Belmont Preview & Best Bets – 06/09/23

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

Belmont 06/09/2023

BEST BET 🏆  

Race 1 No. 2 HAPPY AS LARRY ($3.75)

Lisa Staples jumped straight to the front on HAPPY AS LARRY as the horse went all the way to break his maiden over this track and trip two starts ago. He had been around the mark in some handy two-year-old races, so that win in the new season was well deserved. Led them up again at a solid tempo to be no match for the winner On Patrol who came from last. Happy As Larry did more than enough to hold out Wednesday’s rival Bondi Plunge who continues to be well-supported every time he steps out. That horse should gain a map advantage as Happy As Larry and main danger Choixway roll forward from their outside barriers. Those three would appear as the major chances, while Happy As Larry doing more than enough in stronger races to go in as a selection on Wednesday.

NEXT BEST 🥈  

Race 7 No. 8 FINE TOUCH ($4)

There should still be plenty of upside to come with the lightly raced mare FINE TOUCH. William Pike throws his leg over in the last and is sure to be well-supported despite drawing out a touch. There are showers forecast so we’ll hope they are getting out towards the middle by this time of the day. Fine Touch comes through some good races including a pass mark attempt first-up over 1200 metres behind Bead To Flirt and Becalotti. Covered plenty of ground second-up when caught deep without cover the entire over 1300 metres. Fine Touch continued strongly enough to the line in a strong race behind Flash Max to suggest she will get over this trip okay.

BEST VALUE 💰  

Race 3 No. 6 OCEAN QUEEN ($10)

Brayden Gaerth can give OCEAN QUEEN the run of the race from an inside gate as Banjup trainer Michael Grantham has her ready to win third-up. The mare raced keenly first-up under Gaerth as the speed slackened with Ocean Queen travelling in the box-seat behind the leaders. The pair took the rails run as it presented near the top of the straight before being no match for those swooping out wide. Ocean Queen still battled strongly for third behind Flash Max and Collective who have both raced well since. Got a long way back under William Pike second-up while staying to the 1300 metre trip. Ocean Queen kept coming late behind Count The Sessions and should be better suited out to a bit more ground.