Ipswich Racing Tips 25 June 2026 — can the Munce camp cash in again?
Carnarvon Racing Tips 26 June — can Costa Star break through?
Carnarvon Racing Tips 26 June — can Costa Star break through?
There’s a certain kind of Carnarvon maiden that drives you mad in the best way: keeps knocking, keeps landing a cheque, keeps finding one better. Costa Star is exactly that profile, and today looks like the day the “always thereabouts” horse finally turns consistency into a win.
We’ve only got the one race to work with on the program, but it’s a proper puzzle: a dirt mile-ish trip (1531m), a handful that want to be handy, and a stack of runners whose form says “close enough” without screaming “put me in.” If you’re short on time and just want the angle, these Carnarvon racing tips are built around two things that actually matter here: who gets the run from the gate, and who has proven they can hold their nerve when the line comes up quick.
Carnarvon — the setup
Surface is dirt and the meeting data doesn’t list a going. With that, I lean harder on barrier, weight and who can take a position without doing work.
Limited course form across this field, in the honest sense of it. Most runners have only one or two prior visits to Carnarvon, so treat course records as pointers rather than commandments.
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The one bit of track evidence that does matter today sits in the saddle. Two riders on this race have a real body of work at Carnarvon, and one of them has been consistently around the money.
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madi Derrick | 16 | 4 | 6 | 25.00 | 37.50 |
| A Hearn | 13 | 2 | 4 | 15.38 | 30.77 |
| Kate Pateman | 15 | 2 | 3 | 13.33 | 20.00 |
| Bailey Webster | 17 | 2 | 3 | 11.76 | 17.65 |
| Rocky Cheung | 11 | 1 | 4 | 9.09 | 36.36 |
| Jefferson Tsang | 17 | 1 | 5 | 5.88 | 29.41 |
| Giaan O’Donnell | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0.00 | 62.50 |
One more trainer note, without over-selling it: Aaron Pateman has volume here (25 runners historically), and that matters more than the raw strike. He’s active, he places them to be competitive, and he’s got two in this maiden.
Race-by-race
Race 1: Grantham’s Horse Transport Mdn — 14:08, 1531m
The way I see it, this is a race where you either take the consistent closer with the soft weight, or you take a lightly exposed type and hope the “next start” comes today. I’m siding with the former because the map gives it every chance to stay out of trouble.
Costa Star (barrier 2, 116.8) has been living in the minors without getting a photo, but the profile is rock solid for this grade. The form line reads 623623, which tells you two things: it shows up, and it holds form across runs. From gate 2 on a dirt track, Giaan O’Donnell should be able to park much closer than the backmarkers, then let the horse build. O’Donnell doesn’t win many at Carnarvon, but he rides the place well here: 5 placings from 8 rides at the track. That matters in a maiden where a lot of these find a way to run fourth.
The danger is All King’s (barrier 12, 127.8). He’s trending the right way on paper with 67-432, and if Kate Pateman can slide across without doing too much work, he’s the one most likely to sustain a run when others flatten. He’s placed once from two starts at Carnarvon, so he’s at least handled the setting before, but the gate makes his life harder than it needs to be.
A couple of others to keep onside if you’re playing wider: Swishgobango draws 4 and that alone makes him relevant in a race full of awkward barriers, but his lone Carnarvon run ended midfield. The Sessione has a jockey with a sharp local record (Natika Riordan wins 1 in 4 here, and hits the frame 3 times from 4 rides), yet the horse itself has been patchy and needs to lift off 800483.
I’ll keep it simple. Bet: Costa Star to win. If the price is skinny, the save is a quinella with All King’s rather than trying to be clever in a messy maiden.
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The plays
This is a one-race meeting for us, so there’s nowhere to hide. I’m treating it like a single strong opinion rather than forcing a “portfolio.”
NAP: Costa Star (Race 1, 14:08). The barrier and the feather weight are the two best assets on the page, and that consistent 623623 profile is exactly what you want in a country maiden where reliability beats theory.
Value: All King’s if the market drifts because of gate 12. He’s building toward a win and he’s the one I most want to save on.
Banker for multis: Costa Star top-2 or top-3 style plays if your book offers it. This is the horse that keeps landing in the fight.
Each-way: All King’s. The run style looks like it will hold together at 1531m if he gets any luck early.
Course angle to file away: when Natika Riordan turns up at Carnarvon, she doesn’t waste rides. If she keeps getting opportunities on well-drawn runners, that becomes a repeatable edge.
FAQ
What time does racing start at Carnarvon today?
Racing starts at 14:08 at Carnarvon with the Grantham’s Horse Transport Maiden over 1531m.
Who are the top jockeys at Carnarvon on this card?
On the historical Carnarvon numbers, Madi Derrick is the proven rider at the track with 4 wins from 16 rides. In this race specifically, Giaan O’Donnell hasn’t won here yet but has 5 placings from 8 rides, which suits a maiden where positioning and timing matter. Natika Riordan has a small but sharp local record too, with 1 win and 3 placings from 4 rides.
Who are the top trainers at Carnarvon to know about?
Aaron Pateman is the high-volume local yard in today’s race, with 25 runners historically at Carnarvon and 3 winners. He saddles up All King’s and The Sessione in the opener. Malcolm Mackenzie also has depth at the track (19 runners historically) and supplies Cornerback and Danea Rock.
What are the best bets at Carnarvon today?
The Carnarvon best bets on this program come down to one: Costa Star to win Race 1. The draw (barrier 2) and the light weight (116.8) give it a cleaner path than the wide-gate dangers.
Where can I find the best odds for Carnarvon races?
Shop around the major books and the exchanges before you bet. If you’re comparing Carnarvon odds, focus on whether Costa Star holds a fair win price given the soft map from gate 2, and whether All King’s drifts enough to compensate for barrier 12. For bookmaker options, see the odds links on RacingBase (always bet within your limits).
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