30/4/2023 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Rockhampton, The Archer day

A bumper card has been set down for Rockhampton on Sunday, headlined by the $775,000 The Archer (1300m), attracting a quality field. The weather is fine, the track is soft (5) and the rail is out 2.5 metres for the entire circuit.

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The Archer 🏆: View the Field and Odds for The Archer

Even 2YO race on paper. Landed with 1 Fine Shot (Bet Now:  $SP.00), on debut for Nick Walsh. Spieth gelding that is having start one and he looked sharp in an all the way trial win here just over two weeks ago. He was pushed out but did respond well under pressure to win. Wiggins/Walsh combination last 12 months, it’s quite remarkable the strike rate: 64% Winning, 96% Placing, with a 40% POT. Think he’ll land in front and prove hard to run down.

6 Sweet Confessions (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is having start one for Stuart Kendrick and will look the winner for a fair way. She hasn’t been seen since April 4 when trialling at the Sunny Coast where she showed really good early toe to lead and that early burn just told late in the piece, tiring to run third. Has gate one, so she should find a forward spot and give cheek.

5 Blue Whiskey (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is on debut for Tom Smith. Daughter of Instinction that has start one off the back of a trial here, which was the Fine Shot trial mentioned above when beaten ten lengths but seemingly moved well enough. Highly doubt she wins given the two mentioned above are smart but can pinch a place.

1 Super Bazooka (Bet Now:  $SP.00) looks the obvious, and with the claim, he looks very well in. He made a mess of them two back over 1800m at Mackay before going to the mile at Emerald where the market said he was a good thing and duly saluted. Three back he was good in defeat at this track/distance and does lose Butler, but with the 3kg claim, he’s thrown in. The one to beat.

2 Grand De Lago (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is knocking on the door. He has been runner up his past two, two back seeing him go to Monto before heading to Gladstone when a narrow second over 1500m. Gets to the mile, he maps to get an ideal run in transit and gets Ashley Butler aboard so he has a bit going for him. Can certainly take this out.

5 Native Bee (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a definite winning chance. He was specked at odds when racing last Thursday at this track/distance and I thought he was a real eye catcher from near last when a closing fourth to Tricky Beans. If the inside gate can be used to advantage, he is certainly going well enough to win so don’t dismiss him despite it being a little while between wins.

2 Sneak Preview (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is the moral on the program. David Vandyke trains this gelding, who just brings the city form and frankly, the better form. He has steadily improved with each run this time in, the latest run coming at this trip just over three weeks ago where he got off the speed and was never really a threat but didn’t mind the way he found the line late in the piece behind Opacity. Back on a firm deck, hard fit, miles back in depth…good luck beating him.

1 Deep Breath (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a sight query at the mile but it’s hard to knock how genuine he is and he does get the Walsh/Wiggins combination, which we have said earlier is lethal. Resumed with a narrow second to Age Of Innocence before going to 1300m at Mackay where he led throughout and was strong to the line. He has won at the mile previously and if he gets control in front, he’ll take running down.

4 Jay Jay (Bet Now:  $SP.00) doesn’t win out of turn but is honest and IMO a must for multiples. He has placed his past two, both coming here. Latest of those runs was over 1500m and was good from off the speed, closing to run third to Jetski. He gets a much better map compared to that horse here and does have more upside IMO. Doubt he wins, but a first four threat.

I want to give 4 Colleagues (Bet Now:  $SP.00) another chance. Odd placement from the Vandyke camp fresh at Eagle Farm over 1200m, drawing 14/15, dragged back to last and just couldn’t get involved behind Aureus Angel, but that said, his late splits were pretty good. Love him up to 1400m, drops big time in grade/depth and maps to settle much closer in the run.

3 Rovers Pepper (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is hard to beat. Clinton Taylor trained gelding that won his opening three runs for the prep before going to Ipswich last Wednesday where he was outside the speed throughout and there to put them away but couldn’t quite and was run down late by Kinetic. Back home, should slide forward from the wide gate and prove hard to get past.

8 Most Impressive (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a lightly raced mare that maps to be dangerous at a likely decent price. She has had two runs for Glenda Bell, the first run coming over 1100m at Mackay when a game third to The Krone before going to 1200m here when just off the speed and was solid in defeat when second to Tycoon Tori. 1400m is a slight query but maps well again and gets McEvoy to steer.

11 Simply Better (Bet Now:  $SP.00) doesn’t have the best of racing patterns but if she can use the inside gate to advantage, I think she’ll only run well. She ran over 1000m at the Sunny Coast just over two weeks ago where she got a fair way out of her ground and was never really a threat but I did like the way she found the line late in the piece behind Deb’s Ellie. Just want the gate to be used to settle closer. She’ll still be effective at the end if that eventuates.

2 Better Rain (Bet Now:  $SP.00) returns home and is hard to beat. He was simply too good for them in this part of the world so the stable sent him to Brisbane for the Jewel after failing to run the mile out at Eagle Farm and he ran a beauty in defeat behind All That Pizzazz. Fresh legs and back to 1100m, I am sure he will look the winner for a long way.

3 Kobe Lad (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is certainly good enough to take this out. He was a bit on the plain side fresh at Eagle Farm behind stablemate Liquor before going to the Deb’s Ellie race mentioned above when on speed and showed more fight in the straight, just feeling the pinch late to run fourth. Hard fit now, ideal map, you’d think this is just about D-Day for him.

Garnett Taylor should always be respected when bringing horses to Rockhampton so don’t dismiss 8 Bold And Lucy (Bet Now:  $SP.00), a mare who can be hit and miss at times but saves her best for this track. Latest run came a few weeks ago over this trip at Doomben where she got back from the wide gate and did make up headway but was never a threat behind Dune Forty Five. Good speed in front, she’ll get her chance to launch late.

3 Age Of Innocence (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is an absolute beauty for Nick Walsh that saves his best for this track. He has won his past two at this track, winning over 1100m before stepping up to 1200m, and was there to be beaten, but found under pressure and was strong late. Off that, 1300m should be okay and right down in the weights now, he appeals.

4 Constant Flight (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is having his second run for Lindsay Gough and his best is clearly good enough to take this out. He resumed at Ipswich over 1200m when attempting to lead throughout and he gave a solid kick but being fresh, condition gave way when fourth to Hard Landing. Drops a fair way in depth, lands on speed and does have a bit of quality about him.

10 Blaze A Trail (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a dry track specialist so with a dry track on the cards, he’s an each way bet for me. It was a messy prep for him when last in work, getting interrupted by wet tracks and he couldn’t really get a flow into his campaign. Given a good break and his trial work to get ready has been strong. He runs well fresh and has won up to the mile, so 1300m fresh I like…draw is tricky, but he’ll be strong late.

3 Emerald Kingdom (Bet Now:  $SP.00), I think, is flying, and can certainly take this out. He was unwanted in betting when resuming in the Ascot Handicap and despite 1000m being short of his best, I thought he ran a super race in defeat when a closing fourth to Prince Of Boom. Fitter, up to 1300m, more positive ride, he’ll run a bold race I am sure.

12 Count Da Beans (Bet Now:  $SP.00) would want to be winning this race if he’s going to progress to better races. He resumed a few weeks ago where he got a mile out of his ground despite drawing soft but couldn’t get involved early and was only warming to the task very late behind Aureus Angel. Fitter, if he can settle closer, he’ll take beating because he does have a touch of quality and does have the WFA pull, plus a kind enough map.

10 Thisland Is Myland… (Bet Now:  $SP.00) I could write more than what is in the Bible to describe how I feel about him losing the race on protest last start at Mackay. He should have won but the severe interference at the top of the straight meant he lost the race. He’s a very nice horse who can do a bit wrong but he has the engine under the hood and confident he can atone for last time.

3 Sergeant Hulka (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a son of Real Saga for Garnett Taylor that resumes. He hasn’t raced since Melbourne Cup Day at the Sunny Coast when just way too keen in the run behind the speed and that left him without much for the straight when third to Sacca. Been given a good break and his two trials to prepare have been more than encouraging.

6 The Squire (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a very interesting runner. He resumes for Tom Smith after having a short stint with Jamie McConachy where he wasn’t too far away in three runs. He is a horse who can sprint well fresh and he has the right racing pattern to give himself every chance. His best is good enough to win.

BEST BET: Race Three Number 2 Sneak Preview

NEXT BEST: Race Two Number 1 Super Bazooka

LONG SHOT: Race Seven Number 10 Blaze A Trail

Quaddie Tips (Races Five Through To Eight):

Leg One: 2, 3, 5, 11

Leg Two: 2, 3, 4, 7, 8

Leg Three: 3, 8, 10, 11, 12

Leg Four: 3, 6, 10, 12

$50 Investment = 12.50% of the dividend if successful

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