Hawkesbury Preview & Best Bets - Thursday August 18
Rockhampton Preview & Best Bets – Thursday August 18
Rockhampton Tips 18/08/2022
Our form expert provides Rockhampton tips for today’s horse racing at Rockhampton Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 4 : No. 2 TRU BLU TANGO ($2.60 with bet365)
The Ricky Vale-trained TRU BLU TANGO is proving costly to punters this time in but ideally-placed today to make amends for his unlucky efforts this preparation. Last start, the Top Echelon gelding drew wide (11 of 12) at Townsville and while he appeared to have every chance, the extra ground he covered that day certainly played a part as he finished third in the Lightning (Open Class) over the 1000m sprint. (With such a short run to the turn from the 1000m chute, its hard to play a role when drawing that wide). He still managed to run the last 600m, 3.6 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best by more than 3 lengths in this field. Drawn the fence today, he gets the gun-run and already a four-time winner at the track and trip, he should prove too good for these here.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 8 : No. 11 MACHINATE ($5.50 with bet365)
The Clinton Taylor-trained MACHINATE has just his second start on his new home track (since joining the stable from Victorian based Leon Corstens) and with a little luck in running, he looks a better than average chance of going back-to-back today. Last start, the All Too Hard mare made light work of a BM70 Hcp at Mackay when she put more than a length on them over the 1560m trip. Robbie Fradd was aboard for the first time that day and he rode her a real treat, taking over inside the final 200m and going on with it from there. Today, she has drawn wide and maps to settle near mid-field. If Fradd can have her settled early (with cover), the long 600m home straight will come into play here and she will have ample time to reel in the front runners. Coming in on the limit today with just 54kgs to carry, she definitely lines-up here as a real lightweight chance.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 7 : No. 7 FRAZZLED ($11 with bet365)
The locally-trained FRAZZLED has finally found her mojo and looks well placed here to go on with it today. Last start, the Stryker mare went one better when she finally shook the Maiden monkey off her back, winning the 1300m contest by the barest of margins. Now a six-year-old, her long-awaited success came after 25 race starts just two starts after she changed stables, (now with local trainer Kerrod Smith). She loses the blinkers for this race and maps to settle near mid-field again. This looks no harder and she is well worth an each-way ticket here.
