Dubbo Preview & Best Bets – 18/02/2024

Dubbo Tips for Sunday, February 18

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.7  SYRIAN STAR 

Rod Northam saddles-up SYRIAN STAR here who returns from a stint in the city and looks the one to beat in this contest. Last start, the Stratum Star mare was second-up and wasn’t that far away when finishing mid-field in a Class 3 Hwy Hcp over 1200m at Randwick. Unlucky in the run, she ran into several dead ends and was beaten just 2.5 lengths on the line. The Scone-based mare returns to the Dubbo track where both her previous runs resulted in top-two finishes. She gets the gun-run from gate one today and has Grant Buckley returning to steer the ship. Already a winner at the track and a winner when third-up, a trouble-free run here should see her hard to hold out today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 3:  No.5  BULLA VINAKA

The Bathurst-based BULLA VINAKA is flying high this preparation and looks well placed here for back-to-back victories today. Last start, the No Nay Never gelding was fourth-up when he broke through for his maiden win, here over the 1400m trip. Always well back, he stormed home to win easily in the end, putting a length on them over the line while carrying the top weight of 59kgs. He draws to do no early work in gate three today and if he secures a clear run home, he should prove very hard to hold out here.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 7:  No.5  SISTERS PICK 

The Wayne Collison-trained SISTERS PICK is second-up today and only has to overcome her wide draw to give this contest a real shake. Last start, the four-year-old was fresh off a 13-week spell when she showed no signs of fatigue in taking out a BM58 over 1000m at Parkes. Jumping from gate 11 (of 12), Braith Nock had her leading on settling and in the run home, she showed a solid turn-of-foot over the final 200m to go on and collect the major prize. She is a two-time winner over the 1100m and unbeaten in two second-up appearances. Nock sticks with her today and fitter for one run back, she looks in the mix here.