Grafton Preview & Best Bets – Friday November 18

Grafton Tips 18/11/2022

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2:  No.2  LASTING KISS  ($3.20 with Ladbrokes)

The Stephen Lee-trained LASTING KISS has been in good touch this time in and boasting a strong track record, will take beating here. Last start, the Real Impact mare finished too strongly and took out an Open class event over 1350m at the Gold Coast. She ran the trip out, 4.1 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort in this field. That was Lani Allen’s first ride on the mare and she is backing-up here for another shot. Three starts on this track have ended in a win and two runner-up finishes giving her a leg-up on the competition today. Ideally drawn in gate four, she maps to settle in the first four (possibly box-seating) and rock-hard fit after six runs this preparation, she looks a prime candidate for back-to-back victories here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 8:  No.10  MAROON MAGIC  ($2.70 with Neds)

Good early money has already come for the Team Edmonds-trained MAROON MAGIC who comes off a debut-win on this track and should be in the mix again today. Last start, he made his racing debut here and despite racing wide most of the way, still too strong for them, taking out the 1115m event. Andrew Mallyon had the reins that day and sticks with the I Am Invincible filly today. She will strip fitter and can only improve on that run. Jumping from gate three, she maps to be box-seating on settling and should that be the case, she should prove mighty hard to beat home.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 4:  No.1  NOBLE MISSILE  ($3.40 with Palmerbet)

Local galloper, NOBLE MISSILE, is yet to salute here but after just five race starts, he has finished second on three occasions and is overdue for a change of luck. Last start, the Smart Missile gelding lined-up here for his fifth shot at a Maiden win but for the third consecutive time, took home the silver medal, beating all but one over the line in the 1115m event. In a slowly run affair, he ran it out, 10 lengths slower than benchmark, still the best in this field and set a new personal best in the process. Ray Spokes is a patient rider (having been aboard for all three previous runs) and remains loyal today as he sticks with the five-year-old. With a trouble-free run today, he could finally shake the Maiden monkey and bring up his first career win.