Cairns Preview & Best Bets – 16/04/2024

Cairns Tips for Tuesday, April 16

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 5:  No.2  INDICTMENT

We tipped against the Massingham/Wiggins duo in race three but are running with them here as INDICTMENT ticks all the boxes in this contest to suggest he will take plenty of beating today. Last start, the Street Boss gelding had Wiggins in the saddle for his fourth ride on the galloper when he came from well back to finish an unlucky second in a BM65 over 1300m at Townsville. Jumping from gate 11 (of 13), he drifted back to near last and was trapped wide to the turn where he took the corner the widest of all. Too far back to be a winning chance, he still stormed home to grab the runner-up prize, beaten just half a length on the line, carrying 60.5kgs for that event. Back on home soil today, he meets similar opposition here and has Wiggins sticking with him. Revenge could be his today as he gets all the favours from gate one and maps to settle mid-field (on the fence) with cover. If he sees daylight on that Cannon Park home turn, he will prove mighty hard to keep out today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 3:  No.6  BURNS TO EMBRACE

Locally-trained by Fred Wieland, BURNS TO EMBRACE has hit the ground running in two starts since joining the stable and looks a huge threat to victory in this contest. The former Annabel Neasham-trained galloper made his Nth Qld debut, finishing a close-up second in a 1200m Maiden at Townsville. Then last start, he went one better on his new home track when he clobbered his rivals, here in a 1250m Maiden Hcp with Ryan Wiggins in the saddle. The British-bred gelding steps up in distance today which looks ideal for him as he strips even fitter for two runs this time in. He maps to settle just behind the speed from gate five and has Jason Taylor as the new pilot (with Wiggins committed to ride Fodor for the Massingham Team). Already a winner on debut on his home track (now), he can go back-to-back today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 2:  No.1  ALI’S JAB

Local galloper, ALI’S JAB has come back in top-shelf form and third-up today looks the one to beat in this contest. Last start, the Jabali gelding was second-up and went one better when he beat home an Open class field over 1123m at Mareeba. With Gabrielle Semmens having just her second ride on the gelding, she rode him a treat, crossing the line 2.5 lengths ahead of them in the end. He drops back in class and distance today but suffers no disadvantage, being a track and trip specialist. Ideally drawn in gate five, he maps to settle just behind the speed. Already a two-time winner when third-up and a four-time winner at the track and distance, he looks right in the mix here.