Wyong Preview & Best Bets – 18/01/2024

Wyong Tips for Thursday, January 18

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 7:  No.5  KATSUMOTO  ($2.20 with BlueBet)

The Michael Freedman-trained KATSUMOTO is yet to taste defeat and having his third start today, he looks well placed to bring up the hat-trick in this contest. Last start, the Unusual Suspect gelding franked his Maiden win on debut with another victory in Class 1 company over 1200m on a Heavy 9 at Kembla Grange. Tommy Berry was aboard for both wins and sticks with him for this assignment. Already looking a potential city grade contender, he maps to settle near the speed again in this event and another forward showing is on the cards. He looks the one to beat.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.7  COSTA SMERALDA  ($3.60 with Palmerbet)

The Maher & Eustace-trained COSTA SMERALDA is second-up today and on familiar ground, looks well placed to figure here. Last start, the Exceed And Excel filly resumed off a 12-week break when she finish on the placegetter’s heels, here in a Class 1 over 1000m. Fitter for that run, she steps up to a more suitable distance today and has a new pilot with Chad Schofield taking the reins for the first time. From gate six, she maps to settle near the speed and with a trouble-free run here, she can bring up win number two today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 6:  No.3  LADY BOSS  ($4 with Ladbrokes)

The Maher & Eustace stable saddle-up LADY BOSS here who is unbeaten in two starts and should take beating again today. Two starts back, the Street Boss filly clobbered them in a 1200m Maiden at Canberra where she put four lengths on her rivals that day. Then last start, she franked that win by going back-to-back on the Beaumont track at Newcastle, leading all the way in a BM64 over 1350m. It’s her third start today and she welcomes another rider with Dylan Gibbons at the helm. Ideally drawn in gate three, she maps to be on-speed again and even fitter after two runs now, she will take catching here.