Penola Preview & Best Bets – Thursday 11 January

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

Penola Tips 11/01/2024

BEST BET 🏆   

Race 1 No. 10 MORLAIX – ($5)

Murray Bridge horseman Stuart Padman brings one horse up to Penola Racecourse on Thursday. The stable have their team up and about at the moment and have placed MORLAIX to advantage in a country maiden over 1100 metres. The horse began sharply under Maggie Collett last start at Oakbank. Collet had Morlaix travelling in a good rhythm behind the speed as the field charged downhill prior to turning. Morlaix was inclined to run about under the whip as Collett placed him under pressure into the straight. The pair were no match for Skinder who was well backed to race past them and score. Morlaix showed good improvement from his debut run to finish a clear second. He also showed that he can handle the similar tight up and downhill turns as to what he’ll be racing on at Penola.

NEXT BEST 🥈   

Race 8 No. 2 THRILL KILL – ($5)

The overall winning strike rate of THRILL KILL is something of a concern, particularly as his last win was some eighteen months ago. Thrill Kill is racing well and does deserve a change of luck here at Penola. Peter Hardacre has sent him around three times here with Thrill Kill finishing second on each occasion with a combined beaten margin of 0.6 lengths. He’ll be fitter for four runs back where he’s been knocking on the door in each of those starts in town. We’d expect that Callan Murray will be able to have Thrill Kill in a prominent position throughout from an ideal draw, and it’s good to see the horse get out to backable odds in country grade for a change.

BEST VALUE 💰   

Race 5 No. 4 JOHNNY CIGAR – ($6)

Luke Williams gets aboard JOHNNY CIGAR for Naracoorte trainer Sue Murphy. Johnny Cigar ran well second-up in a strong BM56 at Bordertown over 1550 metres. Dom Tourneur had him settled around midfield the fence before looking some hope into the straight. Johnny Cigar probably struggled to finish it off a bit while lumping the 60 kilos second-up. Instead, he only just whacked away between horses inside that last furlong. Showed plenty at his next start when racing back in trip on his home track over 1430 metres under Kate Walters. Walters may have overdone it a touch when jagging him back to a conspicuous last shortly after jumping. Johnny Cigar made up many lengths into the straight to catch the eye against the benchmark 66 field. Comes back to the right grade now and looks a major player as he gets out to a trip.