Townsville Preview & Best Bets – 22/03/2024

Townsville Tips for Friday, March 22

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 4:  No.3  FOCUS

The Albi Molino-trained FOCUS strips the fittest of the more fancied runners here and being a home-track specialist, he looks the most likely to cross the line ahead of the rest today. Last start, the Smart Missile gelding had a change of luck when he beat home Open company gallopers, here over 1000m. A pull in the weights that day would no doubt have contributed to the win. Today he drops back in grade and has the outside gate to contend with but welcomes back local rider Frank Edwards (recently returning from injury) who has saluted with the six-year-old on three previous occasions. More The Merrier is expected to set a cracking pace early, so backmarkers should have the final say. Now five starts into this preparation, his fitness should be telling today and he looks a serious player in this contest.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.6  MYSTERY ‘N’ MAGIC

The Roy Chillemi-trained MYSTERY ‘N’ MAGIC has had a habit of ‘ducking’ us and hopefully, third-up today, we can finally catch him. Last start, the Rothesay gelding was second-up when he finished third again, this time in Open company, here over the 1400m trip. He meets similar company today over the same trip but will strip even fitter here. ‘Lethal’ Lacey Morrison has her third attempt at winning on him today and from gate six, will most likely drop out at the start. He has finished on the podium at Cluden Park on 15 occasions, winning four those. Today, we are running with him again and with a touch of luck in the run home, he can get the job done for us (finally).

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 3:  No.7  SPECIALTIE  

The Georgie Bourke-trained SPECIALTIE had his first start for the stable and showed promising signs of things to come. Fresh off a seven-week freshen-up, the Frosted gelding jumped rom the outside gate (10) and crossed to eventually lead on settling under visiting rider, Samantha Collett. Ridden a treat by Collett up front, she stole a break on straightening and looked home for all money, but stopped to a walk over the final 100m and had to settle for third prize on the line. With one run on the Cluden Park track under his belt, he should feel more at home today. Brisbane ace, Ryan Wiggins has the reins today as the three-year-old steps-up to the mile trip here. He draws well in gate three and may take a sit over the longer trip. All things going well, his second run on the track just might be a winning one today.