Flemington Preview & Best Bets - Saturday February 18
Rosehill Preview & Best Bets – Saturday February 18
Rosehill Tips 18/02/2023
Our form expert provides Rosehill tips for Saturday’s horse racing at Rosehill Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 6: No.2 MARIAMIA ($1.90 with Ladbrokes)
The Joe Pride-trained MARIAMIA is unbeaten in three starts on this track and looks every chance of bringing up the hat-trick here. Last start, the Toronado mare was second-up when she lined-up for a tilt at the Group 2 Expressway Stakes, here over 1200m. Tim Clark timed his run to perfection as he took over inside the final 200m where the mare sprinted away and put almost three lengths on them across the line. She ran the trip out, 10.7 lengths quicker than benchmark, setting a new personal best and the best in this field. She also posted the fastest final 400m and 200m sectionals for the race. Stepping up to the 1300m should be a breeze for her here and already a winner at Group 2 level, she will take a ton of beating in this contest.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 10: No.6 MIDWEST ($2.90 with Neds)
Team Freedman saddle-up MIDWEST here and with three starts into this campaign, the ever-consistent galloper looks the testing material in this lucky last of the day. Last start, the Zoustar gelding made it three-straight podium finishes when he beat all but one home in a BM88 Hcp, here over 1100m. He looked home but was nosed-out right on the line by a swooper. Stabled in Victoria, that was his first look at the Rosehill track and here, he jumps from gate three for his second Rosehill appearance and has Tim Clark in the saddle for this assignment. He has proven to be a most consistent galloper with 14 career-starts to date resulting in six wins and as many minor placings. He was a fourth-up winner last preparation and looks poised for a déjà vu effort here.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 3: No.3 THE POACHER ($21 with Palmerbet)
Brad Widdup saddles-up THE POACHER here who ticks most boxes and comes in at very generous odds for this contest. Last start, the No Nay Never gelding ended his last campaign with a win in a BM78 Hcp over 1200m at Warwick Farm. Ridden a treat by Hugh Bowman, he box-seated til the run came and once clear (200m mark), Bowman drove him home to grab victory on the line. That made it four wins from seven starts for the four-year-old. He was then spelled and since returning to work, has had two trials, winning one of them. His first-up record is top class with three fresh-leg runs resulting in two wins and a runner-up finish. He gets the gun-run from gate one with Jason Collett in charge and looks the best each-way ticket of the day.
