Newcastle Preview & Best Bets – 17/10/2023
Balaklava Preview & Best Bets – Wednesday October 18
Our form expert provides Balaklava tips for today’s horse racing at Balaklava Racecourse and gives his best bets.
Balaklava Tips 18/10/2023
BEST BET 🏆
Race 5 No. 4 ITALIAN REDWOOD – (3.35)
Apprentice rider Tayla Childs found the best out of ITALIAN REDWOOD when she put the whip away after settling just off a hot speed on Balaklava Cup Day. Childs reported after the race that both she and trainer Grant Young were of the opinion that Italian Redwood had resented the use of the whip in previous runs. The pair let the hot speed go to take an off-pace position before putting a race of similar class away over this trip. Italian Redwood has since acquitted himself well in higher grade races in both runs since. Finds himself back out to a suitable trip after getting back last start under Todd Pannell in a grinding race on the Parks track.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 1 No. 12 SPLISH SPLASH – ($3.95)
Richard and Chantelle Jolly have gone for the four kilo claim of Chelsey Reynolds on SPLISH SPLASH. The little filly is racing second-up at Balaklava Racecourse on Wednesday and can improve sharply from her first-up run. She wasn’t the fastest away, though did muster into a position behind the speed over 1000 metres at Murray Bridge. Jake Toeroek brought Splish Splash with her run to the inside of the monstrous Areonomic. These two horses fought a good duel up the Gifford Hill straight with the stronger horse prevailing on the outside. Splish Splash does not appeal as a genuine Murray Bridge type galloper and may prefer to race here at Balaklava.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 8 No. 6 A TOUCH FROSTY – ($9)
Murray Bridge trainer Peter Hardacre produced A TOUCH FROSTY as an impressive maiden winner first-up last prep. Callan Murray took the horse straight to the front where the pair controlled the race at a reasonable gallop over this track and distance. Raced twice more that prep before being put away and has since been prepared with a 600m jump out in readiness for return. There is some speed drawn out wider and we would expect to see quality apprentice Maggie Collett to let her mount stride forward. Collett, who rarely gets an opportunity to ride the jump and run types, is seeking her first winner following nearly a year off due to injury.
