Orange Preview & Best Bets – 24/03/2024

Orange Tips for Sunday, March 24

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 3:  No.9  SHALMUM  

The Bjorn Baker-trained SHALMUM has done everything but win in her four career starts and today gets another chance to shake the monkey and bring up that first illusive win. Last start, the Shalaa filly was fresh off a 21-week spell when she beat home all but one in a 1000m Maiden at Goulburn. She will strip fitter for that run and has Ash Morgan as the new pilot for this assignment. The well-bred filly shows plenty of promise and with a trouble-free run here, she can break through today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 4:  No.9  SNOWDROP

The Krissie Simpkins-trained SNOWDROP has come back in fine form and third-up today looks a touch ‘overs’ with the bagmen and is more than capable of taking this out. Last start, the well-bred Capitalist mare could be considered unlucky not to be awarded the major prize when finishing second in a BM50 over 1005m at Tuncurry. The (eventual) winner, Pee Dee laid in badly on the mare inside the final 200m, forcing Billy Cray to stop riding her, then after re-balancing, came again to finish second, beaten just over a length on the line. It could be argued she was unlucky to lose the protest fired in by Cray. Already a winner when third up, the five-year-old gets her chance to seek compensation here where she draws ideally in gate two and maps to settle better than mid-field with cover. Cray sticks with her today and with a little more luck than last start, she looks a worthy each-way investment in this contest.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 6:  No.2  LAWYER’S DELIGHT 

Trained at Goulburn by Danielle Seib, LAWYER’S DELIGHT is second-up today and ticks enough boxes to get interested in his chances of winning this contest. Last start, the Dundeel gelding was fresh off a four-month absence when he finished mid-field in a Class 2 Hcp over 1400m at Wagga. His race was run at barrier rise where he drew gate 11 of 12 and missed the jump by a length, settling last, a dozen lengths from the speed and basically out of contention. He did manage to make up some ground but wasn’t ridden hard in the run home. Drawn much better today in gate six, he also welcomes Ash Morgan as the new pilot for this assignment. Three previous second-up appearances have resulted in a win and two runner-up finishes and he also boasts five podium finishes from six starts at the 1400m trip. There’s plenty to like here and he looks well worth an each-way ticket today.