Overview
Michael Hickmott has trained seven winners from 22 runners at Strathalbyn, and on Sunday he sends three of them into the Langhorne Creek Wine Region Vignerons Cup. One of the three, Maracourt, gets Todd Pannell, and that pair has won three of their six rides together at this track. That is the strongest connections story on the card, and it lands in the race everyone will be watching.
It is not a Hickmott benefit, though. Big Mav has been in the first three in three of its four Strathalbyn starts and arrives with a win and two placings from its last three runs, carrying a light weight for Sarah Rutten. That is the horse these Strathalbyn racing tips keep coming back to.
Seven races on a turf track rated Good, first jump at 1:18PM and the last at 4:58PM. Only the opening maiden had a live market when this was written, so most prices below are still to come. Every race is covered, then the card narrows to five plays.
Strathalbyn: the setup
Unusually for a country meeting, there is real course form among the horses. Fifteen of today’s runners have had at least three starts here, though wins are scarce among them. The ones that have kept placing are below.
Horses with course form (3+ starts)
| Horse | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Mav | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% | 75% |
| Archdeacon | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0% | 67% |
| The Ice Cutter | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0% | 60% |
| Enciphering | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0% | 33% |
| Magna Torino | 3 | 1 | 1 | 33% | 33% |
| Lady Biv | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 25% |
Jockeys at Strathalbyn (5+ rides)
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Opperman | 11 | 4 | 7 | 36% | 64% |
| Ben Price | 13 | 3 | 7 | 23% | 54% |
| Jake Toeroek | 20 | 6 | 9 | 30% | 45% |
| Connor Murtagh | 51 | 6 | 23 | 12% | 45% |
| MS T Johnstone | 25 | 2 | 11 | 8% | 44% |
| Kayla Crowther | 39 | 3 | 17 | 8% | 44% |
| Todd Pannell | 35 | 7 | 10 | 20% | 29% |
| Brooke King | 57 | 8 | 17 | 14% | 30% |
Trainers at Strathalbyn (10+ runners)
| Trainer | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S G Padman | 18 | 4 | 10 | 22% | 56% |
| Michael Hickmott | 22 | 7 | 12 | 32% | 55% |
| Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor | 11 | 3 | 6 | 27% | 55% |
| R & C Jolly | 15 | 2 | 8 | 13% | 53% |
| David Jolly & Justin Potter | 18 | 6 | 8 | 33% | 44% |
| Garret Lynch | 44 | 4 | 16 | 9% | 36% |
| Grant Kluske | 24 | 0 | 6 | 0% | 25% |
Two numbers matter most. Jake Toeroek wins three in every ten rides here across 20 attempts, the best strike rate on the card with a proper sample behind it. And Hickmott puts more than half of his Strathalbyn runners in the first three. At the other end, Grant Kluske has seven runners today and has not had a winner from 24 starters at the track, which is worth keeping in mind before getting carried away with any of them.
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Strathalbyn racing tips: race by race
Race 1: Roadside Services And Solutions Mdn Plate, 1:18PM, 1600m
Wild Is The Wind has had one start, ran second, and the market has made it a $2.35 favourite with Bet Right off the back of it. That is a lot to put on a single run, but the alternatives are not exactly knocking the door down. Jemma Gutte rides for W L Peake from barrier 9.
Starscream at $3.00 with Unibet is the obvious danger. Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor win better than a quarter of their races here, and MS T Johnstone places with 44% of her Strathalbyn rides. Its only course start produced a sixth, though.
The one I would rather have at the price is Pretty Morsel at $6.00 with Unibet. Eight runs in the past 90 days, four of them in the first three, and it placed in one of its two starts here. It keeps finding one better, which is exactly why it suits a place bet. Valdart, on debut for Hickmott with Ben Price, is the unknown at $7.50.
Small win on Wild Is The Wind, and Pretty Morsel each-way.
Race 2: Lake Breeze Mdn Plate, 1:53PM, 1200m
Which maiden is closest to breaking through? Glock ‘N’ Roll looks the answer. It ran second last time, has placed in one of its two recent runs, and barrier 2 gives Teagan Voorham the chance to hold a spot near the fence over the short trip.
Light Brigade is the threat. It ran third on its only Strathalbyn start, Brooke King rides, and Dion and Raygan Koch have trained three winners from 13 runners here. Little Rocket has a second among its last two runs, but it was seventh last time. No market was up at the time of writing.
Win bet on Glock ‘N’ Roll, with Light Brigade underneath in the quinella.
Race 3: Gipsie Jack Hcp (C1), 2:28PM, 1200m
The stable move says Jack Rabbit. David Jolly and Justin Potter have won six of their 18 runs at Strathalbyn, a third of everything they bring, and they have booked Connor Murtagh, who has ridden here more than anyone on the card. The trouble is the horse. Its last run was a ninth after a break, and it carries the top weight.
So I am going the other way. Sir Castleton ran second at its only run in the past 90 days, draws barrier 3, and Paul Carey has placed three of his five runners here. Shayleigh Ingelse has won one and placed in two of her four rides at the track. It is a modest C1, and Sir Castleton brings the freshest piece of placed form.
Fast Food is the danger. The three-year-old won one of its three recent runs for R and C Jolly with Jake Toeroek, a pair with two wins from seven rides together here, but it was eighth last start. Magna Torino has a course win from three starts for S G Padman, though it was beaten well last time.
Win on Sir Castleton. Saver on Fast Food.
Race 4: Bremerton Wines Hcp (56), 3:03PM, 1350m
Bouzy’s Babe won last start, and that is not a one-off. Its three runs in the past 90 days produced a win and two placings, so it has been in the first three every time this campaign. Caitlyn Munro rides from barrier 3, and Wayne Brown has placed four of his six Strathalbyn runners.
The handicap is the obvious question, but in a race this weak it should not stop her. Two of the field, Lysander and Enlist, are already scratched, and plenty of the rest arrive out of form.
Archdeacon is the one to fear. It has placed in two of three starts here, three times in the first three from its last five runs, and Tala Hutchinson gets it in with one of the lightest weights in the race. It has not won in that spell, which is the reason it is the danger and not the pick. She Sparkles won once in its last five but was eighth last time.
Win on Bouzy’s Babe. It is also the banker.
Race 5: Wealth Logic Hcp (56), 3:40PM, 1100m
Two runners with the right rider and the right recent profile, and the question is which one handles the sprint better. Rich Lady has placed in two of its three runs in the past 90 days and averages a third-place finish across them. It also gets Jake Toeroek, who wins three in every ten rides at this track.
Whoops A Daisy is the alternative. It ran second last start, has placed twice from five recent runs, and Rochelle Milnes has ridden six Strathalbyn winners. Barrier 11 is the drawback over 1100m, where getting caught wide hurts.
Zuetoro and Hallstatt are scratched, which takes some speed out. Capitalex ran third at its only recent start and carries one of the lighter weights, so it gets a mention for exotics.
Rich Lady to win, Whoops A Daisy as the saver.
Race 6: Langhorne Creek Wine Region Vignerons Cup (Bm70), 4:20PM, 1350m
The cup, and the best race on the card. Big Mav gets my vote. It has run at Strathalbyn four times, won once and been in the first three on three of those visits. Its last three runs read a win and two placings, it carries one of the lighter weights for Sarah Rutten, and Brooke King has ridden more Strathalbyn winners than anyone else booked today, eight from 57.
That said, Hickmott’s three runners make this anything but straightforward. Maracourt is the one with the booking that matters. Todd Pannell and Hickmott have won three of their six rides together here, and placed in four. Against that, Maracourt has not raced in the past 90 days and carries the topweight as an eight-year-old. Synchro gets Jacob Opperman, the in-form rider at this track with four wins from 11 rides, and Party Crasher completes the stable trio with Alyssa Webb.
The danger I would rather cover is I’m A Hottie. It won its only start at Strathalbyn, won one of its last four, and comes in with the bottom weight for Rose Hammond. It does have to overcome barrier 11.
Win on Big Mav, the best bet on the card. Small exacta with Big Mav over I’m A Hottie and Maracourt.
Race 7: Bleasdale Wines Hcp (58), 4:58PM, 2050m
Does an 11-year-old keep improving? Magnetic Edge says yes. It won last start, its last six runs include a win and three placings, and J Holder rides. Its only knock is its trainers: J Hickmott and C Riggs have not had a Strathalbyn winner from 19 runners.
The Ice Cutter is the place bet. Five starts at the track, three placings, so it hits the frame here at a 60% rate without ever quite winning. Caitlin Tootell rides for Grant Kluske from barrier 11.
The Punk Rocker, with Toeroek again, won one of its last five and placed in two, but it was sixth last time.
Win on Magnetic Edge. Each-way on The Ice Cutter when the market opens.
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Where the money goes
NAP: Big Mav (Race 6, 4:20PM). Three placings from four Strathalbyn starts, a win among its last three runs, and Brooke King on board. It knows the track and arrives with one of the lighter weights in the cup.
Value: Pretty Morsel (Race 1, 1:18PM), $6.00 with Unibet. Half of its eight recent runs ended in the first three, and the market has made a one-start horse favourite ahead of it.
Banker: Bouzy’s Babe (Race 4, 3:03PM). Won last start, in the first three every run this campaign, and the race is soft. The one to build multis around.
Each-way: The Ice Cutter (Race 7, 4:58PM). Three placings from five starts at Strathalbyn. The win has never come, but the place keeps paying.
Course angle: Michael Hickmott. Seven winners from 22 Strathalbyn runners, three in the cup, and Todd Pannell has won three of his six rides for the stable here.
If Hickmott keeps landing them at a third of his runners here, his entries will be the first thing to check every time Strathalbyn races.
FAQ
What time does racing start at Strathalbyn today?
Race 1, the Roadside Services And Solutions Mdn Plate over 1600m, jumps at 1:18PM. The last, the Bleasdale Wines Hcp over 2050m, is at 4:58PM.
Who are the top trainers and jockeys at Strathalbyn?
Michael Hickmott has trained seven winners from 22 runners here, and David Jolly and Justin Potter have six from 18. Among riders, Jake Toeroek has won six of his 20 Strathalbyn rides and Jacob Opperman four of his 11.
What are the best bets at Strathalbyn today?
Big Mav in Race 6 is the NAP, with three placings from four starts at the track. Bouzy’s Babe in Race 4 is the banker after winning last start, and Pretty Morsel in Race 1 is the value at $6.00.
Where can I find the best odds for Strathalbyn races?
Compare prices with the bookmakers listed above. At the time of writing only Race 1 was priced: Wild Is The Wind was $2.35 with Bet Right and Starscream $3.00 with Unibet. The rest of the Strathalbyn odds were still to open.