Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Monday, January 6th.
The new week of racing kicks off with meetings at Gunnedah and Echuca, where we have eight races at each track. We've picked out our best bets for the day in our racing preview below!
Horse Racing Tips: Monday, January 6th
Gunnedah Race 1 (Market)
(3) Winter Moon is on debut for the Brett Thompson yard. He trialed twice before being sent to the paddock, back in work again he was at the trials at Scone a little over a week ago. He jumped well, held the inside and although beaten a few lengths, the time was good enough and there was a huge margin back to the fourth horse. He has natural speed which should count for a lot going around here, expect him to be hard to catch. (6) Romanella will start the favourite but happy to take her on from what I saw at her latest trial, she jumped well and led but found very little in the run home. She draws outside our pick, hopefully Winter Moon kicks up and asserts his authority and keeps the front. I expect them to back the Kris Lees runner Romanella, which will see our tip continue to drift. (4) Dual Aspen is the other horse in the market, I can’t have her beaten more than 4 lengths at a Scone maiden on debut at 40/1.
Gunnedah Race 3 (Market)
Those that took the short odds about (6) Espressino to win on debut may be a little hesitant backing up today, but not me. She had trialed well leading into that run at Quirindi, but you could tell that all was not well early in the run. She was all over the shop and racing ungenerously, got off the fence before the short straight and although she hit the line well enough, she was well beaten. There was a big gap to third and it has proven a good form reference since, the winner has since come out and won again at Class 1 level and the fourth horse across the line has won its maiden. Drawn well in six, with the extra galloping room away from the fence, I expect her to make amends here off a 6-week break. She will be short, but she will be winning.
Echuca Race 2 (Market)
With the bushfire crisis affecting so many in the Wangaratta area, the meeting has been transferred to Echuca today. At the time o0f writing there are no prices available so I am not sure how short (3) Lucky Dozen will be, obviously don’t want to be tipping things if they are unbackable. He debuted six months ago here at the Echuca track, was an easing favourite but still started in the red. He was very disappointing it must be said after settling on the leaders back and although he was a little green, he was entitled to get a lot closer. He was sent to the paddock and resumes today off a nice trial at Tatura. He jumped well, saved ground back on the inside before angling around the leader and ambled up under a hold. IU have no doubt he could have gone straight past the winner had they wanted to. The winner of that trial has since come out and won its maiden, just a matter of what price we can lock up here!
Echuca Race 8 (Market)
(1) Booradley drops a stack in class from what he was up against last start. He was a winner at Wagga two back in a Class 2, he sat wide but with cover and after balancing up in the straight, was too strong to the line. Last time at Yarra Valley he was in a 4-horse race at BM70 grade. He was last of the 4, forced to come three-wide at the turn but failed to run on. He was well beaten but interestingly the tongue-tie is re-applied today so there may have been an issue. He comes back to a 0-58 and although he has to carry 60kg, he doesn’t look that bad off at the weights in my opinion. Drawn wide, he will need some luck getting cover early, he looks worth an each-way punt at the likely double figure odds.
