Ballina Preview & Best Bets – 17/11/2023
Gundagai Preview & Best Bets – 17/11/2023
Gundagai Tips for Friday, November 17
Our form expert provides Gundagai tips for today’s horse racing at Gundagai Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 2: No.4 VADERZAN ($4 with Bet Right)
The Keith Dryden-trained VADERZAN took until start number 11 but finally broke through for his maiden win and lining up here. Looks a solid chance of going back-to-back today. Nick Heywood had him settled outside the leader where he enjoyed a cushy run. Then on straightening, Heywood asked him for some more and he duly obliged, taking control of the race and going on to win by 1.5 lengths over the line. This contest doesn’t look much harder and with Teaghan Martin returning for this assignment, he gets a 3kg weight relief, courtesy of Martin’s claim. The four-year-old has only missed a podium finish once since joining the Dryden stable (formerly with Gary Portelli) and with a trouble-free run today, the Invader gelding can make his debut appearance at the track, a winning one.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 5: No.13 PERSIAN DANCER ($7.30 with BoomBet)
After an early scratching here, the Wagga-based galloper PERSIAN DANCER has the opportunity to gain a start (as the first emergency) and that could lead to bigger things in this contest. Last start, the Choisir mare was third-up when she finished too strong for them in taking out a Class 1 Hcp over 1400m at Corowa. That was a first-time ride for Danny Beasley and he sticks with the mare for today’s assignment as well. She is nicely drawn in gate six today and maps to be near the middle of the pack with plenty of cover from the big field here. Winning form is good form and rock-hard fit after three starts this preparation, if she runs today, she looks a serious chance of victory at odds.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 7: No.5 KELVEDON ROAD ($12.20 with BoomBet)
Todd Smart makes the trek across from the National Capital today where he saddles-up KELVEDON ROAD who returns from a ‘hit-n-run’ visit to the city and back on country soil, looks right in the mix and a ‘tad’ overs here (currently) at double figures. Two starts back, the Star Witness gelding finished a close-up second in Open company over 1200m at Canberra, then took on a strong BM78 against city class gallopers at Rosehill and finished unplaced at $41 in the 1300m event. Today, he returns to much more familiar territory and will be rock-hard fit after three runs back from a 12-month absence. Jordan Mallyon hasn’t let the five-year-old out of his sight and remains glued to the saddle today, chasing the $48,000 first prize cheque. He jumps from gate seven but will drop back to settle near the back of the field, just watch for him in the run home.
