Wagga Preview & Best Bets – 12/12/2023

Wagga Tips for Tuesday, December 12

Our form expert provides Wagga tips for today’s horse racing on the Riverside Racecourse and gives his best bets.

BEST BET 🏆

Race 3:  No.8  SALUTE AGAIN  ($2.70 with Palmerbet)

Local galloper, SALUTE AGAIN, resumes after 22 weeks in the paddock and coming in well at the weights here, looks a strong winning chance in this contest. Last start, the Starspangledbanner gelding ended a short three-start campaign by finishing fifth in a Class 3 Hwy Hcp over 1400m at Randwick. That came after winning a Class 2 Hwy Hcp at the same track in a 14-strong field. He won a recent trial at Gundagai and lines-up here seeing the Riverside track for the first time. Danny Beasley steered him to that victory two starts back and has the reins again today. Already a winner when first-up, he draws well in gate five and should be running on at the finish.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.7  FIFTY CARATS  ($6.50 with bet365)

Goulburn galloper, FIFTY CARATS, ticks some important boxes here and third-up today looks right in the mix for a podium finish today. Last start, the All American mare did well to hold down fifth place in a BM58 over 1000m at Albury. She was trapped three-wide without cover for most of the race and still fought on bravely to be beaten just over two lengths on the line. Already a winner when third-up, both career wins to date have come on wet tracks so conditions today look ideal. From gate five, she maps to settle mid-field and with clear passage to the line, she could prove hard to hold out here.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 4:  No.2  PHOTO MAN  ($5.80 with BoomBet)

The Gary Colvin-trained PHOTO MAN has proven to be a very reliable galloper in his six-career starts to date and looks a real chance of back-to-back wins here. Last start, he reaped the rewards of consistent efforts when he broke through for his maiden win, here over the 1675m trip, on a Soft 6 that day. Ridden a treat by Holly Durnan, the Denman gelding sat behind the pace before taking over and going on to win by 2.5 lengths in the end. He steps-up in grade here but drops 2.5kgs as well. Durnan sticks with him here and with a trouble-free run, he can go back-to-back today.