Armidale Preview & Best Bets – Monday February 20
Armidale Tips 20/02/2023
Our form expert provides Armidale tips for today’s horse racing at Armidale Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 5: No.6 CASSIA LANE ($5 with Palmerbet)
Grafton galloper CASSIA LANE is third-up today and after having success here previously, looks a serious player in this contest. Last start, the Worthy Cause mare suffered from a bad gate when she drew the carpark (14 of 14) and finished mid-field in a BM58 Hcp over 1206m at on her home track. Beaten just over two lengths that day, she still managed to run out her last 600m, 3.2 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort here by 6 lengths. She also recorded the fastest final 800m, 600m and 400m sectionals for the race. She was a winner here two starts back when making her track debut, steered to victory by Luke Rolls that day who has the job again in this event. Much better drawn in gate six here, with a trouble-free run today, she should prove hard to hold out.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 4: No.7 GOLD MERCHANT ($5 with bet365)
The Paul Shailer-trained GOLD MERCHANT has found his mojo and looks well placed here to go on with it today. Last start, the Merchant Navy gelding made it third time lucky as he broke through for his maiden win in a 1700m contest at Grafton. Coming from mid-field early, he finished too strongly for them in the end and went on to score by more than a length over the line. He posted the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals for the race as well. He maps to settle mid-field again from gate seven and looks a real contender today.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 6: No.8 NO FILTER ($8 with Ladbrokes)
Luke Thomas saddles-up NO FILTER here who is four starts into this campaign and has done enough to date to suggest she is a serious contender here, at odds today. Last start, the Press Statement mare bounced back from an ordinary effort at Port Macquarie (didn’t handle the wet track that day) when she beat all but one home in a Class 1 Hcp over 1000m at Muswellbrook. She covered that trip, 4.2 lengths slower than benchmark, still the best last-start effort in this line-up. Vad Bolozhinskyi was aboard that day and has the reins again today. Both podium finishes to date were run on top of the ground and with a Good 4 forecast for today, she should feel right at home on the surface. Ideally drawn in gate three here, she should be right there at the finish.