Eagle Farm Preview & Best Bets – 02/03/2024

Eagle Farm Tips for Saturday, March 2

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 5:  No.7  AFRICAN DAISY

Third-up today, the Annabel Neasham-trained AFRICAN DAISY has shown plenty of promise so far this preparation and should now be ready to strike. Last start, the American Pharoah mare finished bridesmaid again when she beat all but one home in a Class 3, here over 1400m. She hit the line strongly (between runners) but was nosed-out as they crossed. The set-weights conditions beat her there but she races under handicap conditions here and after the claim, carries 3kgs less than last start. Neasham fits the winkers for the first time and fitter for two runs back, she will take beating here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.9  ORLABENT 

Kris Lees saddles-up ORLABENT here who has been edging closer to a win and looks set to take this contest out. Last start, the Hellbent gelding made it consecutive runner-up finishes when he arrived a whisker too late, taking home second prize in a BM68, here over 1000m. The 1200m here should do the trick for him as James Orman takes the reins for the first time. He is yet to win at the ‘Farm’ but his last-start effort suggests he is not far away from achieving that goal. He draws the middle of the field and maps to settle better than mid-field with cover. That extra distance should do the trick (in the run home). If he secures a clear run to the line, a podium finish is in the wind.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 4:  No.8  DISPUTED RIVER 

The Stuart Kendrick-trained DISPUTED RIVER is in career-best form of late and at the weights here, looks a real threat to this field. Two starts back, the American Pharoah gelding came from back in the field to grab victory in a BM65 on this track, then franked that effort by going back-to-back in a stronger BM68 over 2020m at Doomben. Jake Bayliss was aboard on both occasions and steers the ship again here. He gets all the favours from gate one where he will do no work early and should settle mid-field with cover. A clear run to the line is all he needs to produce a similar finish.