Ballarat Preview & Best Bets - Friday September 16
Gold Coast Preview & Best Bets – Saturday September 17
Gold Coast Tips 17/09/2022
Our form expert provides Gold Coast tips for today’s horse racing at Gold Coast Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 1: No.1 YISKA ($2.70 with Palmerbet)
The Lee Freedman-trained YISKA is undefeated in three starts and first-up here looks the goods again. Last start, the Smart Missile gelding made it a hat-trick when he destroyed a field of two-year-olds in a 1200m Hcp at Doomben. He crossed the line 3.5 lengths ahead of them and ran his last 600m, 3.7 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best here by more than 2 lengths. He also ran the fastest final 800m and 600m sectionals that day. He resumes here off a lengthy 21-week break but has trialled twice since, winning his most recent effort. Tegan Harrison remains on board after three successful rides to date. He looks the one to beat.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 8: No.7 MATOWATAKPE ($2.90 with Unibet)
Second-up today, the former Bjorn Baker-trained MATOWATAKPE has his second start for the new stable here and looks ideally placed to give this contest a real shake. Last start, the Dream Ahead gelding was fresh off a 21-week absence and really impressed, beating all but one home in a BM85 Hcp over 1200m at Eagle Farm. He covered the last 600m, 6.6 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this line-up. He also clocked the fastest final 600m sectional for the race. Drawn the fence, he gets the gun-run and maps to be box-seating on settling. Ben Thompson has the reins and with everything in his favour, he sure looks the one to beat.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 4: No.3 NEVER PAID ($11 with Palmerbet)
The Kelly Schweida-trained NEVER PAID is in career-best form this time in and shapes up here as a serious contender. Last start, the Better Than Ready gelding ploughed through the heavy conditions to grab victory in a BM85 Hcp over 1050m at Doomben. He ran the trip, 5.8 lengths quicker than benchmark, setting a new personal best and the fastest in this field by more than 3 lengths. He is a track specialist here, boasting three wins from five visits and ideally drawn in gate three, gets a gun-run from there as he maps to settle in the first half dozen, with cover. Scratched from race five to run in this contest, he looks a genuine winning chance at odds.
