Wellington Preview & Best Bets - Friday March 24
Townsville Preview & Best Bets – Friday March 24
Townsville Tips 24/03/2023
Our form expert provides Townsville tips for today’s horse racing at Townsville Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 6: No.6 CAT IN THE RAINE ($2.80 with Palmerbet)
Home Hill trainer Darby Amos has two runners engaged here as we run with CAT IN THE RAINE who looks the more likely to succeed today. Last start, the Hemmingway mare saw Lacey Morrison return to the saddle for just her second ride on the galloper and steered her home to collect third prize in a Class 3 Hcp, here over 1400m. She ran that trip out, 6.8 lengths slower than benchmark, still the best in this line-up by 6 lengths. ‘Lethal’ Lacey remains aboard for today’s assignment and gets the favours from gate two where the five-year-old maps to be box-seating on settling. With a trouble-free run here, she looks the one to beat.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 3: No.3 KING’S HALO ($4.80 with Palmerbet)
Formerly trained by Natalie McCall on the Sunshine Coast, King’s Halo now resides in the Steve Massingham stables in Cairns and after one run for his new trainer, he looks set to make his mark at Cluden Park today. Last start, the Better Than Ready gelding cut his teeth on his new home track in Cairns where he finished a creditable fourth (of 11) in a 940m Maiden. He drew wide that day (8 of 11) and was caught deep most of the way. He closed off well, beaten just two lengths on the line. He ran that trip out, 9.7 lengths slower than benchmark, still the best last-start effort here by more than 4 lengths. Fitter for that run, he draws well today in gate five and looks every chance of breaking through here.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 5: No.6 LIGHT FIELD ($12 with Ladbrokes)
Local galloper LIGHT FIELD is three starts into this preparation and looks a good chance of causing an upset here today. Last start, the Deep Field gelding found the podium for the second time this campaign when he took home third prize behind the Roy Chillemi-trained Mystery ‘N’ Magic in a Class 6 Hcp over 1400m. He ran a new personal best that day, covering the trip 5.6 lengths slower than benchmark, the second-best here behind Magnetic Drive. Fitter for those three runs back, he is in pride of place on the Cluden Park track where all three career wins have come and Scotty Sheargold was aboard on each occasion (having ridden the six-year-old 23 times previously). A small field of six face the starter today and this will be a race of tactics. He looks a solid chance here at (currently) double-figure odds.
