Sapphire Coast Preview & Best Bets – 05/04/2024

Sapphire Coast Tips for Friday, April 5

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2:  No.3  DREAMING OF VEGAS

The Rob Potter-trained DREAMING OF VEGAS has found the podium in all six career starts to date and second-up here, looks well placed to keep that trend going today. Last start, the Dream Ahead gelding was fresh off a lengthy 34-week absence when he beat all but one home in a BM64 over 1000m at Wyong. He looked home at the 100m mark but was grabbed near the line and had to settle for the silver medal that day. The winkers come off today with Jack Martin as the new pilot for this assignment. Already a two-time winner at the track and distance, in the small field here, he looks a big chance of taking home the bacon today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 8:  No.5  STURN WORDS

The Canberra-based galloper, STURN WORDS is second-up today and having just his fourth race-start but looks ideally placed here to bring up his second career win in this contest. Last start, the Star Turn gelding came off 18 weeks in the paddock when he finished fourth in a Class 1 Hcp over 1300m at Goulburn. He travelled well in the race but was found wanting over the final 100m as his condition gave out. He drops back to the 1208m today where he is already a winner and is joined by the 2kg claiming apprentice, Coriah Keating for the first time. He gets the gun-run from gate one where he maps to settle just behind the speed. He sees the track for the first time but fitter for that first-up run, he looks a serious chance at taking this out.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 6:  No.7  DIRECT FIRE

The Theresa Bateup-trained DIRECT FIRE found his mojo recently and looks well placed to bounce back from his last start failure. The Dracarys gelding came off a BM65 win at Canberra when he took on a strong BM74 contest over 1400m and after a hard run up front, weakened out of it to finish mid-field in the end. Kaylas Nisbet has been aboard four times to date, and that was her first unplaced finish on the three-year-old. Down in grade today, he is already a winner at the track and from gate four, maps to be near the speed on settling. With a trouble-free run, he looks a definite threat to this field.