Hawkesbury Preview April 13 – Thursday Best Bets & Tips

Hawkesbury Preview & Best Bets – 18/04/2024

 

Hawkesbury Tips 13/04/2023

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

 

BEST BET 🏆

Race 4:  No.5  SHIPSHAPE  ($1.75 with Ladbrokes)

The James Cummings-trained SHIPSHAPE is third-up today and has the runs on the board to suggest he is now ready to win. Last start, the well-bred Astern gelding made it back-to-back podium finishes when he beat all but one home in a 1300m Maiden Plate at Warwick Farm. Beaten just half a length on the line, he ran his last 600m, 5.3 lengths quicker than benchmark, a new personals best and the best last-start effort here by more than seven lengths. On a Heavy 8 that day, he also posted the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals for the race. He gets the gun-run from gate one here with Zac Lloyd on board and fighting fit after two runs back, the Godolphin galloper looks the testing material in this contest.

 

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.4  MINDSPACE  ($3.70 with Unibet)

The Mark Newnham-trained MINDSPACE has improved with every start this preparation and looks poised for back-to-back victories today. Last start, the So You Think gelding was third-up when he broke through for his Maiden win over 1850m at Newcastle. With Tom Sherry aboard, he did it easy in the end, running his last 600m, half a length quicker than benchmark (on a Soft 6), the best in this field. He also recorded the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals. Sherry sticks with him today and with the monkey off his back now, he looks set to go on with it here.

 

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 6:  No.9  VANCOUVER’S GEM  ($15 with Palmerbet)

Brad Widdup saddles-up VANCOUVER’S GEM here who ticks all the boxes and looks a touch ‘overs’ in this contest. Last start, the Vancouver filly was second-up when she kissed goodbye her maiden tag by taking out a Maiden Plate, here over 1500m. On a Soft 7 that day, Grant Buckley was on board and drove the three-year-old to the line where she hung on for a game victory. Buckley retains the ride for today’s assignment as she draws well in gate four and maps to settle better than mid-field. Well-weighted here, she is now a track and distance winner and rock-hard fit after two starts back, she can give this a real shake at odds today.