Mackay Preview May 9 – Tuesday Best Bets & Tips

Mackay Tips 09/05/2023

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 5:  No.2  PATROLLING  ($3 with Neds)

Rockhampton trainer Ricky Vale saddles-up PATROLLING here (who’s stablemate, Divide The Sea, is an early scratching), leaving him a clear shot at taking out the main prize today. Last start, the Epaulette gelding was first-up off an 18-week absence where he finished fifth in a BM70 Hcp over an unsuitable 1050m sprint. Stewards still queried the run but it appeared to be too short for him. Ryan Wiggins was aboard that day and is sticking with him here after already steering him to three of his five career-wins to date. Already a two-time winner when second-up and a two-winner at the track, the stats suggest he is more than just an even chance here. Wiggins boasts a 34% success rate with the Vale stable and from an ideal draw in gate two today, he will take some beating here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 3:  No.7  IN BEL’S SHADOW  ($5.50 with Ladbrokes)

Local galloper IN BEL’S SHADOW is a genuine track specialist and looks every chance of making it four-straight today. Last start, the Bel Esprit mare brought up the hat-trick when she arrived just in time to claim victory in a Class 3 Plate, here over 1560m. Adam Sewell also celebrated his third win from four rides on the mare that day. She is stepping up in grade today but does drop 3kgs from the saddle bags accordingly. Sewell remains aboard in search of his fourth win with the six-year-old and from gate six, she maps to settle better than mid-field. With a trouble-free run here, she looks a solid chance of handling the class rise and making it four from four at the track and distance today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 2:  No.4  SEDUCTIVE SPUR  ($13 with Palmerbet)

The Clinton Taylor-trained SEDUCTIVE SPUR performs well on the Mackay track and looks well placed here to give her rivals a real fright at odds today. Last start, the Jet Spur filly came off a barrier-to-box win at Townsville when she failed to fire a shot in the QTIS Cap Classic over 1300m on her home track at Rockhampton. She passed a Vet inspection (post-race) so maybe the step-up in trip played a part that day. Justin Stanley returns for today’s challenge and he is yet to taste defeat with the three-year-old, steering her victories at Townsville and here where she won her Maiden three starts back. Forgetting her last start, she drops back to the 1100m today and looks much better suited here. She maps to be near the speed again and at double-figure odds (currently), she looks well worth an each-way ticket today.