Preview & Best Bets – Belmont 05 August

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

Belmont 05/08/2023

BEST BET 🏆  

Race 5 No. 9 BREAD TO FLIRT ($6.50)

We have followed BREAD TO FLIRT at per past couple of preps and she was sharp when racing first-up at Belmont. They didn’t go all that hard up in front as Clint Johnston-Porter snagged her back at the start. Bread To Flirt showed her customary turn of foot into the straight on a day where horses were able to make ground from the back. Fellow #WABlackbookers horse Ultimate Command came from just off the speed to score with Bread To Flirt finishing hard into second. Just fair to middling second-up in a strong form race over 1000 metres behind Songaa in town. That’s usual for her second-up and Bread To Flirt bounced back to winning form last start when racing over 1200 metres in a strong midweek race.

NEXT BEST 🥈  

Race 7 No. 3 AZTEC RULER ($6)

It will be interesting to see where AZTEC RULER lobs in early running after drawing out wide at Belmont Racecourse on Saturday. Trainer Stefan Vahala would have known he had a handy horse on his hands as Aztec Ruler impressed with wins during his 2yo season. Unfortunately, we only got to see him once as an early 3yo when beaten 3.5L to Street Parade after not showing punters a lot during his trials. Aztec Ruler trialled much better this time in before settling handy to a good speed over 1200m on resumption. He found the race-fit Universal Flair too good on that occasion with Vahala stepping Aztec Ruler out to 1400m for the first time. The horse blundered at the start costing himself many lengths before finishing strongly behind #WABlackbookers horse Planet Cash. Looks ready to win and we would’ve promoted Aztec Ruler up the order had he drawn a gate.

BEST VALUE 💰  

Race 3 No. 2 STRIKE NOW ($5)

Clint Johnson-Porter found himself around midfield the fence on STRIKE NOW who was racing second-up at Belmont Park Racecourse. The run certainly goes into the forgive file as Strike Now was forced to lose momentum into the straight with no clear run presenting at any stage. With CJP sitting quietly, Strike Now was finally able to pick-up under his own steam somewhere inside the 100m. The horse will take further improvement from the run for trainer Jason Miller and gets in well with the claim under Brayden Gaerth