Belmont Preview & Best Bets – 19/08/23

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

Belmont 19/08/2023

BEST BET 🏆  

Race 5 No. 3 ALLEZ ALLEZ ($4.20)

The barrier draw is not going to make things easy for Chris Parnham while riding ALLEZ ALLEZ at Belmont Racecourse on Saturday. Race strength suggests this is a race in two on current form between Allez Allez who brings strong metro formlines vs Starry Heights who has built his way through the midweeks. Allez Allez scored a powerful win over this track and trip when Parnham allowed him to stride forward after being caught deep off a similar wide gate. Towed the winner Currimundi into it last time when racing against a strong field. Definite step back in class on Saturday and will prove hard to beat if he can get in from that gate.

NEXT BEST 🥈  

Race 7 No. 5 AZTEC RULER ($4.05)

We felt that AZTEC RULER was the horse we were probably going to want to take home out of the Belmont meeting as we were doing the form prior to his latest run. It was with some frustration that we conceded that we could not have him as our Best Bet selection due to the barrier draw. Chris Parnham gave this horse a gem of a ride under the circumstances by allowing his horse to come back in the field. He just didn’t have any luck with the slow race tempo, or with William Pike on the horse in front of him not wanting to go early enough. Parnham stayed to the back of Pike for as long as he could before peeling as the widest into the straight. Aztec Ruler has just missed in a blanket go with the slight margin flattering to the other horses.

BEST VALUE 💰  

Race 2 No. 1 STRIKE NOW ($7)

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. Over raced as Brayden Gaerth took him back from their wide gate before hitting the line for third over 1400m last time. Blinkers come off in an attempt to get him to settle as Strike Now gets out to a mile on Saturday.