Cairns Preview & Best Bets – 07/12/2023

Cairns Tips for Thursday, December 07

Our form expert provides Cairns tips for today’s horse racing at the Cannon Park Racecourse and gives his best bets.

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2:  No.4  GULF OF LION  ($2.90 with bet365)

Team Rowe saddle-up GULF OF LION here who is second-up and ready to fire today. Last start, the four-year-old was fresh off a 12-week spell where his race was over at barrier rise, missing the jump by four lengths. Apprentice, Jenna Edwards, pushed him forward at the half-way mark as he tracked into the race (but four and five wide), taking the home turn even wider. On fresh legs, he simply ran out of fuel and finished mid-field across the line. Forget he ever went around that day. Back on home soil, he is already a winner when second-up and a two-time winner on the Cannon Park track as well. Brisbane maestro, Ryan Wiggins is in town today and takes the reins here for the first time. He gets all the favours jumping from gate one and maps to be box-seating on settling. In the small field, only bad luck could cost him victory here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 4:  No.5  CARESSING RUPERT  ($2.90 with Ladbrokes)

Second-up today, the Sharlee Hoffman-trained CARESSING RUPERT is a track and distance specialist and is more than capable of spoiling the party on the Rowe Racing Team here. Last start, the Winning Rupert mare resumed off a 12-week spell and drawn wide, she settled back in the field and was never closer than three horses off the fence. She took the turn even wider and to her credit, fought on gamely but clearly in need of the run, finished three lengths from the winner. Today, ‘Lethal’ Lacey Morrison returns to the saddle after steering the mare to her last victory (four starts back at Townsville). She gets the gun-run from gate one today saving plenty of ground from there. She is already a winner when second-up and a two-time winner at the track and trip. Team Rowe saddle-up half the field in the race carrying their name but the Atherton Tableland-based mare ticks all the boxes to suggest the first prize cheque goes back up the mountain with her today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 6:  No.2  NEBARAZ  ($5.50 with Picklebet)

The Steve Massingham-Ryan Wiggins combination unite again in the is contest with NEBARAZ who is third-up and ready to pounce. Last start, the Written Tycoon gelding did well to finish just behind the placegetters when finishing fourth in a Class 6 Hcp, here over the 950m sprint. It was a big ask to tackle the stronger field on second-up legs and with Wiggins aboard that day, he was beaten just over a length on the line. This is a big drop in grade today and he will do little early work form gate two, settling near mid-field with plenty of cover. Placed twice in four previous third-up appearances, he looks a big chance to bring up career win number four today.