Mudgee Preview & Best Bets – Sunday April 2

Steve Bennett

in Bets of the Day 2 Apr 2023

Mudgee Tips 02/04/2023

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2: No.3 MUSCIAL AFFAIR ($2.50 with TAB)

The locally-trained MUSICAL AFFAIR is in sensational form this preparation and looks the stand-out galloper in this contest. Last start, the Your Song filly made it back-to-back wins when she clobbered a BM58 field over 1500m at Muswellbrook. Crossing to lead on settling, Clay Gallagher had her dictating the race and she simply gave nothing else a chance, going on to win by almost two lengths on the line. This is a little harder today but she has Gallagher sticking with her and he is two from two on board the filly. Winning form is good form and it will taker a smart one here to give her a start and a beating today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6: No.6 OSMAN ($5 with Ladbrokes)

Local galloper OSMAN is first-up here and after a recent trial, can make an impression on this field today. Last preparation, the American Pharoah gelding had just the two starts, ending it on the Beaumont track at Newcastle, finishing last (of six) in a Class 3 Hcp on a Heavy 9 that day. Conditions clearly didn’t suit, leading the stable to put him out for the past eight weeks. Ironically, he still ran his last 600m, 5.8 lengths quicker than benchmark that day, more than 6y lengths better than his opposition here. He trialled at Muswellbrook three weeks ago where he beat his eight rivals to the line. Clay Gallagher has the job today, having already partnered him to victory previously. He jumps from gate four and maps to settle in the first half-dozen and with a trouble-free run, he can give this a real shake.

BEST VALUE 💰

Race 1: No.3 CHERRY BLUE ($14 with Palmerbet)

The Clint Lundholm-trained CHERRY BLUE has found her mojo of late and looks a little ‘overs’ in this contest. Last start, the Fastnet Rock gelding finally shook the Maiden monkey and broke through for his first win in a Maiden Plate over the mile at Orange. With Anthony Cavallo aboard, he locked in the fastest final 600m and 400m sectionals on his way to the line that day. He steps-up to the 2000m today and has Cavallo with him again where his past four rides have all resulted in top-three finishes. He does no work early from gate two and looks well worth an each-way ticket here.