Albury Preview & Best Bets – Thursday February 2

Steve Bennett

in Albury 2 Feb 2023

Albury Tips 2/02/2023

Our form expert provides Albury tips for today’s horse racing at Albury Racecourse and gives his best bets.

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6: No.2 HARDWARE LANE ($2.40 with bet365)

The Mitchell Beer-trained HARDWARE LANE is a known mudlark and second-up today will take a ton of beating in this contest. Last start, the Scissor Kick gelding was fresh off a 19-week spell when he finished a close-up third in a BM72 Hcp against city class gallopers at Warwick Farm. He ran that trip out, 6.4 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this line-up by more than 9 lengths. That was also a new personal best for the four-year-old. A Heavy 8 is forecast today which puts him in his element with all four career wins coming on wet tracks. He drops in grade as he returns to country racing and unbeaten in two starts at Albury, he looks the testing material in this event.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 4: No.3 TORONTO RAIN ($5 with Palmerbet)

Victorian galloper TORONTO RAIN pays her second visit to Albury today and will be looking forward to going one better than last time. Last start, the Bon Hoffa filly made it third time lucky as she broke through for her Maiden win over 1200m at Corowa. Sent out a white-hot $1.70 favourite, she didn’t disappoint as she crossed the line more than a length ahead of the rest, recording the fastest final 400m and 200m sectionals for the race in the process. She steps up in grade here today but has the runs on the board to be more than just competitive in this contest. Yet to miss a top-two finish and fitter for three runs in, provided she can handle the wet conditions, she will prove a handful here today.

BEST VALUE 💰

Race 2: No.1 SIR SAVALUCA ($6.50 with Ladbrokes)

The Wagga-based galloper SIR SAVALUCA sees the Albury track for the first time today and second-up here, looks in the mix for a win. Last start, the Savabeel gelding was fresh off a 21-week break when he finished second in a Class 1 Hcp over 1000m at Canberra. He ran his last 600m, 1.4 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort here by more than 7 lengths. He also posted the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals for the race. With that in mind, he means business this time in and ideally drawn in gate two here, he gets all the favours. With a clear run home, he should prove hard to hold out today.