Summary of Best Bets
- Best Bet – R6/10 King Of The Sea
- Next Best – R5/9 Chilli Margs
- Best Value – R9/2 Bois D’Argent
- Best Roughie – R8/4 On Display
Track
- Fine conditions are forecast for Gosford on Saturday with the track expected to remain in the Good range.
- The tight-turning Gosford circuit generally rewards runners that can hold a forward position or save ground from inside draws.
- Tempo looks moderate across a number of races which could place an added emphasis on tactical speed and race position.
Key stats
- Rachel King continues to ride in outstanding form with 32.5% winners from her last 90 rides and a POT return of +47.5%.
- Dylan Gibbons has ridden 22.9% winners from his last 90 rides with a POT return of +30.9%.
Race 1
Good little 2YO race to kick off the meeting. No real speed to report, which should see (7) I Am Dirty and Rachel King push the button early. Trapped four-wide on debut when green before sticking on well. She should take sharp improvement off that and looks to have plenty of juice in her price.
(2) Priory Park comes off a strong last start win and was good first-up behind Extremely Tempted, which ties in to I Am Dirty through Bangkok Hottie. Maps to lead and is the horse to beat, but is short enough in the market.
Expecting both (3) Zynaro and (4) Quarterback to improve sharply second-up from smart draws.
Selections:
(7) I Am Dirty
(2) Priory Park
(3) Zynaro
(4) Quarterback
Suggested Bet: (7) I Am Dirty – Win
Race 2
Open Midway this week. At the odds, happy to have a throw at the stumps with (6) Duck Egg Blue. Loved the freshness he showed at the trials, trucking up strongly in both heats under a tight grip. Maps well and gets in very light with the claim.
(12) Spice Baby has come back in great order, leading all but the final 20m fresh and can only improve fitness wise. The other big tick is her on-speed pattern around the tight-turning Gosford track.
(13) Queen’s Rhapsody will need a peach of a ride to offset the gate, but the 1200m is kind enough and she comes through a strong first-up rating race.
(4) Smashing Time gets the shades on second-up and looks well placed.
Selections:
(6) Duck Egg Blue
(12) Spice Baby
(13) Queen’s Rhapsody
(4) Smashing Time
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 3
Tricky Highway. Leaning the way of (2) Neil, but he has come up pretty short market wise. Nash and Dunn are an extremely good combination when it comes to Highways. He maps ideally and brings the best event form into this contest.
(3) Exit Free trialled up exceptionally well leading into this race, the query being drawn poorly and will need luck.
(1) Life Coach gets thrown into the numbers as well, draws well, has trialled smartly, but may find 1000m a touch short.
Hard to knock the winning form of (9) Denman Force. Racing well.
Selections:
(2) Neil
(3) Exit Free
(1) Life Coach
(9) Denman Force
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 4
(6) Compensation was impressive last time out when going straight to Saturday grade off a maiden win and saluting again. Rock-hard fit and an out-and-out 1000m horse.
(4) Crepe Myrtle comes through a smart last start contest behind Golden Straand, who has since won again. She tends to improve second and third-up and maps well here.
(1) World Alliance will sit back from gate 7 and look to pounce late off some good trials.
(5) Island Dec and (7) Petticoat are next best, both having ticked the box at the trials.
Selections:
(6) Compensation
(4) Crepe Myrtle
(1) World Alliance
(5) Island Dec
(7) Petticoat
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 5
Good race this, with the top two in the market looking set to fight it out. Loved the late sectional strength of (9) Chilli Margs last start when held up at a key stage. Up to 1600m now and gets a much more positive map.
(6) Mr Miller did it tough when posted three-wide in the same race, peaks fitness wise and maps on speed, but still needs to tick a strong 1600m for mine.
(3) Nobler showed a smart turn of speed last start to take out the last. Similar class here, but goes up in the weights and maps sticky where he’ll likely be buried away.
(5) Cloisters rounds out the numbers.
Selections:
(9) Chilli Margs
(6) Mr Miller
(3) Nobler
(5) Cloisters
Suggested Bet: (9) Chilli Margs – Win
Race 6
One of the better betting contests across the program. (10) King Of The Sea did a terrific job first-up in Australia with a smart sectional effort. He’s been given a gap between runs with an elite tick-over trial in Sydney. Slightly sticky map, but trusting Adam and the horse’s turn of foot.
(3) Thrice looked to have needed that fresh run and loved the way he kept fighting after looking gone at the top of the straight. He goes straight to 2100m and should lead from the draw.
(16) Koolibah looked to labour between the 400m-200m when dropping from 2000m back to 1800m last start, so the rise in trip is key.
(5) Bella Montagna is next best and should improve second-up.
Selections:
(10) King Of The Sea
(3) Thrice
(16) Koolibah
(5) Bella Montagna
Suggested Bet: (10) King Of The Sea – Win
Race 7
A wide-open edition of the Takeover Target Stakes. Kind enough 1200m starting point, but not a whole lot of speed to report up front.
(4) Willaidow has been given a freshen after what was a mixed prep. Back to 1200m and looked sharp in a recent trial.
(9) Kerguelen will need a good ride from barrier 2 coming off a smart last start run.
(2) King Of Roseau is in the same boat, racing in career-best form but not ideally suited around the tight-turning Gosford track. The positive is the barrier.
(11) Harry’s Yacht hits this race in his best form, though the drop from 1400m to 1200m is the knock. The gate and his turn of foot are positives.
Selections:
(4) Willaidow
(9) Kerguelen
(2) King Of Roseau
(11) Harry’s Yacht
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 8
The Coast over the 1600m comes up here in R8. Plenty of form lines collide in a great betting race.
(4) On Display brings three consecutive forgive runs into this event — wet track, wet track, then a complete train wreck last start. Back to a firm deck, good gate and a drop in class all read well.
(10) Sarrismo was dominant last start winning the Orange Cup, showing a smart turn of foot carrying 62kg. Drops sharply to 53kg here and should lead without pressure.
(1) Zambardo attacked the line impressively first-up, rises to 1600m second-up and will be flashing late.
(3) Depth Of Character is next best with a similar fresh run to Zambardo and should improve second-up.
Selections:
(4) On Display
(10) Sarrismo
(1) Zambardo
(3) Depth Of Character
Suggested Bet: (4) On Display – Eachway
Race 9
The 2100m Gosford Cup — three turns in total, with two of them very tight, often favouring those up on speed.
(2) Bois D’Argent did a good job first and second-up before a complete head-scratcher third-up. He’s been back to the trials and looks back to his best. He should land in the first four and prove hard to beat.
(15) Sunset Park will do similar, in form and likely to lead. Ready for 2100m and looks over the odds for an in-form Rachel King.
(16) Zaphod should drop in behind this moderate tempo. The 2100m is the query, but he’s rock-hard fit and has to go in the mix.
Not sure what to make of (5) Maison Louis — solid first-up and can only improve out in distance, though the draw is plain. Dylan Gibbons will need a peach of a ride.
Selections:
(2) Bois D’Argent
(15) Sunset Park
(16) Zaphod
(5) Maison Louis
Suggested Bet: (2) Bois D’Argent – Win
Race 10
Wide-open end to the program.
(3) Hillier returns to the races after being gelded into this prep. Three trials and looks ready to go from a solid draw.
(13) La Roja has recorded four consecutive seconds, draws well enough but may end up buried on the fence needing luck.
Happy to throw (12) Scintilla into the mix second-up off that long layoff. Fitness wise, she’ll improve sharply off the fresh run.
(10) Damien looks to have plenty of talent and can run well first up.
Selections:
(3) Hillier
(13) La Roja
(12) Scintilla
(10) Damien
Suggested Bet: No Bet
