8/4/2023 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Oakbank, Hills Railway Stakes day

12 Skinder (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a Spill The Beans filly for David Jolly that is on debut. This girl has had a couple of trials under the belt to get ready for start one and to my eye, she has seemingly moved pretty well each time she has stepped out, notably a trial here last week. Market will be interesting but I think she has enough talent to measure up against these.

5 Storyteller (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a son of Written Tycoon for Michael Hickmott that is on debut. This guy had three trials and a jumpout in the Spring without a run. He was spelled and this time in has had an identical prep, with three rials and a jumpout under the belt, so he’s had a really good grounding, and got familiar with this track in a trial last week. Leading contender for sure IMO so watch the market.

2 Quick Return (Bet Now:  $SP.00) hasn’t done much in a 13 start career for Heather Lehmann, but the trial here last week suggests he has come back in super order. His last run came on Australia Day at Murray Bridge when down the track behind a quality filly in Dual Fuel. Thought he moved very well in the trial win here last week and the time stacked up pretty well for the morning. Think he commands respect.

4 Point Blaze (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is unknown at 1400m but an ideal map and senior jock aboard, she’ll do me. Forgive the last start effort behind Starlite Valley on the Parks track where she was wide no cover for the trip and tired late in a race dominated by those on speed. She has a good third up record, placing in 3/4, and from the gate, she’ll get a more economical run and can settle much closer in the run.

8 Shez Betty (Bet Now:  $SP.00) will jump on the bunny and give plenty of cheek. She did that in the Starlite Valley race mentioned above where she was outside the leader and eventual winner. Just lacked the change up speed to go with her but battled away gamely in defeat. Right down in the weights after the claim, she will look the winner for a fair chunk of the race.

3 Ambidazzle (Bet Now:  $SP.00) gets a senior jock aboard and I think that could be the last saving grace for her. She ran a few weeks back on the Parks track where I was quite keen on her running well but after getting a suck run, she failed to fire and was plain behind Chicago Storm. Back to Mares grade and she has run well at Oakbank previously…so she can run an improved race.

4 Merchant Boss (Bet Now:  $SP.00) should love getting back up to 1400m for Travis Doudle. Solid fourth over the trip two back at Murray Bridge before going back to 1250m on the Parks track and he drove hard late between runners, just missing out on the win when a narrow second to Validated. Gets back up in trip now and the depth isn’t as strong this time around. Hard to beat.

2 Fiorada Lad (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is one of the key threats. Three weeks between runs since an all the way winner over 1250m on the Parks track, producing sustained speed from the front and gave nothing else a look in, winning quite well, which followed an outstanding first up run at Murray Bridge. The Blinkers seemed to have done the trick and with that racing style from last start, that is suited here.

7 Dual Fuel (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a filly I have plenty of time for and won’t be dropping off her here. She was massive in defeat at Murray Bridge two back before going to the Morphettville Guineas where she got a mile out of her ground again and spotted them too much head start but found the line really well late in the piece behind Stonecoat. If she can settle closer in the run, she’ll be hard to hold out back to this level.

2 Port Royal (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is in with a shout. He had to go to a Non TAB meeting to get a win last time, but it was a decent race to win, the Streaky Bay Cup, where there was more depth than what he faces here. Prior efforts were more than sound and certainly good enough to suggest he’ll be around the mark in a race like this.

7 Understatement (Bet Now:  $SP.00) appeals as one of the key chances. His latest run just came under a fortnight back at Murray Bridge over 1800m where he got back in the run before trying to make a sustained move and tried hard but couldn’t quite get there when second to Getouttheway. Like that he gets the rise in trip and the depth here is nowhere near as strong.

8 Cowley’s Creek (Bet Now:  $SP.00) has had a couple of runs for Trevor Day and comes here off a win so he commands respect. He was a real eye catcher at Kangaroo Island two back before backing up a a couple of days later, got a rise in trip and he was impressive from off the speed. Like him up to 1900m, he has good upside to come and will be strong at the end.

6 Ichibansan (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is getting towards peak fitness and now has that winning feeling. Big win on the Parks track last time I thought. Led throughout and was there to be beaten but he kept finding under Stubby to fend off Dominus for a narrow but strong win. Has won at 2040m and the way he keeps finding, 2150m should be fine and rates highly.

4 Disagreeable Miss (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is racing like she wants more ground, which she gets here. Far from disgraced two back in the CS Hayes Memorial on Adelaide Cup Day before going to 1950m on the Parks track a fortnight back where the market said no to her and while she didn’t win, she worked home okay late without threatening behind Ichibansan. Like her up in trip and she’ll be strong at the end.

5 Dixie Whistler (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a tough nut for the Richards/Moyle camp that commands respect. Three weeks between runs since winning over 2250m on the Parks track. She was near the speed throughout and was one of the first off the bit but she kept finding under Neindorf to get the bob of the head and the win in a tight finish. She’ll be strong at the end and her record at Oakbank is very good. Hard to beat.

Fitter and up to 1400m, 1 Prince Jofra (Bet Now:  $SP.00) should take beating. Market said it would be a prep run when resuming two weeks ago on the Parks track and I thought he did a super job from off the speed, closing with purpose when third to Pontedera. Good second up record and up to 1400m, he has run well at Oakbank previously, he’ll take beating against these.

7 Fox Gem (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a son of Foxwedge that resumes for John Macmillan. This guy hasn’t raced since Jan 29 at Strathalbyn where he was just off the speed and kept finding the line late in the piece when a narrow second. That was at 2050m so 1400m fresh to me says that this isn’t a total waste of a run and he seemed to move well in a recent Murray Bridge jumpout.

2 Kingson (Bet Now:  $SP.00) has a good record at 1400m and with his racing style of rolling on speed, he’ll give plenty of cheek. His recent efforts have come at Port Lincoln, the latest over 1200m when attempting to lead throughout and gave a strong kick but had to settle for a narrow second to Trygve. The end of 1400m is the knock but he’ll look the winner for a fair chunk of the race.

4 Struck By (Bet Now:  $SP.00) has a racing pattern that is extremely well suited to Oakbank. I reckon Livesay went too hard with him two weeks ago on the Parks track and he was a tired horse at the top of the straight, battling late when third to My Khalifa. If he can get a more economical run on speed this time around, as seen the start prior when winning, he can bounce back into the winners list.

3 Lord Vladivostok (Bet Now:  $SP.00) might need the run but he is a quality animal when right and the stable is starting to hum with their runners. He resumed in the Matrice on Adelaide Cup Day and was an eye catcher from the back behind Another Award, clocking decent enough late splits. Great second up record and his trial here last week behind Gaze Grize, I thought he had plenty in hand. Hard to beat.

5 My Khalifa (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a 1400m specialist that has found winning form and he can certainly go on with it. The race shape suited him two weeks ago on the Parks track and once Neindorf presented him on the turn, it was a case of race over and he gapped them in an impressive display. Now he has that win on the board, he can maintain that level.

3 Taunting (Bet Now:  $SP.00) has to be given another chance. Michael Hickmott trains this talented sprinter, who resumed at Morphettville on Adelaide Cup Day where the market said he was a near good thing but he didn’t quite finish it off and was a bit on the plain side behind Queman. Unbeaten second up and if indeed he is going to be a potential Goodwood class hrose, he’d want to be winning a race like this.

6 Gaze Grise (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is three weeks between runs since resuming on the Parks track where she came with a well timed run from off the speed and looked the winner but being first up, condition just gave way behind Heka Express. She got familiar with the track with a trial win here last week and to my eye, she was one of the standouts of the trial session, the way she moved and won under a hold. She’s here to rock and roll in search of blacktype next to her name.

11 Larkham (Bet Now:  $SP.00) has found that winning feeling again and he can certainly go on with it. Narrow second two back behind Qeyaady. He then went to the Parks track a few weeks ago where he was backed with a fair amount of confidence and the bets were landed leading throughout and fighting hard late to win well. Rises a fair bit in grade/depth, but hard to knock the way he’s going.

12 Huntley Lady (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a hard mare to follow and trust with confidence but she has a decent engine under the hood. She ran a few weeks back at Murray Bridge where she got back in the run and tracked up nicely, getting into clear air and finishing off the race strongly when fourth to Bubble Over. Likely concedes a start but should be strong at the end, and her trial here last week was quite good.

9 Shooting For Stars (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a very interesting runner. Clarken/O’Shea trained filly that resumes and is having the first run for the new stable after formerly being with Andrew Dale in Victoria. Had three runs for Dale, winning her last two in dominant fashion. Looks prepped right up for this given she went like a jet in a trial here last week and will look the winner for a long way.

3 Sabermetric (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is hit and miss but his best is absolutely good enough to give this a shake. He ran over 1000m on the Parks track a few weeks back off a break and they rode him with a sit, which seemed to work because he launched late and just missed out on the win when a narrow second to Rusty Halo. Similar tactics adopted here, he’ll be around the mark I am sure.

BEST BET: Race Eight Number 3 Taunting

NEXT BEST: Six Number 1 Prince Jofra

LONG SHOT: Race Nine Number 12 Huntley Lady

Quaddie Tips (Races Six Through To Nine):

Leg One: 1, 2, 7, 8

Leg Two: 3, 4, 5, 6

Leg Three: 3

Leg Four: 1, 3, 9, 10, 12

$50 Investment = 62.50% of the dividend if successful

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