 18 week spell and looking to make it 26 in a row after another win at Randwick last start, looks a sure thing. KEMENTARI was narrowly beaten as a favourite last start in the Missile Stakes when resuming. Has one win and two placings in five Group I races, place best. D’ARGENTO back from 19 week spell. Won at Randwick when last fresh and won two of two first-up, place hope. UNFORGOTTEN back after 18 week break and last start winner in the Australian Oaks, outside hope.