Sunshine Coast Preview & Best Bets - Sunday January 22
Armidale Preview & Best Bets – Monday January 23
Armidale Tips 22/01/2023
Our form expert provides Armidale tips for today’s horse racing at Armidale Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 6: No.5 CHIKY CHIKY MAMA ($3.30 with Neds)
Trained at Scone by Stephen Jones, CHIKY CHIKY MAMA has found the podium in five of her six career starts to date and third-up today looks the testing material in this contest. Last start, the Nicconi mare came off her maiden win at Tamworth when she lined-up in a BM58 over 1000m at Taree. She drew wide that day and used up a lot of early zip to settle just behind the leaders. She then fought like a caged tiger in the run home and did well to hold on for third prize, beaten 1.5 lengths on the line. She covered the trip, 5.2 lengths slower than benchmark, a new personal best and second-best here behind Early Hours (who resumes today off a 20-week absence). She gets the gun-run from gate one here and has Aaron Bullock on board for the first time. There’s plenty to like about this mare and she looks the one they have to beat today.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 4: No.4 KOONDEEMAN ($5.50 with Palmerbet)
Grafton galloper KOONDEEMAN is four starts into this preparation and will be rock-hard fit for this contest. Last start, the Your Song gelding found the winning post first when he took out a Class 1 Hcp over 1300m at Taree. Coming from mid-field on the turn, he rounded them up to get the decision in a tight finish. Luke Rolls was aboard (for the seventh time) that day and sticks with him here. He ran the last 600m, 1 length quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort in this field. From gate two today, he maps to be parked right behind the speed with the first crack at them in the run home. Already a winner at the track, he looks every chance of going back-to-back today.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 2: No.1 EIGHTY EIGHTY STARS ($6 with Ladbrokes)
Tamworth galloper EIGHTY EIGHT STARS has his second race start today and going off his debut performance, he looks right in the mix here today. Last start, he lined-up in a 1000m Maiden Plate at Glen Innes and after being caught three-wide in the second half of the field, finished strongly to beat all but one home in the 13-strong field. The Stratum Star gelding turned for home (via the cape) and despite being out in the boondocks, ran the last 200m out strongly to grab second prize that day. Ben Looker has the reins today and he is better drawn in gate six. He will improve on that debut effort and with the extra distance here, should prove hard to hold out.
