Townsville Preview & Best Bets – 20/02/2024

Townsville Tips for Tuesday, February 20

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 1:  No.3  THAT’S IT

Atherton trainer, Roy Chillemi has found another two-year-old who shows plenty of promise as he saddles-up THAT’S IT here and with conditions to suit, he looks the one to beat. Last start, the smart missile youngster went one better than his debut performance when he clobbered his rivals in a Two-Year-Old Maiden, here over the 1000m trip. With ‘lethal’ Lacey Morrison aboard, she had him box-seating to the turn, then he came off the fence and took control, going on to win by 1.5 lengths on the line. Unbackable that day, he won like all $1.07 favourites should. There are some talented gallopers here so the bagmen are offering much better odds today. Jason Taylor returns to steer the ship today after piloting the gelding in his debut run. He gets the gun-run from gate one and out of the 1000m chute again, he should prove hard to hold out.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 4:  No.2  TIOGA PASS

The proven combination of Georgie Holt and Ryan Wiggins looks set to cause this field some concern here as TIOGA PASS takes his place in this contest, still in search of his first win this preparation. The Sooboog gelding transferred across from the Jared Wehlow stable to the Holt camp two starts back and the four-year-old has shown improvement since arriving. Last start, he beat all but one home in a Class 3 over 1200m with Nathan Thomas aboard. Today, Ryan Wiggins stops by (on his way home from yesterday’s Cairns meeting) to take the reins and from gate six, maps to settle better than mid-field with cover. Boasting a 25% success rate with the Holt stable, Wiggins is an added asset to the galloper’s chances here and now five starts into this campaign, he can get the job done today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 7:  No.6  FRESH PRINCE

The Jared Wehlow-trained FRESH PRINCE is in career-best form this preparation and looks well placed here to make some noise. Last start, the well-bred Starspangledbanner gelding made it four podium finishes from his five starts this time in when he finished best to beat home Open company over the 1400m trip. With Adam Sewell aboard for the first time, he stalked the leader to the turn, then soon after, took control and saw off the late challenge by Battle Cry and hung on for a well deserved win. He still carries 4kgs less than Battle Cry here and with similar racing tactics applied today, he can frank that last win and go back-to-back here. Already a track and distance winner and with Sewell remaining aboard today, he looks set for another win.