Gawler Preview & Best Bets – Saturday 16 December

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

Gawler Tips 16/12/2023

BEST BET 🏆   

Race 8 No. 2 JACKS ON ICE – ($8.50)

Talented apprentice Alana Livesey finds a rare opportunity to ride for the leading Adelaide stable of Richard & Chantelle Jolly. The crew team-up together with JACKS ON ICE who has drawn ideally and can settle close to the speed at Gawler Racecourse on Saturday. Jacks On Ice rarely takes long to get into his prep and was primed for his first-up run with an impressive barrier trial win earlier this month. He jumped straight to the front with his ears pricked the whole way before gearing down when asked. He was an impressive second-up  winner last prep when settling behind the leader over this track and trip. His first-up run was better than it reads after being slowly away, and Jacks On Ice is proven on all surfaces. 

NEXT BEST 🥈   

Race 6 No. 2 SHOOTING FOR STARS – ($4.20)

Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea have SHOOTING FOR STARS racing second-up at Morphettville Racecourse on Friday. She was a drifter in the betting prior to being slow out of the gates first-up on the Parks track. Ben Price worked her into the race between horses and towards the outer part of the track as the leader My Ruby kicked for home. That horse held on to win from Rockstar Meggsy who we chose to write into the black book. Shooting For Stars also came with Rockstar Meggsy into the straight for a credible third. The stable have also accepted for a race on the Friday card with Shooting For Stars who will be hard to beat whichever way they go.

BEST VALUE 💰   

Race 7 No. 7 SIOUX WARRIOR – ($23)

We’ll take a punt on SIOUX WARRIOR who is coming sight unseen into his prep this time in. Ran a couple of big races at Murray Bridge in both of his runs last prep. He went close to winning after being off the track from a wide gate when racing over 900 metres under Jason Holder. Followed-up by matching motors with the handy Deepfloat Diva for much of the race over 1000 metres second-up. The winner came away from Sioux Warrior who still left a fair gap back to the others. Trainer John Macmillan did give his horse a trial following those two races, and we haven’t seen Sioux Warrior since. Drawn to put himself onto the bunny and out of any early trouble.