Adrian has loved racing from an early age, and regularly visits his local tracks in the west of Ireland. With a love for both UK & Irish flat and jumps racing, his favourite festival is the Galway Races and he goes there every year.
Midweek racing in Australia is a big business and punters love sorting through the fields to find the next potential superstar. With many maiden races on the card for two and three-year-olds, midweek racing provides a springboard for the talented up-and-comers which will be contested major Saturday-graded races in the near future. Our resident Australia racing tipster has a look through the card to pick out some horses to watch.
This Wednesday the action takes place at Warwick Farm, which hosts some hotly-contested sprints which we have targeted as good betting opportunities.
Race 1 at Warwick Farm is a 2YO maiden over 1000 metres (5 furlongs) where Credible Witness is the 2/1 favourite. Its form doesn’t appear great at first reading, but it has been beaten by two classy horses to date. On debut it was beaten by Dalradian which has since won another two races, and second up it was beaten by Extreme Choice which is unbeaten in two starts and is the current Group 1 Blue Diamond favourite.
Snow Surrender has been well backed in the betting to beat Credible Witness. Trainer Joseph Pride is a masterful sprinter trainer and he put down its poor debut performance down to the wet track. Conditions in Sydney are fine and fast for this race and we should see a much better effort. The Sepoy filly is currently a 3/1 chance to win and it looks a big threat.
Rather Sweet has the most experience of any runner in the field, having had three career outings. It kicked off its campaign with a poor effort in a listed race, but has gone much better in its last two outings. It won a trial to prepare for this at Warwick Farm and that bodes well for a much-improved run. It has drawn wide in barrier 10 which makes it tough and bookmakers have it priced at 4/1.
Race 3 at Warwick Farm is a 3YO maiden over 1100 metres (5 1/2 furlongs) which features lightly-tried three-year-olds looking to break the maiden barrier. Of those runners is the current 13/5 favourite Deploy which has placed in all three starts to date. The Gerald Ryan-trained colt finished under a length behind Le Romain last start which subsequently ran second in a group 3 race last Saturday. Its form looks good, but it’s a touch short in the market.
Southern Legend is a 10/1 chance in the betting, which we think is way over the odds. The gelding has had two starts for a fourth and a fifth, but it has been beaten by two superstars and that should be respected. On debut it was defeated by Hellbent which has gone on to win a major race at Flemington and second up it was beaten by Japonisme which has since won two group ones. It was trialled well leading into this and should be respected at those odds.
Panegyria is on debut for Godolphin and it has won two trials in preparation for this. The Godolphin team are always patient with their youngsters and considering its good breeding, they were wise to wait until it was ready. Punters fall in love with betting the Godolphin runners on debut and they have come for it here. Bookmakers are offering 13/5 which is a touch short. The value looks to be with Southern Legend at big odds.
Race 4 is another 3YO maiden which should prove to be a good form guide for races later in the autumn. The Gai Waterhouse-trained Al Nader is the 2/1 favourite following a handy third on debut. Most Waterhouse runners go straight to the front and that’s the likely tactics that will be adopted here. It led on debut before being swamped late, but that came against some tough opposition and this looks easier. It will get an easy run from barrier two so the extra distance shouldn’t worry it.
Once Were Warriors didn’t have everything go its way on debut, but it was quickly spelled and educated. The Sebring gelding was slow away from the barriers and settled last throughout the run. Over the 1100-metre race, it ended up flying home for fourth which was one of the runs of the day. If it can jump from the barriers better, it looks a win chance at 14/5 in the betting.
Celestial Choice is a solid place chance at good odds in the betting. The Redoute’s Choice filly finished seventh on debut, but it was running on nicely late and the extra distance will suit perfectly. Punters don’t want a bar of it in the betting – currently a 20/1 chance for the win and 4/1 for the place. It looks a decent chance to run in the top three at those odds.