Scone Preview April 17 – Monday Best Bets & Tips

Steve Bennett

in Bets of the Day 17 Apr 2023

Scone Tips 17/04/2023

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 7: No.11 KEEN CONTRIBUTOR ($6.50 with Bet Right)

Scott Singleton saddles-up another stable resident here with KEEN CONTRIBUTOR resuming today and even on fresh legs, looks a genuine contender in this contest. Last start, the Contributor mare was first-up off a 14-week spell and showing no signs of fatigue, easily accounted for a BM58 Hcp, here over 1300m. She put 1.5 lengths on them that day as she ran the trip out, 1 length quicker than benchmark, the best in this field by 8.5 lengths. Today, she is fresh off an eight-month absence but has the benefit of a recent trial on this track, preparing her for this assignment. In from $9.50 overnight, Jeff Penza has his first ride in the mare today where she is a two-time winner at the track. Already a winner when first-up as well, watch for a big finish from the five-year-old here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 1: No.2 EPIC TIME ($9 with Palmerbet)

Locally-trained by Scott Singleton, EPIC TIME is second-up today and looks more than capable of stealing the show in this contest. Last start, the Time For War gelding resumed off a lengthy 10-month absence and wasn’t disgraced when finishing third in a Class 2 Hcp over 1000m at Muswellbrook. He came from last on the turn to grab that podium finish and in the process, ran his last 600m, 4 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort here. Mitchell Bell sticks with him as he gets the gun-run from gate one today. He still maps to settle back in the field but fitter now, he will be finishing off a lot stronger today. Already a winner when second-up, he looks a solid winning chance today at odds.

BEST VALUE 💰

Race 8: No.3 THE WAYFARER ($19 with bet365)

To the last of the day and we have one here for the value hunters with local galloper THE WAYFARER who is second-up and looks in the mix at double-figure odds. Last start, the Headwater gelding was fresh off a six-month break when he finished mid-field in a BM66 Hcp over 900m at Wellington. No stats are available for that run as he had his first run for new trainer Jeremy Gask, after transferring from the Rod Northam stables. Grant Buckley sticks with him here where he has made the podium in all three starts at the Scone track. Gask removes the blinkers today and from gate four, the five-year-old maps to settle right behind the speed. Already a three-time winner at the trip and placed twice in four previous second-up starts, he lines-up here as exceptional value and is well worth an each-way ticket today.