Sunshine Coast Preview & Best Bets – 20/08/2023

Sunshine Coast Tips for Sunday, August 20

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 4:  No.6  EXTESSIVE  ($5 with bet365)

The Kris Lees-trained EXTESSIVE is on a roll and looks poised to bring up the hat-trick today. Last start, the Exceed And Excel mare came off a BM58 win at Scone when she stepped-up to Class 2 company in the city and won that as well. With Andrew Mallyon aboard that day, she took control on straightening, and held them at bay to take out the 1350m event at Doomben. Up to Class 3 company here, she is ideally drawn in gate two as Mallyon sticks with her for this assignment. Already a two-time winner at the trip, she looks the testing material today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6:  No.12  DECEMBER DIAMOND  ($6.50 with bet365)

The locally-trained DECEMBER DIAMOND is third-up today and ticks enough boxes here to make things interesting in this contest. Last start, the All Too Hard mare showed plenty of improvement when she finished fourth in a BM65 Hcp, here over 1400m. She struck trouble in running but still showed plenty of fight when coming from behind and turning heads in the process. Already a winner when third-up, she also boasts two wins and three minor money finishes from her nine starts here and after early scratchings, fares well at the gates. Mark Du Plessis jumps aboard for the first time and fitter for two runs back, she looks ready to tackle the mile here today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 2:  No.2  NEVER SAY NAY  ($15.20 with BoomBet)

Ipswich galloper NEVER SAY NAY is in top-shelf form since resuming and looks a prime contender here at odds. Last start, the No Nay Never gelding was second-up when he finished too strong for them in a BM70 Hcp over 1000m at Toowoomba, claiming a half-length victory on the line. Adin Thompson was aboard that day and sticks with him for this assignment. Already a winner when third-up and boasting four wins and two minor placings from seven starts at the distance, from gate three today, he looks over the odds here and is well worth an each-way ticket here.