Townsville Preview July 21 – Friday Best Bets & Tips
Townsville Tips 21/07/2023
Our form expert provides Townsville tips for today’s horse racing at Townsville Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 5: No.4 MOLONGLE SURPRISE ($2.45 with Ladbrokes)
The Ben Williams-trained MOLONGLE SURPRISE is yet to miss a podium finish in his 14 career starts and that doesn’t look like changing here today. Last start, the Bel Esprit gelding was third-up off a 19-week break when he beat all but one home in Open company, here over the 1000m sprint. Williams takes the blinkers off today with regular rider Graham Kliese remaining on board for his tenth ride on the six-year-old. Ten starts on his home track over the trip have resulted in five wins and as many minor placings to date. He gets the gun-run from gate one today and should be showing them the way from barrier rise. At his peak after three runs back, he will take a ton of beating here.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 6: No.3 STATS ($4.20 with Neds)
Trained by Steve Massingham at Cairns, STATS has fared well in his three visits to Cluden Park and in great touch this time in, looks a serious player in this contest. Last start, the Cluster gelding was on a hat-trick when he simply didn’t handle the Heavy 8 surface here when finishing mid-field in a BM65 Hcp over 1400m. Back on top of the ground today, he welcomes back Ryan Wiggins for today’s assignment and well drawn in gate five, maps to settle near mid-field with cover. Already a winner at the track and distance, on a dry track here, we will see a different horse today.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 7: No.4 EMATHION ($6.50 with Ladbrokes)
The Roy Chillemi-trained EMATHION is in great touch this time in and back on top of the ground today looks a solid chance of figuring in the finish here. Last start, the Sebring gelding came off a hat-trick of top-two finishes when he finished mid-field in a Three-Year-Old Hcp, here over 1400m. On a Heavy 8 that day, he didn’t handle the going at all, travelling back in the field and not finishing off in the run home. He drops back to the 1300m today where he is a winner at the trip, winning his maiden here two starts back. ‘Lethal’ Lacey Morrison steered him to that maiden win and sticks with him today. He is expected to settle near mid-field from gate seven and will be storming home late. He looks the ‘value’ runner here.