Ballarat Preview & Best Bets - Thursday October 20
Moonee Valley Preview & Best Bets – Friday October 21
Our form expert provides Moonee Valley tips for today’s horse racing at Moonee Valley Racecourse and gives his best bets.
Moonee Valley Tips 21/10/2022
BEST BET 🏆
Race 4 No. 3 GREAT BARRIER REEF- ($3.40)
Not sure which way connections will go with GREAT BARRIER REEF, who has also been accepted for the Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) on Saturday. Should they go for the Friday night, he should be very hard to beat. The Chris Waller-trained galloper comes out of the right race, having run 5th behind Giga Kick in the Danehill Stakes (1100m). He was held up at a crucial stage in that affair before producing the second fastest last 200m, running home quicker than the eventual Everest (1200m) winner. Barrier 1 can be tricky at the Valley but he gets the steer from James McDonald, while he has attracted early support in the betting.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 7 No. 10 BELLA NIPOTINA- ($6.60)
I just love the consistency that BELLA NIPOTINA brings to the table every time she steps out and the Maher/Eustace mare should be hard to beat in the feature of the night, the Manikato Stakes. The five-year-old just went down to Coolangatta in the Moir Stakes (1000m) last time but is proven at Moonee Valley over the 1200m with three runner-up performances from three starts, producing excellent figures in the process. She was luckless when runner-up in this race last year. The possibility of a Soft to Heavy track is no concern at all and she will be partnered by Craig Williams, who is fresh off an Everest win aboard Giga Kick.
BEST VALUE 💰(EACH-WAY)
Race 2 No. 5 IMPERIAL LAD- ($10)
Best Value comes up early on the Moonee Valley programme and it is IMPERIAL LAD that can go close at the each-way quote. The six-year-old comes in with two runs under his belt and battled on resumption over the 1300m in the Testa Rossa Stakes before finishing 5th behind Cardinal Gem in the Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m). Third up last time he had excuses when posted wide at Caulfield before winning his next start, while at his campaign prior he was a big improver at this stage on benchmark figures. At his only run at the track and trip he set a personal best by going 11.3 lengths faster than standard when winning at this meeting a year ago. He is a likely leader here, which is a bonus, while he will be ridden by Damian Lane who strikes at 23% for the stable, providing an 89% profit on turnover.
