Townsville Preview & Best Bets – Thursday March 9

Townsville Tips 09/03/2023

Our form expert provides Townsville tips for today’s horse racing at the Cluden Park Racecourse and gives his best bets.

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.2  BONES  ($2.20 with Palmerbet)

Locally-trained by Georgie Holt, BONES is now three starts into this preparation and with conditions to suit, he looks the one to beat in this contest. Last start, the Eurozone gelding lined-up a $41 chance and ended up defying those odds as he beat all but one home in a BM60, here over a 1000m. Badly drawn in gate 10 (of 11) that day, he was ridden a treat by Jackson Murphy (who was having his first ride on the six-year-old), he settled back in the field and made up a ton of ground to grab the silver medal that day. Drawn far better here, he maps to still settle back in the field but should enjoy a better run, saving ground nearer the fence. Murphy sticks with him today and the Soft 6 conditions look ideal as the galloper’s three career wins have all come on rain affected tracks. With a clear run to the line, he looks hard to hold out here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 3:  No.4  ZOUVILLA  ($6.50 with TAB)

The Jo Hassett-trained ZOUVILLA is second-up today and looks a genuine contender here in the small field. Last start, the Zoustar gelding was fresh off a six-month absence when he finished strongly to grab third prize in Open company over 1300m at Cairns. He ran his last 600m, half a length quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort here with Graham Kliese in the saddle. He is back on soil today and up to the 1400m where he is two-time winner on the Cluden Park track. Fitter today, Kliese sticks with him and he has strong claims to take out this contest.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 8:  No.9  DAWN STRIKE  ($14 with Ladbrokes)

Jo Hassett saddles-up DAWN STRIKE here who has improved with every start this time in and looks a solid winning chance at generous odds today. Last start, the Dawn Approach gelding made it consecutive podium finishes when he took home second prize in a Class 6 Hcp, here over the 1400m trip. He ran that out, 4.8 lengths slower than benchmark, still more than 6 lengths quicker than his rivals in this line-up. Pietro Romeo has his first ride on the five-year-old today and nicely drawn in gate five, he maps to settle in the first half-dozen. He doesn’t win too often but has enough credentials here to be considered a solid each-way chance today.