Pakenham Preview & Best Bets – Thursday January 19
Our form expert provides Pakenham tips for today’s horse racing at Pakenham Racecourse and gives his best bets.
Pakenham Tips 19/1/2023
BEST BET 🏆
Race 1 No. 8 SHARK ISLAND – ($3.80)
Liked the way SHARK ISLAND worked home at Stony Creek over the 1700m on December 27 to finish runner-up behind Abrupt and the promising type from the Grahame Begg stable can go one spot better as he stretches out over the 2000m. The son of Ocean Park was an improver at what was just his third career start, overcoming trouble early in the straight to produce the fastest last 200m to go 2.7 lengths slower than standard benchmark, which is the best last start figure of any runner. A firmer in the early betting, the son of Redwood can go on with the job.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 6 No. 2 DISTORTED MISSION – ($6)
DISTORTED MISSION can break the maiden in Race 6. The Simon Zahra gelding has finished runner-up in two of four career starts and was posted three and four wide without cover when resuming at Cranbourne over the 1200m before narrowly missing behind Mighty Sapphire. The three-year-old went 2.8 lengths slower than standard benchmark, which is the second best last start figure of any runner in this race. Improvement to come second up and Damien Thornton just needs to find a spot from barrier 11.
BEST VALUE 💰(EACH-WAY)
Race 5 No. 1 BLACK BOLT- ($11)
BLACK BOLT should improve off a first up effort that saw him finish 6th at Warrnambool on New Years Eve over the 1200m. On that occasion, the Maher/Eustace galloper led and only just faded in the last 100m before being swamped, finishing two lengths off them. He has been a big improver on benchmark figures at his past two preparations and was a winner at Sandown when second up last time. The son of Savabeel is the likely leader here and not too much pressure around him. Expect him to be in it for a long way.
