Bunbury Racing Tips 13 Aug 2026 — can Pike clean up the maidens?
Wellington Racing Tips 13 August — can Thompson run the card?
The Wellington meeting was shaping as a proper country puzzle: a few hard-luck maidens over the mile, a Benchmark where the map mattered, and a couple of short-course maidens where one clean jump could decide it. Then the sting in the tail arrives. Every race on the program is listed as Abandoned.
So instead of pretending we can tip into a void, here’s the honest, useful version: a form-based preview of the key runners you’d have wanted onside if the meeting had gone ahead, plus the one repeatable angle that keeps popping at this track. If Wellington is replayed as a make-up meeting, or these races get re-homed to Dubbo, Orange or Mudgee, you’ll still know which profiles to follow and which ones to oppose. That’s the point of these Wellington racing tips: less noise, more intent.
Today’s card had four races on turf, with two at 1750m and two short dashes at 1203m and 984m. Keep this page bookmarked for when these horses pop up again, because a few of them were absolutely ripe to win.
Wellington today, the setup, and the only angle I really trust
Limited course form across today’s fields. Most runners have only one visit to Wellington, so treat any “record here” as a reference point, not a label.
What does matter is the people who keep delivering here often enough to believe it. Brett Thompson has the volume: 16 runners at Wellington for 4 wins and 6 placings. That is a proper sample for a country trainer on one track, and it explains why his horses always attract money when he turns up in town like this.
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoe Hunt | 5 | 2 | 2 | 40% | 40% |
| J Pracey-Holmes | 13 | 3 | 5 | 23.08% | 38.46% |
| Jacob Stiff | 13 | 1 | 5 | 7.69% | 38.46% |
| Clayton Gallagher | 11 | 2 | 3 | 18.18% | 27.27% |
| Liam Blanch | 6 | 1 | 2 | 16.67% | 33.33% |
| MS M Weir | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0% | 33.33% |
| Kody Nestor | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0% | 42.86% |
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One more thing worth banking for whenever these fields reappear: there were multiple runners engaged in two races on the card (Harry and Cobocco both doubled up). That’s usually either stable confidence or stable indecision. When the same horse gets accepted twice on one day, I read it as “we’re ready to run and happy to take the first suitable option”.
Race-by-race: the story that would have mattered
Race 1: Kfc Wellington Mdn Plate — 12:55, 1750m
The race basically wrote itself around Kowloon Magnate (barrier 1). He’s not flashy, but he’s been there every time with that consistent 5-2-2-3 form line, and he had the one draw that lets the rider control the risk at 1750m. If you’re still a maiden after four goes but you keep running top-three, you don’t need a miracle. You need a clean run and one less thing to go wrong.
There’s a second layer too: Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald don’t turn up to a country meeting for a look around. They’ve had one runner at Wellington and it won. That’s only a single data point, but the placement itself is the tell.
The danger is Litlfela (barrier 7). That 4-8-2-3-3-2 sequence screams “honest stayer in a hurry to win”, and if the race turned into a squeeze-and-sprint from the 600m, he’s the type who can build and keep rolling.
Staking: Win bet Kowloon Magnate. Exacta saver Kowloon Magnate with Litlfela.
Race 2: Allendale Merino Stud (Bm66) — 13:35, 1750m
The market problem in this one would have been how you price Yiasou. The form says 2-8-3-1-1-2, and that’s the profile of a horse that’s found its level and is still holding it. You also got J Pracey-Holmes steering, and he rides Wellington like someone who knows where the winning lanes are: 3 wins and 5 placings from 13 rides is a proper strike for a track like this.
From barrier 3, Yiasou likely lands in the first half without spending petrol. That’s the key over 1750m in these Benchmark races: don’t turn it into a test of “who can sustain a three-wide grind”. Make it a race of positioning, then let your horse do the last 300m.
The horse I’d have been most nervous about is Cooma Hut (barrier 6). His recent form reads 2-1-0-2-2-4. That’s a lot of competitive racing, and he’s the one who can sit close enough to make the favourite earn it. You don’t need to love him, you just need to respect his habit of being in the fight.
Staking: Win bet Yiasou. Quinella with Cooma Hut if you wanted a little cover.
Race 3: Peter Milling & Company Country Boosted Mdn Hcp — 14:10, 1203m
Here’s the question this race asked: do you reward the horse that keeps knocking, or the horse that might have more upside but hasn’t shown it yet?
I lean to the knockers at this grade, and Miners Mate (barrier 1) fit that brief. The four-start form line of 5-7-2-4 isn’t a banner, but it’s a horse that’s at least mixing it up, and the inside gate over 1203m is a gift if the rider is switched on. Donovan Dillon being booked tells you they wanted a rider who can hold a spot and not panic when the speed comes around them.
The other one with genuine “it’s coming” vibes is Long Time Lovers (barrier 2). He’s been living in the middle of races with 5-3-5-4-7-4, which looks plain until you remember what it really means: he breaks, he travels, he’s there, and he just hasn’t finished it off. From gate 2 he doesn’t need to improve ten lengths. He needs to improve one decision at the top of the straight.
I’m treating Harry with caution in this specific race. He’s been around the mark for a long time (4-3-6-4-3-7), and his recent 90-day stretch has produced 4 runs for only one placing. He can win a maiden like this, but he’s also the type that attracts money and then finds a way to run fifth.
Staking: Small each-way Miners Mate. If Harry started short, I’d rather take him on than take cramped odds.
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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
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Race 4: Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club Mdn Plate — 14:45, 984m
The shape looked like a short-course maiden where the map does most of the work. Over 984m, you want barrier, intent, and a horse that can absorb a bump or two without losing its rhythm.
If you forced me to name one I wanted to be with, it was Best Defence (barrier 9). The form reads 2-6-6-3-2, and that tells you he’s competitive and he’s learned how to finish off. Zoe Hunt taking the ride mattered as well. She’s had five rides at Wellington for two wins, so she’s one of the few on this card who genuinely converts opportunities here. From a wide gate it’s never paint-by-numbers, but in a small-field maiden sprint you can still slide across, find a back, and be the horse with the last crack.
The main danger was Tucklan (barrier 5). He’s got that 0-7-9-4-2 progression, and those are the horses you don’t want to see if you’re backing something at skinny odds. They go from “no idea” to “nearly” quickly, and once they figure it out they win one before the handicapper can react.
I’m happy to forgive debutants in these races, but I’m not tipping them blind. Slippery Cod draws barrier 1 and that alone makes him worth watching in the yard and in the market. If he walked like an athlete, he’d be the one who could steal it.
Staking: Best Defence each-way was the play. If the market went crazy for a first-starter, I’d keep stakes modest and shop for overs.
Where the money goes when these reappear
With the meeting abandoned, there’s no point forcing “best bets” like the races were run. But you can still take a strong position for the next start, because a few of these profiles will land in similar grade again very soon.
NAP (follow horse): Kowloon Magnate in the next suitable maiden mile to 1800m. Four straight placings in his last four runs tell you he’s ready to win, and he drew to get every favour at Wellington. If he turns up in a similar race and draws a gate, I’m not overthinking it.
Banker for multis (when rescheduled): Yiasou. Two wins and a second in his last three says he holds form, and Pracey-Holmes is one of the few riders on this card with a meaningful Wellington strike.
Each-way play: Best Defence, because he’s got the reliable maiden profile and the rider who actually converts at this track.
Course angle to remember: Brett Thompson is the stable you treat seriously at Wellington. Sixteen runners for four wins and six placings is a real body of work, and he had multiple bullets across the abandoned program. When his next Wellington team is accepted, I’ll be looking at barriers first and asking questions later.
If Zoe Hunt keeps getting on the right horses here, she becomes the simplest country angle there is: back the intent, not the chatter.
FAQ for Wellington
What time does racing start at Wellington today?
Racing was scheduled to start at 12:55 with Race 1, the Kfc Wellington Mdn Plate over 1750m. The full meeting is listed as Abandoned.
Who are the top jockeys and trainers at Wellington on today’s data?
On meaningful Wellington samples from the riders engaged today, Zoe Hunt leads on strike with 2 wins from 5 rides, while J Pracey-Holmes has the most volume with 13 rides for 3 wins and 5 placings. For trainers, Brett Thompson has a genuine track record at Wellington with 16 runners for 4 wins and 6 placings.
What were the best bets at Wellington today?
If the meeting had been run, Kowloon Magnate (Race 1) looked the obvious “ready to win” maiden, while Yiasou (Race 2) brought the strongest recent winning form with a 2-8-3-1-1-2 profile and a favourable draw.
Where can I find the best odds for Wellington races?
Odds weren’t available in the feed for this meeting, and with the card abandoned there’s nothing to price. When Wellington fields are reissued, compare prices across your usual operators and exchanges, and don’t be afraid to wait for late moves on the maidens, especially with runners like Kowloon Magnate who attract steady support rather than one big plunge.
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