Bordertown Preview & Best Bets – Friday, May 12 

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

Bordertown Tips 12/05/2023

BEST BET 🏆  

Race 6 No. 3 CANIDAE – ($3.20)

Bordertown Racecourse track specialist CANIDAE caught the eye when resuming in a weak provincial race in Gawler. There hasn’t been much to come out of the race won by Utah Joe to date, though it’s still early days. The run of Canidae in isolation to the rest showed a horse who is ready to win again soon. Caitlin Jones allowed him to lob out the back before finding her path blocked into the straight. The pair made good ground on the other’s while weaving a path to finish behind the placegetters. John Hickmott & Carrina Riggs have wisely placed Canidae back to a restricted benchmark 54 while Samuel Payne comes on for the ride. The stable and jock all had a good day at Balaklava on Wednesday, and Canidae can continue that run.

NEXT BEST 🥈  

Race 2 No. 12 VIC REEL – ($9)

Murray Bridge trainer Petre Hardacre has VIC REEL out to the 2000 metres this prep while third-up. Third-up last time in saw Eran Boyd send the filly forward over this trip in a maiden at Morphettville. Vic Reel became taken on from a long way out with her challenger taking over on straightening. She fought back strongly to drop that horse before being set upon by the winner in Playboy Charlie. That horse looked like racing on by with Vic Reel digging deep to go down by just over a length in the end. Anna Jordjso took her first ride on the horse last start at Gawler where she gave Vic Reel a peach over 1700 metres. The pair look well-placed to go on and break the maiden here at Bordertown.

BEST VALUE 💰  

Race 5 No. 2 PEWTER – ($17)

Sue Murphy often has PEWTER racing best off a slight break. The ever-green nine-year-old is coming off a let-up since a below-par run at Mount Gambier. We were on Pewter as he came off a similar break to score at good odds in a Benchmark 68 over 1430 metres at Naracoorte. That is arguably his pet track and trip and he does also race well at Bordertown. Rand fourth in a good benchmark 68 over this trip when last racing here and now strikes a race with question marks over the field. Emily Finnegan has won five races on the horse already and will give Pewter every chance to show his best.