Cairns Preview & Best Bets – 19/02/2024

Cairns Tips for Monday, February 19

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 4:  No.8  KING’S HALO

Local trainer, Steve Massingham saddles-up KING’S HALO here who is high-flying of late and looks the best of the day in this contest. Last start, the Better Than Ready gelding hit top gear when he destroyed his rivals in a BM60, here over 1400m with Ryan Wiggins in the saddle. Leading from barrier to box, Wiggins had him on a tight rein to the turn, then let him loose and away he went, putting 4.5 lengths on them, eased over the final 50m. He gets all the favours again today as he jumps from gate one and will no doubt be showing them the way on settling. Carrying less weight today as he takes on slightly tougher opposition, Wiggins makes the trip up from Brisbane again to take the reins and while he is skinny with the bagmen, he looks the best anchor leg of any multi you take today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 2:  No.3  REGAL CONQUEROR  

Atherton trainer, Sharlee Hoffman has REGAL CONQUEROR firing on all cylinders this time in and he looks in the mix here today. Last start, the Love Conquers All gelding found the winning post first in a BM55, here over the 950m sprint. With Nathan Thomas aboard for the first time, he overcame the wide draw (10 of 12) and crossed to lead on settling and despite using up the early fuel, still finished too strong for them and went on to win by a length on the line with 60kgs on his back. He steps up in grade today and has to carry the same weight but in top-shelf form now, he looks the part today. Thomas sticks with him and a trouble-free run here should see him hard to run down again.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 1:  No.2  BRADSHAW

Locally-trained by Fred Weiland, BRADSHAW has been bridesmaid in both race starts to date and gets her chance to go one better today. Last start, the Stratum Star mare took a while to get into gear in the run home but finished well to grab second prize (again), here in a 1250m Maiden. Jason Taylor has been aboard from the outset and sticks with the mare again today. She gets the gun-run here from gate one and maps to be box-seating on settling. No excuses today (provided she handles the wet track) and fitter for two runs in, she looks a serious player in this contest.