Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Eagle Farm on Saturday, June 8th.
The Group 1 Tatts Tiara rounds out the Brisbane Winter racing carnival.
The track is currently a Good 4 and the rail is out 4m.
We've got tips and comments for every race on the card below!
Eagle Farm Racing Tips: Saturday, June 22nd
Best Bet: Race 5 - (14) Sweet Deal
Best Value Bet: Race 9 - (7) Amanaat
Race 1
Extremely tough race to start off with and there's a stack of chances so I'll keep it brief. (13) Ditmas has won four of his career starts. This is by far his toughest test given he tackles city class for the first time, but he's building a very nice record and comes into this after a good first up win. The draw is a bit tricky but he should get his chance at Eagle Farm. (5) Connoisseur might be a touch of value at $17. He's got a decent first up record and has won one of his two starts here at Eagle Farm (the other he had no luck). That win here was over (4) Boom Chicka Boom who is about a third of his price. (14) November Man looks the one they'll have to beat.
Value: (5) Connoisseur $17
Race 2
(4) Big Parade goes on top. He only won at Taree on debut but he did it ever so easily. The money has arrived for him in early betting and even though he draws wide he looks up to winning this with any luck. (2) Kordia was narrowly defeated on debut but atoned for that with a win last start at Canterbury. He draws well and gets the in-form Blake Shinn aboard. (1) Discharged actually beat Kordia two starts ago and bumped into subsequent Group 1 winner Prince Fawaz last start. That form looks particularly good for a Listed race. I'd be surprised if the winner came from outside of those.
Race 3
Hardest race of the day as this is for bush horses only, so I have no idea on the form. Will take a stab in the dark at (9) Machu Picchu who has won three from five this prep. One of those defeats was as the $1.60 favourite in a four-horse field. She won at Warwick two starts ago, which is one of the few venues in the form of these horses that holds TAB meetings. Drawn well and could be an each way bet at $9.00. Blake Shinn is booked on the favourite (5) Deadly Choices and unsurprisingly that's had good backing early.
Race 4
Good race and although he's well and truly short enough, (1) Vega One looks the one to beat. He started a $3.50 chance in the Fred Best Classic last start but was caught wide without cover in the early stages and that took its toll in the straight. Prior to that he beat Multaja by over three lengths and that sort of effort would probably be enough to win this. He gets Blake Shinn aboard today to replace Jeff Lloyd which is a big positive and provided he gets an easy run in transit, he should be right in the finish at the very least. (2) Cyber Attack had no luck last start, held up the entire straight. On that, he should be competitive with any luck today. (4) Phobetor and (7) Malahide are from the Michael Costa stable and both hold good chances. Phobetor has won two of his three starts easily. His only defeat was on heavy ground when he finished last. Malahide won first up at Ipswich and ran home very well last start in the Daybreak Lover. He has to be rated highly based on that effort. The blowout chance is (10) Sleepy Heart who was caught wide without cover last start and battled on well to finish 3rd. I expect Vega One to drift in the market - this is competitive so I can understand $2.05 being a touch on the short side.
Race 5
There's a couple I like here but this race couldn't set up any better for (14) Sweet Deal. The wide barrier is about the only negative for her. She ran well in defeat first up in Group 2 company, where she was beaten just 1.4L. She drops back to a Class 6 here, gets in on the minimum weight of 54kg and her she's never finished out of the top two from four starts when second up from a spell. She'll get firm ground which is what she needs and with even luck she should be right in the finish. (5) Perfect Dare is over the odds at $34. His form looks absolutely terrible this preparation, but he's had four starts and has been caught wide without cover four times. "3WNC" is riddled through his recent form. He can really turn his form around if he gets any luck at all. (8) Magnufighter was a great run first up at big odds, beaten just 1.1L. I was keen on him that day so I'll have to back him again here at around $9.00. Just needs some luck from the wide gate. (11) Smartedge has the obvious class to be very competitive.
Value: (5) Perfect Dare $34
Race 6
(7) Sin To Win ran 4th in the Brisbane Cup two weeks ago, beaten 3.35L. He goes up a kilo in the weights today from what he carried in that race and this is an easier assignment. He was five weeks between runs leading into that so I'm sure he'll be better off for that run, and it was only two starts ago that he split Steel Prince and Surprise Baby at Flemington. (9) Vow And Declare was a big run in defeat in the Queensland Derby behind Mr Quickie. He was caught wide without cover all race and was hampered late in the race by the winner running out. He looks a real stayer so the trip shouldn't be an issue and this is still only his fifth run of the campaign. (1) Big Duke is the class runner of the field but has 60kg to carry from a tricky barrier.
Race 7
Sticking with (6) Vinland who was a last-start winner of the Listed Wayne Wilson Plate over 1600m here. He defeated (1) Duca Valentinois by a nose on that occasion and gets a 2kg swing in the weights in his favour today, so there's really no reason he can't go close again today. (9) Take It Intern looks ready to win after finishing 2nd last start behind Star Of The Seas in Sydney. He's now had three runs back from a spell so with any luck from barrier 11, he should give this a shake. (8) Live And Free has placed in his past three starts and is knocking on the door, while (7) Another Dollar draws well and should relish both firm ground and the rise in trip.
Race 8 - Group 1 Tatts Tiara
Plenty of chances here in the Group 1 but I'm siding with Godolphin to claim another feature. Blake Shinn chooses to stick with (18) Pohutukawa and from the good draw, she goes on top. She was luckless in defeat behind Kolding last start, checked badly in the straight but still managing to to run home well into 3rd. They tested her over the 2000m but she didn't stay and so they've targeted her towards this race over 1400m. At the start of her prep, she was every bit as good as Nakeeta Jane in Sydney, and if she brought her best form here, she'd win. Just needs luck and I'm sure she'll be right in the finish. (13) Multaja has finished in the top two at her past six straight runs. She was super impressive in winning at Doomben last start, but Shinn jumps off and Jeff Lloyd takes over, which is a negative jockey change. Still, she'll be motoring home from the back. (5) Princess Posh looks big odds for a horse that split The Bostonian and Trekking in Group 1 WFA company last start. She wa shuge odds but it's not the first time she's produced that sort of performance so I can't understand the $21 about her today. (9) Egg Tart has looked good at the trials and it intrigues me that we see her run first up in this race. I'd be keeping her safe.
Value: (5) Princess Posh $21
Race 9
There looks pace to burn here and I'm keen on two chances in particular. (3) Brave Song is a horse I've had on my side ever since he debuted and his run last start was nothing short of enormous. He was one of only two horses on the day to break 11 seconds for the final 200m. Prior to that, he ran 2nd to subsequent Group 1 winner Trekking. Barrier 1 isn't ideal for him at all, but he gets Blake Shinn aboard and if they go quick up front, he'll be charging home over the top of them late. (7) Amanaat is the clear value at $13. I was keen on him first up and he should have won. This is his target race for the preparation so if he's come on from the first up run as expected, he'll be a big chance in this. He's undefeated second up and has won four from five at the distance. Just needs a good ride from a tricky barrier.
