Bairnsdale Racing Tips 12 Oct — will the 2400m double decide it?
Kilmore Racing Tips 13 Oct — does the inside draw rule?
Opening
You can feel the Kilmore card being decided in small, annoying margins today. Good to Soft, a stack of 1320m and 1593m races, and fields where plenty of them want the same patch of grass at the same time. When the surface has a bit of give, position and pattern matter more than people admit. You do not want to be circling six wide, burning petrol, and hoping your horse is simply tougher than the rest. You want to be economical, turning for home with something left, ideally from a draw that lets your jockey make one decision instead of three.
That’s the lens I’m using for these Kilmore racing tips: who maps cleanly, who has the profile of a horse ready to peak, and where the card offers something you can actually bet into. It’s seven races on turf, most of them competitive, and I’ll be straight with you when a race is a watch. When there is a bet, it’ll be because the set up makes sense, not because I’m trying to have an opinion for the sake of it.
Kilmore, the setup
Track: Turf. Going: Good to Soft. Most races sit in that 1320m to 1757m corridor where you either land in a rhythm early or you spend the whole race trying to recover it.
Limited deep course history across today’s fields on the horse side. Most of the runners with “track stats” have only been here once or twice, so treat it as a reference point, not a label.
Ladbrokes Review [Updated March 2026] | Ladbrokes.com.au Pros & Cons
- Info Hub
- Mates Mode
Where course numbers do mean something today is the jockey lane. A few riders have proper Kilmore volume, and that matters when you need someone to make calm, early decisions on a slightly soft deck.
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Allen | 24 | 9 | 14 | 37.5 | 58.33 |
| Zac Spain | 6 | 1 | 5 | 16.67 | 83.33 |
| Linda Meech | Not riding today | ||||
| Olivia East | 13 | 3 | 4 | 23.08 | 30.77 |
| Teodore Nugent | 23 | 3 | 7 | 13.04 | 30.43 |
| B Rawiller | 28 | 3 | 14 | 10.71 | 50.0 |
Trainer-wise, the one worth respecting on volume is C Maher: 11 runners here for 4 wins and 7 placings. That’s enough evidence to treat a Maher runner at Kilmore as properly placed, not just passing through.
Race-by-race: Kilmore predictions
Race 1: Bet365 Bet Boost Mdn Plate — 14:00, 1593m
The question in the opener: do you side with the exposed grinders who keep finding one better, or the lightly raced 3yos who can jump a length with natural upside?
I’m leaning to Full Confidence. Two runs, two solid efforts (form 34), and the jump to 1593m looks like a horse being set up to finish the job rather than being “given another go”. Hugh Coffey is a neat fit here too: from gate 5, he should be able to hold a spot one off the fence and keep the horse balanced on a Good to Soft track.
The danger is Theatrical Queen, because she’s the one who keeps putting herself in the fight (33-244). Craig Newitt can make a race feel simple when others make it messy, and she doesn’t need to improve much to win one of these.
Course note without overcooking it: Forward Ho has placed in both course visits. Two runs is not a “Kilmore specialist”, but it does tell you the track doesn’t bother him, and that’s a plus when others are guessing.
Staking: Win bet Full Confidence. Small saver quinella with Theatrical Queen if you want insurance in a maiden.
Race 2: Adroit Countrywide Mdn Plate — 14:30, 1320m
The shape looks kinder than the field suggests. With a lot of first-starters and unknown map pieces, the horse that can take up a forward slot from a friendly gate often gets first crack at it around Kilmore.
I like Sound Byte from gate 1. He’s already shown enough to say he can cope (form 4), and the inside draw gives Logan Bates the chance to make this a one-move ride. On a Good to Soft surface, that matters. You do not want to be doing work early then asking for another sprint late.
The obvious danger is Nishioka</strong (form 2). If she runs up to that debut level again, she’s right in it, and Linda Currie is a positive booking. Currie’s Kilmore record stands up too: 5 rides here for 1 win and 3 placings, so she routinely has horses in the right spot at the right time.
Staking: Each-way Sound Byte (the draw gives you the place edge). Save on Nishioka to win if the market says she’s the one they’ve come for.
Race 3: Rmbl Investments Rising Stars (Bm56) — 15:00, 1320m
The contender angle: Le Notre looks like the horse in the sweet spot. His form line reads 33451, and that matters in this grade because it says he’s been consistently around the mark and then found the finish when it mattered.
The weight is the tax, though. 137.7 is the top. So the race becomes a simple question of whether he can get the same rhythm as the lighter-weighted runners. From barrier 1 with Logan Bates, he should. Bates can ride cold if he has to, but from the inside he can also be positive and stop the race turning into a mid-race squeeze.
The one I respect as a proper upset chance is Luminary Miss. She’s a last start winner (form 7551) and carries 133.3. Olivia East rides and she’s a proven Kilmore jockey on volume: 13 rides here for 3 wins. That’s not luck.
Staking: Win bet Le Notre. If you’re playing multiples, keep Luminary Miss as the blow-up prevention.
Race 4: C&M Build Group (Bm56) — 15:30, 1320m
The market problem in this race is that punters tend to overpay for “recent win” and underpay for “reliable profile in the right part of the handicap”. I’m not letting this one get away from I Said So.
His form (341273) screams competitive every time he steps out, and 134.4 is workable in a BM56. Gate 7 is fine for J Maskiell to slide into a midfield rhythm, and if the leaders overdo it early on a softish track, he’s the one who can keep coming.
Manchego is the danger because he’s the in-form type with upside (653831) and he gets Celine Gaudray. If Gaudray finds cover from gate 10 and the race turns into a sit-sprint, Manchego is the one who can pinch it.
Little track pointer: Slate Ripper has had three goes at Kilmore for one placing. It’s not a love affair, but it says he can be around them when things go his way.
Staking: Win bet I Said So. Exacta saver with Manchego if you want a second bullet.
18+ T&C’s Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C’s Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C’s Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Race 5: MC Labour (Bm52) — 16:00, 1593m
The contrast is clear: proven Kilmore placers with limited upside versus runners who look out of sorts but could spike if they land the right run.
I’m sticking with the horse who can park in the right lane all day: Give Some Lip from gate 1. Zac Spain rides, and his Kilmore record is hard to ignore: 6 rides for 5 placings. That is exactly the sort of jockey profile you want when the track is Good to Soft and you need clean decisions rather than hero moves.
Give Some Lip’s recent form (247303) also reads like a horse who keeps turning up and doing the job without winning. In BM52, that’s often the right horse to follow when the draw finally hands them the track position they’ve been missing.
The danger is Testing The Cugat. He’s won once from two starts at Kilmore. Again, that’s a single win, not a trend, but it tells you he’s handled the circuit before. From barrier 13 he’ll need the race to string out so he can slide across without doing it the hard way.
Staking: Win bet Give Some Lip. If you want to play safer, win with a small saver on Testing The Cugat in case the wide gate doesn’t hurt as much as it looks.
Race 6: Coulter Legal (Bm56) — 16:30, 1593m
The stable move angle: Skydream looks like a horse placed to win again. He comes in off strong recent form (342261) and he draws gate 1, which is exactly where you want to be in this sort of 1593m handicap on softish ground.
John Allen takes the ride, and he wins more than a third of his Kilmore rides. That is a proper sample size. When Allen draws 1 in a BM56, the race can be over for half the field before they’ve found the rail.
Skydream has also won on his only start at Kilmore. One run does not make him a track specialist, but it does remove the “will he handle it here?” doubt.
The main danger is Snitchy. His form (641382) says he’s in the mix most weeks, and from barrier 7 he can get the stalker run that often wins this distance if the leaders try to pinch a break. If the tempo is only moderate, he’s the one who can out-sprint a few late.
Staking: Win bet Skydream. If you’re building a multi, he’s the banker leg on the card.
Race 7: Kilmore Ford (Bm56) — 17:00, 1757m
A final-race puzzle, because the form horses all have something you can pick at. Weight, map, recent inconsistency, you name it.
I’m siding with Switch Hit. He keeps knocking on the door (733722) and the draw (gate 2) gives John Allen the chance to control the race from the front half without burning him early. If Allen gets the speed right, he makes it very hard for anything to sweep around them in the straight.
The danger is Immortalised from gate 1. His profile reads like the horse who either wins or looks unlucky doing it (361620). J Maskiell from the inside gets every chance to hold the rail and make the others go around.
A small course note to keep you honest: Sensational Ruler has two runs at Kilmore for one win. He’s also the type who can look plain then spike when conditions suit, so don’t leave him out of wider multiples.
Staking: Win bet Switch Hit. Quinella saver with Immortalised if you want to reduce the last-race pain.
The plays
This is a card where I want one strong single and a couple of measured plays around draws and proven local riders.
NAP: Skydream (Race 6, 16:30). Gate 1, John Allen up, and he’s already won on his only Kilmore run. That’s the cleanest set up on the meeting.
Value: Give Some Lip (Race 5, 16:00). Gate 1 and Zac Spain rides Kilmore as well as anyone on today’s card, hitting the frame in five of six rides here. If the market prices him like a non-winner, take the gift.
Banker for multis: Skydream. I’d rather bank the map and the rider than bank a horse from a sticky gate in a messy maiden.
Each-way play: Sound Byte (Race 2, 14:30). Inside draw gives you the right kind of trip in a race full of unknowns.
Course angle to keep using: when John Allen has a gate that lets him be positive at Kilmore, the rest of the field often ends up chasing his decisions. Watch how he rides the inside lanes today and you’ll have a ready-made angle for the next meeting when similar maps pop up.
FAQ
What time does racing start at Kilmore today?
Racing starts at 14:00 with the Bet365 Bet Boost Mdn Plate over 1593m.
Who are the top jockeys at Kilmore on today’s card?
John Allen is the standout on track history: 24 rides at Kilmore for 9 wins and 14 placings. Zac Spain also jumps off the page for consistency here, with 6 rides and 5 placings.
Which trainers have a strong Kilmore record among today’s runners?
C Maher has a proper body of work here: 11 runners at Kilmore for 4 wins and 7 placings. Among the other stables with meaningful samples, Ben, Will & JD Hayes have had 26 runners here for 4 wins and 14 placings.
What are the Kilmore best bets today?
The anchor for me is Skydream in Race 6 (16:30, 1593m), drawn gate 1 with John Allen riding. The other bet I want onside is Give Some Lip in Race 5 (16:00, 1593m), drawn gate 1 with Zac Spain, who has placed five times from six Kilmore rides.
Where can I find the best odds for Kilmore races?
Prices can move late, especially in the maidens. Check your preferred bookmaker close to jump time and compare against the NSW and Victorian totes. For more racing coverage, you can also browse RacingBase for daily previews and updates.
Responsible gambling
Support & Resources: If gambling is no longer fun, get support. Gambling Help: 1800 858 858. Online help is available at gamblinghelponline.org.au.
18+ only.
Affiliate disclosure: RacingBase may earn a commission if you click through and bet via affiliate links. This does not change our opinions or selections.
