The Queensland Winter Racing Carnival draws to a close this Saturday with the Sky Racing Tatt’s Tiara Raceday. The $500,000 Group One feature race for the females has attracted a crack field of 19 (one emergency) with the Stradbroke winner Mid Summer Music to wear the number one saddlecloth. However, her chances seem very bleak thanks to drawing barrier 18. Red Tracer looks hard to beat thanks to her superb first up win in the Dane Ripper. If there was to be an upset, it could come from Divorces. She has been racing well without luck lately and she has finally drawn a decent barrier.
Other highlight races are the W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m), the Carlton Draught Tatt’s Cup (2200m), the Carlton Mid Tatt’s R.C. Mile (1600m) and the Centenary Mercedes-Benz Stakes (1400m).
Special Offer: $250 FREE BET – SPORTSBET
Special Offer #2: $300 FREE BET – LUXBET
Race One: Southbank Insurance Brokers Handicap (C6) 1200m Form Guide
Back Me: I get the feeling that Tahitian Black has been sent north by connections to look for dry tracks and they will get that on Saturday. He didn’t appear too comfortable in the heavy ground last start at Canterbury behind the handy galloper Number One Gun. Strikes a winnable race here, drawn the fence, and Jay Ford is riding in great form at present.
Don’t Back Me: Thefifthhole has been given time to get over a terrible run at the Gold Coast behind Boys On Tour. However, topweight with barrier 11 makes things very hard for her.
Big Danger: Brookton Tiara has the best form in the race. She ran a credible third to Gai’s Choice and Titbit last start at Rosehill. Gai’s Choice won the Gai Waterhouse Classic last week while Titbit has run a couple of solid races since. So it is a drop in grade for this mare. She is a deadset dry track horse, which will help her chances here.
Roughie: General Shareef was ultra impressive at Doomben in a strong class three last time and I think he deserves a crack in this class. If the pace is on, look out for him.
$250 Tahitian Black Free Bet
Race Two: Hardy Brothers Jewellers Handicap 1200m Form Guide
Back Me: Very, very, very tough race for punters. I’ve stuck with Howmuchdoyouloveme. I thought his win first up was very good. He sort of missed the kick, had to be used up to hold the lead, was tested in the straight but he still won, and with plenty left in the locker. There isn’t much pace drawn inside him so Avdulla can quite easily roll forward and get the perfect sit behind Mazzano, a nippy type from Toowoomba who has won two from two. Very confident about his chances.
Don’t Back Me: Stradon has been racing in nice fashion of late, but it seems like he performs at his best against this calibre of horse on wet ground. He won’t get that here.
Big Danger: War Charm has to go in as the main threat. His form is superior to these, drawn well, the form rider on top…only concern is fitness. If he is anywhere near the mark, he’ll go very close.
Roughie: State Of Wealth was a bit unlucky last start I felt. Sat deep throughout and despite that, he cruised up to win at the 300m, but the wet track and tough run told on him late. This is the easiest race he has contested for a while and he strikes a firm track. Knockout chance.
$250 Howmuchdoyouloveme Free Bet
Race Three: Hamilton Hotels Handicap (Benchmark 85) 1400m Form Guide
Back Me: Bianca Jewel looks a good thing here for me. She has been excellent in all five runs this prep, but her trial on Tuesday at Doomben looked awesome and she looks ready to record her sixth win from 21 starts.
Don’t Back Me: Oak Street has been very poor in his last two runs and it is hard to back him with any confidence. He really struggled on his home track at the Gold Coast in a weak race. He cannot possibly win here.
Big Danger: Dusty Gold has caught the eye recently in shorter races, so the 1400m looks perfect. He’ll sit back with cover and look to charge at them late. He does look well placed here, just not sure if he can get over the top tip.
Roughie: Fire Up Fifi was given a perfect ride by young Kirk Matheson and the mare duly saluted. Stepping up in grade here but she has drawn the fence and is three kilos under the minimum.
$250 Bianca Jewel Free Bet
Race Four: Centenary Mercedes-Benz Stakes 1400m Form Guide
Back Me: The $6 on offer for Discreet looks very enticing. She sat wide and got too far back behind Hoss Amor in the Lancaster and should have finished much closer. Olly sticks with her which is a good lead I think. She has the fence, he’ll put her to sleep and with a clear passage in the straight, she’ll give a great sight. She has been looking for a race beyond 1200m and she has found a perfect race.
Don’t Back Me: If I had to say one, maybe Sunset Affair, even though she was solid enough behind Hoss Amor in running second.
Big Danger: Hoss Amor had to win another race sooner or later and she did that in fine style last start. My only worry with her is 1400m. She had a start at 1350m at Doomben two starts back and was safely held, so the $2 on offer does seem rather short, but she has class.
Roughie: I think everyone who watched Holey Gadoley and Destruction bump in that two-year-old race during the long weekend was certain that the connections of the former were going to fire in a protest because a) the inteference was that severe that you protest, no matter what and b) without the inteference, it looked as if he was going get past the Patinack colt. However, there was no protest and he remained the runner up. But it did say that the 1400m will not be a worry for him, he should get a lovely run and he could surprise.
$250 Discreet Free Bet
Race Five: Carlton Mid Tatt’s R.C. Mile 1600m Form Guide
Back Me: I think Firebolt looks the good thing on the program. He was very unlucky behind Solzhenitsyn last start. He seemingly was bolting and as he was about to get a clear run, he got shunted back in by the winner. He lost all momentum but still did well to hit the line for second. Very weak race here, he should get the ideal sit and if he doesn’t win here, sack him.
Don’t Back Me: St Germaine was ridden poorly in that race. She doesn’t sit on the pace, she sits off it. However, it has been a long time since she has greeted the judge. Does she have that winning desire?
Big Danger: Jetset Lad showed his true form last week in the Eye Liner at Ipswich where he sat midfield and got home hard for second, despite not having a clear run in the straight. The quick back up is a good sign, as is the fact he is stepping up from the 1350m to the mile.
Roughie: I would not rule out Listen Son here. Easiest race he has contested since his first up run where he finished fifth, beaten less than a length. His next three runs he ran in the Prime Ministers Cup, the Brc Sprint and the Stradbroke. He should get a very comfortable lead and if he gets a bone dry track, he could easily pinch this.
$250 Firebolt Free Bet
Race Six: Carlton Draught Tatt’s Cup 2200m Form Guide
Back Me: Chris Waller and his horses are flying at the moment and I think Wazn can continue the trend. He has had four runs this time in and has done very well in each without winning. But I think he gets his chance here. I thought he ran a strong race in the Brisbane Cup behind a couple of Cups contenders for the Spring in Lights Of Heaven and Mawingo. The 2400m was a tad too far against them, so he drops a furlong here, drops significantly in grade, should get cover midfield somewhere and power home late.
Don’t Back Me: Ginga Dude was disappointing last week in the Ipswich Cup. I thought he had his chance after receiving the one-out-one-back trip. Maybe he didn’t handle the Ipswich circuit, I don’t know, but he’d want to improve big time in order to win.
Big Danger: Kinnersley should be improved by his fighting second to Shenzhou Steeds in the Ipswich Cup. He led, kicked strongly and was only grabbed late. The bigger surroundings of Eagle Farm will help and the prospect of a firm track. The stablemate Once Were Wild strikes a firm track and a weak race, something she hasn’t seen for a very long time.
Roughie: Rundle looks a sneaky rough chance. He is another that will appreciate a good surface and a soft run thanks to the rails draw. His last three good track runs have resulted in two wins and a fighting fifth to Fantastic Blue in the Eagle Farm Cup. Warrior Within got home strongly in the Ipswich Cup and looks to be ticking over beautifully for another crack at the Grafton Cup but he can still figure in the finish here.
$250 Wazn Free Bet
Race Seven: Sky Racing Tattersall’s Tiara 1400m Form Guide
Back Me: Red Tracer at $9? What has she done wrong? She did a stack of work in the Dane Ripper yet held on so well to win and her form prior to that is first class. More Joyous, Ofcourseican, Secret Admirer, KIng’s Rose…nothing wrong with that form yet she finds herself behind horses like Soft Sand and Shopaholic, two handy fillies but certainly not group one class, in the betting.
Don’t Back Me: The first three in the betting: Soft Sand and Shopaholic because I think both aren’t suited at WFA, and Mid Summer Music because barrier 18 and a dry surface puts her out.
Big Danger: Gai’s Choice was simply outstanding last week in the Gai Waterhouse Classic. Sat last, was near the outside fence on the home turn yet motored late and won, drawing away on the line. Her quick back up record is shocking, but she is in such a rich vein of form, it is hard to ignore her.
Roughie: My two roughies are Bonnie Mac and Divorces. Both had their last start behind Red Tracer, with the former finishing ninth and the latter fifth. Bonnie Mac will appreciate the rain staying away and the fact that she has drawn a barrier which allows the rider, Eddie Wilkinson, to do whatever he wants. Divorces is a cat in terms that she very rarely wins. But she keeps hitting the line well enough to suggest that she could win one very soon. She finally draws a decent alley here and Cooksley does stick with her.
$250 Red Tracer Free Bet
Race Eight:W.J. Healy Stakes 1200m Form Guide
Back Me: There was a big tip around for Griffon first up and he duly saluted at $26 for punters. I don’t see why he can’t do it again because his second up record is better than his fresh record, the 1200m looks ideal as the does the expected hot tempo in front.
Don’t Back Me: Audacious Spirit fought on well behind Griffon in that race, but there are several speedsters that will tackle him here. He is a concern.
Big Danger: Excellantes sat wide on the speed in the same race mentioned above and fought on doggidly for fifth. He’ll improve sharply on that performance because 1000m isn’t his go. 1200m-1400m is. If he can get cover or a drag into the straight look out. Tromso will sit near last and hope the breaks go his way because that is how to ride him, as we saw when he produced a barnstorming finish to win fresh at Rosehill.
Roughie: Bold Glance is resuming from a 98 day spell. He had two runs last time in, both on hevay ground, and he was disappointing. He gets a dry track on Saturday, drawn a nice barrier, trialled well enough on his home track on the Toowoomba Cushion and on his best form, he could give this a shake. Throw him in your exotics.
$250 Griffon Free Bet
| Bookmaker | Why Bet | Sign Up | Full Review |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Back Yourself with Ladbrokes! | Join | Review |
|
Back a Winner with Neds! | Join | Review |
|
Sign up to Palmerbet and start betting in minutes! | Join | Review |
|
Sign up to swiftbet and start betting in minutes! | Join | Review |
|
Sign up to Unibet and start betting in minutes! | Join | Review |
|
Sign up to Dabble and start betting in minutes! | Join | Review |
|
Sign up to MyBet and start betting in minutes! | Join | Review |
