Dubbo Preview & Best Bets – Monday February 13

Steve Bennett

in Bets of the Day 13 Feb 2023

Dubbo Tips 13/02/2023

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 4: No.9 SHOOTING ZAA ($5 with Ladbrokes)

Scone-based galloper SHOOTING ZAA is three starts back from a 22-week spell and boasting a solid record here, will take beating today. Last start, the Shooting To Win mare came off a win in BM58 company at Gilgandra when she finished unplaced in a similar contest at Armidale. Lumping 61kgs that day, she did it tough travelling three-wide most of the trip, finishing fifth, beaten just 1.5 lengths on the line. Go on her efforts two starts back when she won a BM58, here on this track with Brooke Stower aboard, who has the reins again today. She drops 6kgs today and at her peak after those three runs, she will take beating here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7: No.7 SHARP SHOCK ($3 with BlueBet)

The Rod Northam-trained SHARP SHOCK is second-up here and already proven on wet tracks, looks right in the mix today. Last start, the Bull Point gelding was fresh off a 16-week spell when he beat all but one to the line in a Class 2 Hcp over 900m at Scone. He ran his last 600m 2.6 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this line-up by more than 5 lengths. He also posted the fastest final 600m, 400m and 200m sectionals for the race. He won his maiden on a Heavy 10 at Scone three starts back so the rain affected surface should not affect his chances today. He steps up in distance here but is in good hands with Grant Buckley taking the reins for the event. Drawn nicely in gate five, he maps to get back but with the extra distance here, he should be finishing off strongly today.

BEST VALUE 💰

Race 6: No.5 RAOUL ($7 with Palmerbet)

The Scott Singleton-trained RAOUL is fitter for three starts back now and returning to country racing today, looks much better placed in this contest. Last start, the Kermadec gelding took-on the big guns in the city where he was a little out of his depth and finished down the track in a Class 2 Hwy Hcp over 1100m at Randwick. Drawn the carpark that day (gate 11 of 12), he covered more ground than Bourke & Wills as he was trapped four-wide to the turn, then had nothing left to offer on straightening and finished six lengths off the winner, carting 60kgs in the race. He is up in grade today but drops in weight and comes back to the country circuit. He races with front bar plates for the first time here and much better drawn in gate three today, he should find this assignment a lot easier.