Hawkesbury Preview & Best Bets – Thursday December 15

Hawkesbury Tips 15/12/2022

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 3:  No.10  ALWAYS IN  ($3.40 with Palmerbet)

The Kim Waugh-trained ALWAYS IN has her second race-start today and has shown signs there is potential yet to be seen. Last start, the Olympic Glory filly made a sound debut to racing when she beat all but one home in a Gosford Maiden over 1100m. Drawing the outside gate (10), Brenton Avdulla settled her back with the tailenders. Rounding the turn, she railed like a greyhound and inside the last 200m, set sail after the leader, only to arrive one bound too late, beaten a neck on the line. She did, however, record the fastest final 800m to 200m sectionals for the race. Waugh puts her up in distance here which looks ideal as a second-up assignment. From gate ten, she maps to settle back in the field again with Avdulla remaining aboard today. Fitter for that debut run, she should prove hard to hold out here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.1  ORYX  ($3.80 with bet365)

The James Cummings-trained ORYX resumes from a six-month absence today and has the credentials to suggest he can salute on fresh legs here. Last start, the Exceed And Excel gelding ended his last campaign finishing runner-up in a BM64 Hcp, here over the 1000m sprint. He returned to work recently, winning an 800m Open trial on this track. Two starts here have resulted in two top-two finishes and he is already a winner when first-up. Zac Lloyd has the reins today and from a good draw (gate 6), he looks in the mix.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 6:  No.11  SONIC TYCOON  ($13 with bet365)

Brad Widdup saddles-up SONIC TYCOON here after qualifying for today’s final and after two runs back, he looks ideally placed here to be considered a genuine contender at juicy each-way odds. Last start, the Written Tycoon gelding led from the outset but was nabbed on the post by Burning Need. Today, the pair clash again with ‘the Tycoon’ ticking three boxes more in this contest. He gets the gun-run from gate one, is a two-time winner over the 1600m trip and has track experience with three previous starts here. The last rider to steer him to victory was Rachel King (here, three starts back) who is reunited with him for this assignment. The stable take the blinkers off today and replace them with visors and with a trouble-free run here, an each-way ticket looks the go.