Townsville Preview & Best Bets – 15/03/2024

Townsville Tips for Friday, March 15

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

ANCHOR BET ⚓

Race 5:  No.1  DEMON AWARD

Another from the Gordy stable is DEMON AWARD who is hasn’t missed a top-two finish at his six starts in the north and looks the best of the day. Last start, the Shamus Award gelding bounced back from a shock loss (as a $1.30 favourite) to take out an Open event, here over 1400m. He drops back in grade today and accordingly has more weight to carry as Carl Spry is legged aboard for the first time. Formerly a Team Corstens stable resident in Victoria, he has adapted well to the tropical atmosphere in the north and is currently one of the best sprinters running around the Nth Qld tracks, boasting three wins and a runner-up finish from his four starts on the Cluden Park track. Only bad luck will surely be his downfall here and he does look the best choice as an anchor for your multibets today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.9  CHILLI JAM

If we fall down on Demon Award, we can recoup our losses here with the Tony Comerford-trained CHILL JAM who is clearly the second-best investment of the day. She is two from two since arriving at the Comerford camp and last start, completely destroyed her rivals in a BM55, here over the 1000m sprint. Finding the lead on settling, she slowed them up and was left alone in front. Turning for home, she snuck away from the 12-strong field and inside the final 200m, it was all over red rover as she crossed the line 5.5 lengths clear in the end. She is stepping up sharply in grade today but is in career-best form and this contest looks very winnable in the form she is in at the moment. The experienced Graham Kliese is the new pilot today and from gate seven, maps to be in pride of place (in front) on settling. The four-year-old can only strip fitter for those first two runs back and looks the one to beat here again.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 4:  No.4  MONASTERY

Locally-trained by Les Gordy, MONASTERY has finished a bridesmaid at his first two starts back this time in and ticks enough boxes here to suggest he can go one better today. Last start, the well-bred So You Think gelding was second-up off a lengthy 22-week absence when he beat all but one home (again) in a BM58, here over the 1609m trip. He settled near the speed that day and on straightening, took the lead but was unable to hold off the challenge from Pluckercarn, having to settle for second prize in the end. Carl Spry returns for his second ride on the four-year-old and already a winner when third-up, and a winner at the track, he looks right in the mix today.