Ballina Preview July 27 – Thursday Best Bets & Tips

Ballina Tips 27/07/2023

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.3  DECIDER  ($8.60 with BoomBet)

Toowoomba galloper DECIDER is one from one at Ballina and is in top shelf form this preparation. Last start, the Rubick gelding made it a hat-trick of podium finishes when he finally broke through for his maiden win, here over 1310m with Les Tilley on board. Slowly away, Tilley soon had the three-year-old’s mind on the job and finished too strong for them in the end, grabbing victory near the line. He seems a different horse since transferring from the Damien Lane team into the hands of Pat Webster and ideally drawn in gate three today, he looks set to go on with it.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 3:  No.2  VANTASTIC  ($5.50 with Ladbrokes) 

The John Smerdon-trained VANTASTIC has enough boxes ticked here to be on anyone’s top-three list in this contest. Last start, the Animal Kingdom gelding was third-up this preparation where things didn’t go his way when finishing fifth in a BM0-60 over the mile at Beaudesert. He has enjoyed success on this track in the past with a win and a runner-up finish coming from his only two starts here. Andrew Mallyon steered him to that runner-up result and is back for today’s assignment. Ideally drawn in gate two, the step up in distance looks well-timed after three starts back and with conditions to suit, he can give this contest a real shake today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 5:  No.2  ORO  ($11 Bet Right)

The Chris Munce-trained ORO is three starts into this preparation and sporting blinkers for the first time today, looks right in the mix for victory in this contest. Last start, the Whittington gelding came off a close-up second in a Lismore Maiden when he finished a disappointing fourth (beaten six lengths) against maiden company over 1350m at Warwick. He crossed from the outside gate (8) to lead on settling and then turning for home, threw in the towel to finish mid-field over the line. No issues were found from a post-race Vet check, just an off day. Jake Bayliss rode him in the Lismore event and has the reins again today. Ideally drawn in gate two, we will take him on trust here and look forward to seeing him make his Ballina debut a winning one. He is certainly well worth an each-way ticket today.