Eagle Farm Preview & Best Bets – Saturday December 10

Eagle Farm Tips 10/12/2022

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 7:  No.2  SHOOTING FOR GOLD  ($3 with BlueBet)

First-up specialist SHOOTING FOR GOLD comes off a 14-week break here and back on home soil, looks the testing material. Last start, the Shooting To Win gelding ended a Melbourne campaign by finishing mid-field in the Group 2 Bobby Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington. Not disgraced, he drew the outside gate (14) and with Jamie Kah on board, he pushed forward and settled on speed. Without cover all the way, he was beaten inside the final 200m but to his credit, fought back strongly over the last 100m to finish within 2.5 lengths of the winner (Baller). He still ran the trip out, 5.6 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this line-up by more than 2 lengths. The five-year-old boasts an impeccable fresh record, with five previous first-up appearances resulting in two wins and three minor placings. Here, he comes off a recent trial at the Gold Coast, which he won by four lengths. He should find this a lot easier than locking horns with Group 2 company down the Flemington straight. He gets the gun-run from gate one and will take beating here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 1:  No.6  ARGYLE LANE  ($3.60 with Ladbrokes)

Toowoomba galloper ARGYLE LANE has won four of his six career starts to date and although yet to find the podium here, he looks poised to change all that now. Last start, the lightly-raced Golden Archer gelding returned to his home track where he clobbered a BM70 field over 1100m. Crossing the line almost four lengths in advance of the field, he ran that trip out, 5.1 lengths quicker than benchmark, a new personal best and the best last-start effort here by 4 lengths. He also recorded the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals for the race. Back for a third crack at the Farm, Michael Murphy sticks with him, having ridden the five-year-old in all six starts to date. A repeat of his Toowoomba effort should see him salute again.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 5:  No.12  TOO MUCH CLASS  ($7 with bet365)

Gold Coast galloper TOO MUCH CLASS is down in the weights here and has done enough recently to put her in the ball park as a winning chance at odds. Last start, the Smart Missile mare came off a BM70 victory here when she took on Class 6 company at Doomben. Drawn wide, she settled last and was just too far back to threaten victory that day, but finished well to grab third prize over the line, beaten less than a length. She covered the 1600m, 6 lengths quicker than benchmark, a new personal best for her and the best in this field by more than 5 lengths. She also posted the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals for that race. Already a track and distance winner, Jim Byrne has the reins here and at the weights, she can figure here.