Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing on Wednesday, August 21st.
It's a solid day of metropolitan horse racing this afternoon and we've provided our best bets for Canterbury, Sandown and Belmont below!
Horse Racing Tips: Wednesday, August 21st
Canterbury Race 4 (Market)
(11) Subpoenaed should be winning this based on her debut performance over in New Zealand and the wrap they have on her. She meets a fairly thin field here for a midweek metro race and she trialled smartly leading into her Australian debut today. Waller/JMac combine and she's undoubtedly the one to beat. She is $1.55 though, so it doesn't take a genius to say she should be winning. Outside of her, I think there's a great each way play in the race in the form of (6) Nicconita at $17/$3.40. She resumed in a Highway Handicap on a Saturday at Randwick. She settled last and ran home in the best 800m-200m sectional to be beaten just under 2L. She's placed in nine of her 10 starts at the distance, has placed in both starts at this track and distance, has placed in all three starts when second up and has never missed a place from eight starts on good ground. She's paying $3.40 to place and I'm happy to have a good crack at that.
(6) Nicconita to place
$3.40
Canterbury Race 6 (Market)
Two I'm really keen on here. (5) Rock returns to the races today for the first time since finishing down the track in the G2 Phar Lap Stakes behind Verry Elleegant in March. Prior to that he'd finished in the top two at every start and his sole win came over this track and distance. He trialled well recently and looks right up to winning this fresh. I think the only horse that can beat him is (3) Calabasas. He finished off strongly first up over this track and distance, weaving his way through on the inside to be beaten less than a length. The key today is he's second up and he's never finished out of the top two from four starts when second up. He looks a very solid chance at $6.00. Happy to dutch bet here and back both to win an equal amount.
Value: (3) Calabasas $6.00
Sandown Race 7 (Market)
(10) Too Good Too Hard steps up from 1000m to 1400m which is never ideal, but he looks to be the most progressive horse in the race and looks to have plenty more improvement to come. He was only narrowly beaten here first up and was a dominant winner back on debut in May. Handles the wet ground, draws softly in barrier 2 and so long as he's fit enough to handle the sharp rise in trip, he should be hard to beat.
(10) Too Good Too Hard
$2.45
Sandown Race 8 (Market)
(8) Tofane is a really promising young horse that returns from a spell over the short course 1000m today. Last time we saw him he ran 2nd in the G2 Euclase Stakes in Adelaide and prior to that he put in some impressive performances in Melbourne. I suspect the 1000m will be well short of his best distance but he looks to have a distinct class edge on the rest of the field, so I'll take the punt that he's good enough to win fresh. (4) Ray's Dream looks a good each way chance in the race at double figure odds. He's raced five times over this track and distance for three wins and two placings, and he's raced four times on soft ground for three wins and a 2nd placing. He gets everything to suit again today coming off two wins and he looks a value chance in the race.
Value: (4) Ray's Dream $11
Belmont Race 2 (Market)
Competitive race but (8) Naughty By Nature is one I've followed here from its debut at Pinjarra. She ran home well from the back of the field after drawing the second from outside barrier. She draws barrier 1 today so we might see her much closer in the run, which should be the place to be given the rail is out so far. Chris Parnham sticks with her which is a positive sign and she looks as if she'll be very competitive.
(8) Naughty By Nature
$3.80
Belmont Race 5 (Market)
I thought this was possibly a two-horse race between (1) Stratocreed and (9) Olivia Knows. Stratocreed resumes from a spell today and although he'll be better suited second up over 1400m, he finds a winnable race today. He's got a decent first up record, a good record at the distance and he gets a good track which is what he goes best on. He was then competitive in town on several occasions last prep, which you can't say about many of these. Expecting a big run fresh from the good gate. Olivia Knows comes off a last-start win over track and distance. The query is whether she will go as well on the good track today but she at least brings some metro form to the race.
