Rockhampton Preview & Best Bets – 09/01/2024

Rockhampton Tips for Tuesday, January 9

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2:  No.2  JUST SUPER  ($1.75 with bet365)

Locally-trained by Nick Walsh, JUST SUPER is a true track specialist and now that he is ‘in the zone’, he looks the best of the day. Last start, the Super One gelding returned to the Walsh stable after a short (four-start) stint with the O’Dea & Hoysted camp in Brisbane and on his first start back, clobbered a Class 6 field, here over the 1050m sprint. With Ryan Wiggins back aboard (for his fourth ride on the galloper), he box-seated most of the way until the gap came at the 200m mark when Wiggins said go, and away he went, winning by more than a length, eased over the line. This contest is slightly easier as he carries 60.5kgs for the contest. He draws well in gate four and again, maps to box-seat on settling. Already a three-time winner at the track and distance, he will have to do a lot wrong here to miss out on the winner’s cheque today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6:  No.5  OBLIQUITY  ($3 with bet365)

Justin Stanley can end the day a winner as he pilot’s the Clinton Taylor-trained OBLIQUITY in this contest. Last start, the Star Turn gelding bounced back from an unplaced effort in BM55 company when he beat all but one home in a Class 1 Hcp, here over 1200m. They ran 1:11 on a Soft 7 that day which isn’t loafing. With Justing Stanley at the helm, he found the front (eventually) and in the run home, was caught in a two-horse war Chill out Miss who won the battle right on the line, with a 3kg pull in the weights. He draws wide today (in gate 10 of 13) which could see Stanley settle back with cover. Fourth-up today, he will be rock-hard fit and already a winner here over the trip, he can notch-up another win here.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 5:  No.3  CANNY BE BETTER  ($4.60 with Ladbrokes)

The locally-trained CANNY BE BETTER has been bridesmaid at his past three starts and will be out to go one better today. Last start, the Better Than Ready gelding made it a hat-trick of runner-up finishes when he beat all but one home (again) in a BM65 Hcp, here over 1300m. With Justin Stanley aboard, he box-seated to the turn but then had nowhere to go and only seeing daylight in the final 200m, had to settle for the minor again, despite finishing strongly. He draws wide today in barrier eight which could be a blessing in disguise as he will avoid being barrelled-up on the fence. Stanley sticks with him today and will be out to end the run of minor placings as the galloper’s resume shows five starts here with four podium finishes but no gold medals to show for it. Given a clear run home today, he can get the job done.