Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Friday, July 26th.
Today's racing takes place at Ballina, Ipswich and Canberra.
Get Luke Krahe's best bets for each track below!
Horse Racing Tips: Friday, July 26th
Ballina Race 1 (Market)
The first of two maidens for the babies that we are targeting today comes up at Ballina over 1010m on the heavy track at set weights. Murwillumbah trainer always has a strong presence at these northern NSW meetings, (4) Lesharc is a colt in his stable resuming after a 21-week break. He has been to the races three times, he was ok on debut at Toowoomba before going to the paddock, had two starts at his second prep, both in the city in Brisbane and both of them not beaten much more than a length. He showed good speed at the third of those, not sure he will be able to lead over the 1000m but he will certainly be handy. He won a trial at Deagon before close up in a Doomben trial at his latest hit-out, he should be in the first couple of pairs early and showed that he can get over further so should be too strong at the back-end. If he is well backed late, double your bet!
Ballina Race 4 (Market)
We stick with the Matty Dunn stable in Race 4 with (9) Manila Miss. To start with it looks a great jockey change with Robbie Fradd going on from her first-up run at Grafton over the carnival. She was against the girls at Class 2 level that day and drops back to a Class 1 today, she was mid-field in the run and was held-up when the runs came approaching the turn. She eased wider early in the straight and chased solidly, just missed the placings in a blanket finish and was only officially beaten 0.67 of a length. She has placed at two of her three second-up runs, drawn wider here she probably needs cover in the run but has a quality jock legging up. She showed a stack of speed the last time she was on a heavy track at maiden level and almost led all the way, the track shouldn’t worry her.
Ipswich Race 4 (Market)
Three horses that we have not seen before are a little question mark, but we are singling out a Barry Baldwin trained filly that has been to the races once. (10) Lady Appleton debuted at The Sunshine Coast back in early March, she showed speed and was on the pace but wide without cover, four-wide to the turn but weakened badly after a torrid run. She was sent straight to the paddock and was last seen at the trials at Doomben back in June. She jumped ok but was restrained heavily, today’s jockey Michael Cahill rode her that day and couldn’t get a grip as she threw her head around to eventually be restrained to the tail. The leaders got away and at no stage did Cahill press the button, she was officially beaten 8.75 lengths in the trial but was untouched and caught behind a couple of slow ones. She looks to have been well hidden at the trials, drawn well and very speedy, she should be able to jump and run and at the double-figure odds, looks a great each-way bet.
Canberra Race 5 (Market)
Punters will narrow it down to a two-horse race in the betting between (1) Kuzco Lad and (4) Vici. (1) Kuzco Lad is form the Waterhouse Bott yard and they really know how to get a 2YO to fire early, which is why it is a little worrying that he was such big odds at his debut in a Kembla maiden. He led and was beaten by the furlong pole, the winner of that race has since come out and won this week again. But the SP profile is what worries me with one from that stable. (4) Vici on the other hand is at start number 6 today and although he has only placed once in his career, he has shown potential. The Acton track here at Canberra usually plays fair and although the Snowden trained runner will be giving the Waterhouse/Bott colt a start the maps to settle a little closer than usual and should be too strong late. I would be very surprised if one of these two didn’t take home the winner’s cheque.
