Albury Preview & Best Bets – Thursday March 23

Steve Bennett

in Albury 23 Mar 2023

Albury Tips 23/03/2023

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 1: No.4 SPITFIRE ($1.70 with Ladbrokes)

The Matt Dale-trained SPITFIRE has found the podium in his last five-straight performances, and he lines up here as our Best Bet for the day. Last start, the Pierro gelding fought it out in three-horse battle to the line and came out of it with third prize in a Class 1/Maiden Plate over 2000m at Canberra. He recorded the fastest final 600m sectional and ran the last 600m out, 1 length quicker than benchmark, the best last start effort here by 5 lengths. Ideally drawn in gate two today, he maps to settle in the first half-dozen (on the fence) and has Danny Beasley in the saddle for the first time. With a trouble-free run today, he looks the testing material in this contest and is (currently) paying better than bank interest.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 3: No.2 PROPHET’S DAUGHTER ($3.90 with BlueBet)

Locally-trained by Ron Stubbs, PROPHET’S DAUGHTER is in first-class form this time in and she looks a worthy contender for the main prize today. Last start, the Nostradamus mare was nosed-out of victory for the second consecutive time when she beat all but one home in a BM58 Hcp over 1400m at Wagga. She ran that trip out, 6.7 lengths slower than benchmark, still the best in this field and that was a new personal best for her as well. She also posted the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals for the race. Nick Souquet has been aboard for all six of her races and has the job again today. From gate five, she maps to settle mid-field (with cover) and with a trouble-free run here, is every chance of victory today.

BEST VALUE 💰

Race 7: No.11 HARDWARE LANE ($6.50 with Palmerbet)

The Mitch Beer-trained HARDWARE LANE loves it wet and the forecast Soft 7 today will just enhance his chances for victory here. Last start, the Scissor Kick gelding drew the outside gate (9) and was trapped wide the entire trip and yet still managed to grab third prize in an Open Hcp, here over 1000m. He ran the last 600m, 7.9 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this line-up by more than 6 lengths. He drops 2.5kgs from his last start and on his home track again, he has Simon Miller on board today who is a two-time winner with the four-year-old. All four career wins have come on wet tracks and at his peak after three runs back, he looks the ticket at good odds today.