Horse Racing

Asurito shouldn’t find this race much tougher than his debut a few weeks ago. The Blake Ryan-trained three-year-old won impressively, staying near the lead early and showing his class in the final 300m to take the win convincingly. With a low gate draw, expect similar front-running tactics, especially with James Innis Jr. booked to ride again. Bet Now: Moruya Race 5 Moruya Race 6 9 Selhurst Park Each Way Selhurst Park has a good chance of running well at a value price. The son of Not A Single Doubt has come close in recent races, finishing second after a strong…

Growing Empire is the top contender in the Poseidon Stakes. Ciaron Maher’s colt is in great form, having won two Group 3 races in autumn and recently winning the McNeil Stakes at Caulfield. With Mark Zahra continuing as the jockey, they have a strong chance of winning this race by a big margin. Bet Now: Flemington Race 4 Flemington Race 8 6 Pride Of Jenni Pride Of Jenni seems like a smart value pick in the Makybe Diva Stakes. Although she wasn’t at her best in the Memsie Stakes, fading to finish in the middle of the pack, she usually…

Noble Tess is trying the 1800m distance for the first time. After two races back, including a tough run at Kembla Grange where she struggled to recover from a wide position, she now seems ready to perform at her best with improved fitness. This race also looks easier, which should work in her favor. Bet Now: Bathurst Race 1 Bathurst Race 5 4 Not Written Off Not Written Off has a strong second-up record, even though she hasn’t won in over a year. Cameron Crockett’s mare had a tough, wide run at Moree in her last race, but she performs…

Highly Tempted seems ready for a longer distance. After breaking his maiden at Taree on a heavy track, he moved up to 1200m at Newcastle but was positioned too far back to win. However, he finished strongly to claim third. Stepping up to 1400m at country level looks like a good opportunity for him. Bet Now: Tuncurry Race 3 Tuncurry Race 6 5 Salamancas Salamancas looks ready to continue his success for trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith. The lightly-raced four-year-old by Sacred Falls won his maiden impressively at Kempsey in July, finishing strong with more to give. With a similar seven-week break…

Shine Like It Does performed well in her last race at Wyong, leading most of the way and only getting passed in the final strides after a four-week break. The Churchill mare is likely to improve with a shorter break this time and might prefer the dry conditions. With a good draw and a slight drop in distance, she should be close to her first win soon. Bet Now: Hawkesbury Race 1 Hawkesbury Race 5 2 Copacabana Tip of The Day Copacabana seems like a strong bet for Thursday. The Hawkes-trained son of Toronado won his maiden at Newcastle last…

Duvana, a colt who placed third behind Storm Boy in the Skyline Stakes last autumn, is still seeking his first win after four starts. He struggled in his last race, a Group 1 event on a very wet track, finishing near the back. Though his recent trial runs haven’t been impressive, he’s now racing on firmer ground and without blinkers for the first time, giving him a good chance to win with the experienced Nash Rawiller as his jockey. Bet Now: Kensington Race 1 Kensington Race 3 1 Huon Huon is returning to racing after last competing in March, where…

Mighty Zou, with Reece Jones as his jockey, is aiming to build on two strong performances in shorter races at the start of his career. The four-year-old son of Zoustar finished just outside the placings in his last race at Tamworth, despite running wide the whole way. Before that, he had another solid run at Scone on a heavy track, closing in late to finish 2.4 lengths behind the leaders. These two efforts should have him well-prepared for the longer 1500m race. Bet Now: Muswellbrook Race 2 Muswellbrook Race 3 6 Otium Otium has shown mixed form on dry tracks…

Le Mans is an interesting Irish horse, having her second race in Australia for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr. She impressed in her first run at Caulfield after nearly a year off, making up a lot of ground from the back. With potential to improve and some luck from a wide barrier, it’s no surprise she’s favored in this race over her ideal distance. Bet Now: The Valley Race 2 The Valley Race 5 3 Arkansaw Kid Arkansaw Kid was withdrawn from Caulfield last week for this easier race. Trained by Lindsay Park, the sprinter was impressive in…

Cohesive looks like a strong contender for Edward Cummings. The lightly-raced mare has faced some tough wide draws this prep, but showed real improvement in her last start at Canterbury, finishing third after a strong chase over a slightly shorter distance. Now in her fifth run back from a spell, the 1200m distance should suit her better, and a favorable gate should allow her to settle nicely and come off the speed. Bet Now: Wyong Race 4 Wyong Race 5 8 Killer Kerr Killer Kerr seems like she may benefit from a longer distance. The mare by Shooting To Win…

Alpha Bravo is a strong contender in a competitive race. The lightly-raced colt finished second twice in Brisbane during his first campaign but struggled at Group 3 level. He’s had good trial runs leading up to his return, and with a good position behind the leaders, he has a solid chance. Bet Now: Sunshine Coast Race 1 Sunshine Coast Race 3 4 Tyndrum Gold Tyndrum Gold seems close to winning his first race in Australia. Annabel Neasham’s European import showed significant improvement in his third run, finishing strong in second place on the Poly track at the Sunshine Coast. His…