Rockhampton Preview & Best Bets – 18/04/2024

Rockhampton Tips for Thursday, April 18

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 4:  No.5  DEVIL KICK

Locally-trained by Kerrod Smyth, DEVIL KICK is high-flying lately and looks a super chance at bringing up the hat-trick today. Last start, the Scissor Kick mare faced her first heavy track and looked at home on the surface when she took out a BM65, here over 1600m. That made it two wins on the trot for her with Yvette Lewis on board for both events. Today, Jake Bayliss steers the ship for the first time as the four-year-old steps up to her first crack at Open company. With just the five runners to face the starts, settling positions are all but irrelevant. She has won six of her seven career races on her home track and will take a ton of beating today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.5  DOLLAR DOLLAR 

The Jamie McConachy-trained DOLLAR DOLLAR is in career-best form of late and in the small field today, looks set to bring up win number three for this preparation. Last start, the Belardo gelding came off a good win, here over 1300m when he beat all but one to the line in a BM70, also on this track on a Heavy 8 that day. He sticks to his home track here where he faces similar company today where he welcomes back Ryan Wiggins who has steered him to victory twice previously. In his usual role, he maps to settle behind the speed and will be doing his best work in the latter stages of the race. Unbeaten in three starts at the track and distance, he can take it four today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 9:  No.4  TRACK TALE

Local trainer, Ricky Vale saddles-up TRACK TALE here who is a home-track specialist and second-up today, looks the one they have to beat in this contest. Last start, the Whittington filly resumed off a 13-week spell and was only beaten by a lack of condition when she finished third in a BM70 over 1200m at Mackay. With Les Tilley aboard, she took over on straightening, but was run down late by two swoopers near the line. Tilley sticks with her today where she is already a winner when second-up and boasts three wins and as many runner-up finishes from six starts on the Callaghan Park circuit. She draws wide today but her early gate speed has her settling in the first half-dozen. A trouble-free run here sees her right there at the finish.