Bathurst Preview & Best Bets – 18/12/2023

Bathurst Tips for Monday, December 18

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.4  ELECTRIC STORM  ($3.30 with Bet Right)

The Gayna Williams-trained ELECTRIC STORM is second-up today and ticks enough boxes here to suggest he will take some beating in this contest. Last start, the six-year-old son of The Factor wasn’t disgraced when resuming off a 16-week absence, he finished fourth in a BM58 over 1200m at Mudgee. He left the outside gate (12) that day and was trapped wide all the way. Clay Gallagher did well to have him cross the line just over a length from the winner. Drawn much better today in gate seven, he maps to settle near mid-field with cover. He is already a two-time winner when second-up and is a track specialist, boasting two wins and a minor placing from his four starts here to date. Gallagher remains in the saddle for this assignment and all things considered, he looks the one to beat here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.6  CUMNOCK  ($3.80 with Picklebet)

Brett Thompson saddles-up CUMNOCK here who is four starts back and looks ready to record his second career win today. Last start, the Outreach gelding found the podium for the third time this preparation when he grabbed third prize in a tight finish at Narromine in Class 1 company over 1100m. He makes his Bathurst debut today with Clay Gallagher in the saddle for the first time. He draws well in gate six and maps to settle mid-field with cover. At his peak today and with a trouble-free run, he should prove hard to hold out in this easier contest.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 4:  No.4  SEMPER FORTIS  ($7.50 with Neds)

The James Ponsonby-trained SEMPER FORTIS is in top-shelf form this time in and looks well placed here to stamp his authority on this contest. Last start, the Tavistock gelding made it a hat-trick of top-two finishes when he beat all but one home in a BM58 over 2000m at Queanbeyan. With Michael Cahill aboard, he lumped 61.5kgs in the Heavy 9 conditions that day to be beaten just over a length on the line. At his peak today, his two career wins have come on top of the ground so conditions here are ideal for this assignment. Cahill sticks with him where he does no early work from gate two and a genuine pace should see him finishing strongly today at odds.