Armidale Preview & Best Bets – 18/03/2024

Armidale Tips for Monday, March 18

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 5:  No.2  MAGIC  SHOT

The Stephen Jones-trained MAGIC SHOT showed plenty of promise in his first campaign and first-up today, looks a strong winning chance in this contest. Last start, the Shooting To Win gelding ended his four-start preparation with an impressive Maiden win over 1450m at Quirindi. He led from barrier to box that day and crossed the line almost a length clear as a white-hot $1.60 elect. He was then spelled and returned to work two weeks ago where he won a Muswellbrook trial over 1000m. Out of a Redoute’s Choice mare, the well-bred galloper maps to lead from gate three with new pilot, Braith Nock in the saddle today. If he is on his game, he will take a ton of beating here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6:  No.3  SEAHAVEN 

Local trainer, Jane Clement saddles-up SEAHAVEN here who has a podium finish from one previous visit to the track and in an open affair today, looks a solid chance of bringing up career win number four in this contest. Last start, the Mikki Isle gelding took on a smart field in the Quirindi Cup and wasn’t disgraced when finishing mid-field, beaten three lengths over the 1600m trip. Drawing gate 13 (of 14), Mollie Fitzgerald pushed forward and after being trapped wide early, eventually found a sit outside the leader. All the early work took its toll in the run home, but he still fought on gamely, finishing in a cluster of runners, unlucky not to grab a podium finish that day. Braith Nock has three top-three finishes from four previous rides on the five-year-old and returns here to steer the ship again. He steps up in distance here and draws much better in gate six. A trouble-free run could see his long run of outs end today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 7:  No.4  QUICK AS A FLASH 

Local galloper, QUICK AS A FLASH is third-up today and ticks all the right boxes here to suggest she can take this out. Last start, the Pride Of Dubai mare’s run of second-up failures continued as she finished unplaced in a BM58 over 1200m at Tamworth. She jumped with them that day but kept losing ground to the turn. She scored a rails run from there and made up some ground but then finished off a little one-paced, beaten just over three lengths in the end. Back on home soil today, she also welcomes back Ben Looker who has steered her victory once previously. From gate seven, she maps to settle better than mid-field with cover today and already a winner when third-up and a winner here as well, she can bounce back today.