Townsville Racing Tips 25 Oct 2026: Can Cifonelli Go Again?

Overview

Cifonelli won at Townsville a week ago and comes straight back to the same track, this time in the last race on the card. He has been to Townsville nine times for three wins and seven top-three finishes, and on 18 October he saluted at 11/5 for the Georgie Holt and Aidan Holt combination. That pairing is the thread through the whole afternoon: mother and son have teamed up 49 times here for 13 wins and 29 placings, and they have three live chances on Sunday.

The card itself is nine races on a Good to Soft surface, starting at 12:00PM with a staying maiden and finishing with a Class 5 over 1312m. Two maidens open proceedings, there is a 2YO maiden full of unraced youngsters, then the better money races come in a bunch from 2:25PM. These Townsville racing tips work through all nine, with a firm view where the form supports one and a straight “watch race” where it does not. Only the first two races had bookmaker prices up at the time of writing, so most of the market talk here is about who should be favourite rather than who is.

Townsville, the setup

A Good to Soft track on a Sunday card leans towards the horses who have already shown they handle Townsville. Plenty of today’s runners have, which is unusual for a provincial meeting, so there is genuine course form to work with. Several horses have nine or more starts here.

Among the riders, R Wiggins is the name to follow. He has 148 rides at Townsville for 32 wins, so roughly one winner in every five rides, and he finishes in the first three close to half the time.

On the training side, Georgie Holt has the volume (145 runners here for 28 wins), while Terry Mcgovern wins a quarter of his Townsville races from a smaller book and William Kenning gets more than half of his runners into the placings.

Best Bookmakers for Today’s Racing

Race-by-race Townsville tips

Race 1: Tcc Be Water Wise 365 Mdn Plate, 12:00PM, 1760m

Blazing Future is the $2.25 favourite with Unibet, and the price is fair rather than generous. The form line reads like a horse knocking on the door without quite opening it: fourth, fourth, fourth and then second last time. He has had one placing from two Townsville starts, and the step up to 1760m should suit a horse that keeps finishing off.

The one I want to be with at the price is Auzangate. He ran second at his only Townsville start, his last run was another second, and R Wiggins, the leading rider by wins among today’s jockeys at Townsville, takes the ride. At $5.50 with Bet Right he is the better betting proposition. Nobel Peace is the unknown, a Georgie Holt three-year-old who ran fourth on debut and is $4.80.

Roth Authority, who had placed in four of five runs over the past 90 days, is scratched, which takes out a genuine threat. Each-way on Auzangate, small saver on Blazing Future.

Race 2: Win News Mdn Plate, 12:40PM, 1312m

Does a horse improving one placing every start ever run out of placings to improve? Bank Interest has gone fifth, fourth, third and second, and if that trend holds there is only one result left. He has finished in the first three in three of his four runs in the last 90 days, and Ashley Butler rides for R C Ludwig. At $3.60 with Bet Right he is a fraction ahead of the favourite in the betting, and he is my pick.

Booming Belief is the obvious danger at $3.70 with Unibet. His last four read 3-2-3-4, so he is always there, and Wiggins rides again for F J Wieland. The knock is that he keeps finding one or two better. Foxy Cheval ($5.50) has placed in three of his last five but only once in three Townsville tries.

Win bet on Bank Interest, with Booming Belief in the quinella.

Race 3: Cowboys Leagues Club Mdn Hcp, 1:15PM, 1094m

Three scratchings (Better Option, Nicco Nota Fighter and Whispers Of Ziaan) leave a weak maiden handicap with no prices yet. Vincentvangee gets the nod on the strength of his last start, a second, and Aidan Holt rides with the top weight of 60kg. Rum And Kirk has run third and fourth at two of his last three and is the main danger for Zac Mcfarlane.

Van Der Woodsen has been to Townsville seven times without a placing, and that is enough to rule him out. Watch race. If you must play, a small win bet on Vincentvangee.

Race 4: Ladbrokes Pallarenda Mdn Plate, 1:50PM, 1094m

Twelve two-year-olds and not one of them has raced. So the question becomes which stable has its youngsters ready first, and the answer at Townsville tends to be Terry Mcgovern. He wins a quarter of his races here from 44 runners and places more than half the time, and he has two in this: Bob’s Kokopop with Anthony Allen and Castle Hill with MS P Edwards.

Bob’s Kokopop gets the edge on the jockey booking. T Button, with 16 Townsville winners, starts Boogie On By and So Sunny, and both are worth a look in the market when it opens. No form means no confidence. Watch race, or a tiny win bet on Bob’s Kokopop if he firms.

Race 5: Ray White Geaney Kirkwood (Bm70), 2:25PM, 1531m

Rock The Sunrise has won his last two and goes for three. Over the past 90 days he has five starts for two wins and four top-three finishes, and he has banked more prize money in that stretch than anyone else in this field. Aidan Holt rides for his mother Georgie, and that combination’s record here, 13 wins from 49, is the best reason on the card to trust a short-priced runner.

The scratchings help. Intruder, Nippa’s Nightcap and Fabulean are all out, and that takes three in-form horses away. What’s left is Brave Agenda, who won last time for Rhein Sewell and has C Whiteley aboard again, and Innovates, a seven-year-old whose last five read 1-2-5-2-3. Ready Tiger has 11 Townsville starts but has only won twice and finished ninth last time.

Brave Agenda is the danger because he arrives in form, but he has one win from three runs at the track. Rock The Sunrise is the banker of the day. Win bet, and the first leg of any Holt multi.

Race 6: Signature Glass & Aluminium Hcp, 3:05PM, 1094m

Roweiner’s Dance and Russian Mint are two of the best course performers on the whole card, and they meet here over the shortest trip of the day. That makes this the best race of the afternoon.

Roweiner’s Dance has five Townsville starts for two wins and four top-three finishes, and his average finishing position here is second. William Kenning, who gets more than half his Townsville runners into the placings, trains him, and Julie Busuttin rides. He carries 60kg, which is the knock, but he has done it here before.

Russian Mint is the true specialist. Ten starts at Townsville for four wins and seven placings, but he finished tenth or worse last time, so the question is whether that run was a blip. He has 59.5kg for T Button and Tahlia Fenlon.

The each-way play sits further down the weights. Nottington Prince has 54kg and barrier 1, he has two top-three finishes from three runs in the last 90 days, and his last three read 2-1-3. With C McIver aboard for MS J Hassett, he gets a soft run on the fence. Hartshorn (54.5kg) has also placed at three of his last six. Cifonelli is scratched from this to run in Race 9.

Win on Roweiner’s Dance, each-way on Nottington Prince.

Race 7: Mick Harris 50th (Bm65), 3:44PM, 1760m

Garinion Righ has two wins from three Townsville starts, a small sample but a clean one, and he goes back over 1760m for the Holt stable with Aidan Holt aboard. His last start was a third, and he has placed in three of four runs over the past 90 days. He’s my pick.

This is where Intruder runs after his Race 5 scratching. He has placed in three of four recent runs, won at one of them, and has finished in the first three in five of nine Townsville runs, and Mitch Goring has a good draw in barrier 2. He’s the each-way alternative. Beta Better won his latest and has two wins from five in the last 90 days, so he’s the danger to both. Betta Al also won last time, from barrier 13. Brave Agenda and Airwaves are scratched.

Win on Garinion Righ, saver on Beta Better.

Race 8: Great Northern Hcp (55), 4:25PM, 1312m

She’s A Beauty has run nine times at Townsville and placed in six of them, with two wins. Wiggins takes the ride for S J Royes. Her recent form is ordinary, with two placings from six runs in the last 90 days, but her last two runs were thirds and she drops into a 55 rater where her track record counts.

The danger is Wiser, who won last start for Belynda Kliese, but he goes up to 60kg from barrier 14, and that’s a lot to overcome over 1312m. Extra Free is the other track regular with six placings from nine, though only one win. Tarong won last start but has had five runs at Townsville without a placing.

Each-way on She’s A Beauty.

Race 9: Aura Property Qld Plate (C5), 4:55PM, 1312m

Cifonelli is the best bet on the card. He won the BM70 here on 18 October at 11/5, and his form line now reads 1-2-1-3-6-1. Nine Townsville starts for three wins and seven placings tells you he likes the track, and the Holt combination is again in the saddle. Five scratchings, including Chartwell, Ellis Beach and Insta Worthy, take some depth out of the race.

Mclovin is the one to beat. He has finished in the first three in all five runs over the past 90 days, with one win, and he jumps from barrier 1 with N Thomas for Sharlee Hoffman. If he leads and gets his own way, he will be hard to run down. Diamond Lucy, who has won three of six in the last 90 days, is the other in-form runner, and Kickoff has placed in three of four Townsville starts.

Cifonelli has 60kg and barrier 7 to deal with, but the race has lost depth. Win bet on Cifonelli, exacta with Mclovin.

Top 4 Betting - Extra Place, Every RaceT&Cs apply

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

Over 18s only. Problem? Visit Gambling Help Online Visit

Bet, Banter, BelongT&Cs apply

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

Over 18s only. Problem? Visit Gambling Help Online Visit

Join bet365.com.au today and get 20+ Weekly Racing promos, this spring carnival.T&Cs apply

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

Over 18s only. Problem? Visit Gambling Help Online Visit

FAQ

What time does racing start at Townsville today?

The first race, the Tcc Be Water Wise 365 Mdn Plate over 1760m, starts at 12:00PM local time. The last, the Aura Property Qld Plate (C5), starts at 4:55PM.

Who are the top jockeys and trainers at Townsville?

R Wiggins has 32 wins from 148 rides at Townsville and places 69 times. Georgie Holt has 28 wins from 145 runners, and Terry Mcgovern wins 11 from 44 races. The Aidan Holt and Georgie Holt partnership has 13 wins from 49 rides here.

What are the best bets at Townsville today?

Cifonelli in Race 9 is the NAP, Rock The Sunrise in Race 5 is the banker, and Auzangate in Race 1 is the value pick at $5.50 with Bet Right.

Where can I find the best odds for Townsville races?

Only Races 1 and 2 had prices up at the time of writing. Bet Right and Unibet had the best prices on most of the runners. Check the bookmakers listed above for current Townsville odds before you bet.