Eagle Farm Preview & Best Bets – Saturday February 18
Eagle Farm Tips 18/02/2023
Our form expert provides Eagle Farm tips for today’s horse racing at Eagle Farm Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 2: No.3 NAMAZU ($2.05 with Palmerbet)
The O’Dea & Hoysted-trained NAMAZU is second-up here and having his second start for the new stable, looks the one to beat. Last start, the Medaglia D’oro gelding was fresh off a lengthy 20-week break when he beat all but one home in the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup over 1400m on the Corbould Park track. He ran that out, 4.8 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort here. With his main rival here (Mohican Heights) an early scratching, it makes his job (of winning) that much easier. Already a two-time winner when second-up and in the small field with Ben Thompson aboard, he looks the goods.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 6: No.4 COMRADE ROSA ($1.90 with bet365)
The Tony Gollan-trained COMRADE ROSA is in career-best form this time in and looks set to go on with it here. Last start, the Capitalist mare really hit her straps when she clobbered her rivals in a BM72, here over 1300m. Crossing the line 2.5 lengths ahead of them, she ran the final 600m, 7.4 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this field by 3 lengths. She also recorded the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals for the race. Meeting similar company here, James Orman has the reins and from a good draw (gate 5), she looks the testing material again.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 8: No.2 THE BOPPER ($2.70 with Ladbrokes)
Kris Lees saddles-up THE BOPPER here and after four starts back, he will be at his peak for this contest. Last start, the Nicconi gelding came off a crushing win in Open company at the Sunshine Coast, then dropped back to a 900m sprint at the Gold Coast and defied the odds to beat all but one home that day. Drawn the car park (12 of 13) he settled third-last and was four-wide to the turn. The widest runner on straightening, he took many lengths off the leader but arrived a stride too late, having to settle for the silver medal in the end. Back to the 1000m here as Andrew Mallyon takes control in the saddle. With a touch more luck here, he should prove hard to hold out.