Mackay Preview & Best Bets – Tuesday December 6

Mackay Tips 6/12/2022

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2:  No.4  PATROLLING  ($2.50 with Ladbrokes)

The Ricky Vale-trained PATROLLING is a Rockhampton-based galloper but three starts here, resulting in two wins and a runner-up placing have him labelled as a track specialist now and he looks the testing material today. Last start, the Epaulette gelding came off back-to-back second placings where he went one better and took out a Class 6 Plate, here over 1200m. From barrier rise, he set the pace and went on to win by almost two lengths on the line. Melea Castle has finished second with the five-year-old on both previous rides and is back today, looking to go one better. After her claim, the gelding carries just 52.5kgs, which is a 3.5kg drop on his last run. Three runs into this preparation, he should be at his peak now and will take a ton of beating today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 9:  No.4  MILO MAN  ($2.60 with bet365)

Former NSW galloper MILO MAN settled in very quickly to his new environment and coming off back-to-back victories here, looks in-line for the hat-trick today. Previously with the Dwayne Schmidt stables at Grafton, the Moshe gelding made his debut for new trainer Nick Walsh (Rockhampton) last start where he looked right at home, taking out a BM0-55 Hcp over 1200m on his new home track with Ryan Wiggins aboard. He put two lengths on the 12-strong field that day, running a new personal best, covering the trip, 4.2 lengths slower than benchmark, the best last-start effort in this line-up. He also posted the fastest final 600m, 400m and 200m sectionals for the race. Prior to that, he won his final start for the Schmidt stables, winning an 1100m Maiden on a heavy track at Armidale. This contest is a little harder and he has drawn wide but his early gate speed has him mapped to cross and settle in the first half-dozen. Wiggins backs-up with him here and in his current form, his first look at the Mackay track today could very well be a winning one.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 5:  No.2  XANTHUS  ($3.90 with Neds)

Jared Wehlow saddles-up XANTHUS here who is unbeaten in two starts this time in and looks well-placed here for the hat-trick. Last start, the Better Than Ready gelding proved too good for them in a BM70 Hcp on his home track at Rockhampton. He crossed the line 1.5 lengths ahead of the field and covered the trip, 1.8 lengths slower than benchmark, still the best in this field. Ash Butler has been aboard for both victories this preparation and is in charge again today. Two starts back, the six-year-old put four lengths on his rivals, here in a BM70 so he has winning form at the track and trip behind him. Even fitter after those two winning efforts, he looks the testing material here.