26/12/2018 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Caulfield, Christmas Stakes day

Caulfield will host their traditional Boxing Day meeting this Wednesday, highlighted by the Christmas Stakes (1200m). The weather is fine, the track is good (4) and the rail is out six metres for the entire circuit.

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Keen is an understatement when it comes to seeing 5 Gina’s Hope (Bet Now: $3.20) again. Been a big fan of her since the start of the prep and is yet to let me down. Massive win first up at Kyneton before going to Echuca where she was heavily backed and won with a touch of arrogance from near last on the turn. Big tougher here, but gee she looks a future blacktype mare and she went enormous in a recent tick over trial at Terang.

Not sure if the flucs are correct, but $1.60 was the opening price of 2 Twitchy Frank…(Bet Now: $3.00) stunning. She’s a nice mare but not that good. She is racing well though having run a narrow fourth down the Flemington straight last Saturday behind Smart Coupe, beaten just over a half length. Gets every chance from gate one, but could get trapped away while the fav gets clear air.

3 Sister Kitty Mac (Bet Now: $21.00) is a Symon Wilde trained mare who hasn’t been far away of late. Ran at the Valley last time where she got a tad too far back in the run and was held up a touch but worked home okay late behind Freeze Over. Was five lengths off Twitchy Frank first up at the Bool and gets a little weight pull. Perhaps one for exotics at decent odds.

17 River House (Bet Now: $5.00) looks a very promising animal for Matthew Enright. He’s won both runs this campaign, resuming on his home track at Bendigo before bolting up at the Sandown midweeks. Good lead is that Olly remains on from Sandown and from the gate here, I’m hoping he can get three wide cover, blend in on the turn and put them away.

4 Langhro (Bet Now: $4.50) is a lightly raced son of Lonhro for Mick Price resuming. This bloke only had two runs in the Autumn and won them both, bolting up each time and would have gone to the paddock with confidence sky high. Recent jumpout indicates he’s come back in super order, draws well…just has to lump the 61kg to be a winning threat here.

12 Think Babe (Bet Now: $10.00) is certainly well named because he’s indeed a thinker. Been red hot on him at his past couple, he’s loomed to win the race but yet to put them away. Has had six weeks off since last start at Bendigo so comes here fresh. At his best, he can definitely beat these…but gee whiz he’s a hard one to back and trust with confidence.

1 Angelic Spirit (Bet Now: $5.00) is a Busuttin/Young trained mare who is racing so well at the moment. Ran over 1400m at Pakenham last time where it was the ride from Linda Meech that won the race. Went to the front, controlled things beautifully then kicked really hard when asked for the big effort and on the line both horse and rider were impressive. Hard to beat once again.

2 Flying Krupt (Bet Now: $2.70) deserves a crack at this kind of race. This Phillip Stokes trained mare is absolutely flying at the moment. Comes to Melbourne off the back of a couple of dominant wins on the Parks track at Morphettville, the latest thanks to a 12/10 steer from a rising star in SA, Kayla Crowther. Harder here, but she’s a mare in form and has to be respected.

7 Lady Cromac (Bet Now: $9.50) is a Kevin Corstens trained mare who is flying at the moment. Got a mile back at this track/distance last Wednesday but finished off with real purpose to run a narrow second to Ocean Deep. Senior jock is back on now and she can sit closer in the run. Not sure she can win, but she goes in exotics and the early quaddie for sure.

It’s D-Day for 4 I Did It Again (Bet Now: $5.50). This is the easiest race he has contested for a long, long time. Ran down the Flemington straight last Saturday where he was near the speed and battled away pretty well in defeat behind Whispering Brook. Gets the claim for Georgina Cartwright, gate one, drops big time in depth…looks his race and $5/thereabouts is more than acceptable.

10 Immaculate Secret (Bet Now: $4.20) is a Team Corstens trained mare who is in career best form at the moment. Dominant winner two back at Terang before racing under the lights at the Valley where she was in trouble early on in the straight but dug deep when required. Had been nominated for several races but the stable elects to tackle this race and Dylan Dunn remains on.

It’ll be interesting to see how 2 Hang Man (Bet Now: $9.50) resumes, a handy stayer for Michael Moroney with eyes towards possibly something like the Adelaide Cup. His first Australian prep was a beauty, winning three races including one at Sandown. His best will be seen at 2000m+, but he certainly has the talent/class to run well here first up.

I’m hoping 8 Chippenham (Bet Now: $4.40) can get a soft lead. Archie Alexander trains this mare, who was a gutsy second to Haunted two back at Ballarat before a close up fifth to Amadeus in the Gold Bullion on Pakenham Cup Day. Gets right down in the weights this time around, looks to lead for fun and with only 52kg, I think she’ll give a great sight on speed.

1 Ulmann (Bet Now: $7.50) would eat these up if he was at his best but the jury is well and truly out. Average effort in the Kilmore Cup two back before racing at Flemington last Saturday and being okay without being great behind Chamois Road. He’s a track/distance specialist and this is the easiest race he has contested in some time so he gets his chance.

9 Zebrinz (Bet Now: $26.00) looks to have returned in good order for Aaron Purcell. Trialled up alright prior to resuming in the Port Fairy Cup where he worked home strongly from the back behind Superhard and probably should have finished a touch closer had he got clear air. Likes racing at Caulfield…don’t think he can win, but maybe a first four spot with the right run.

It’s almost a life ban if 2 Age Of Fire (Bet Now: $4.80) can’t put these away. He’s taken a little while to find form since coming to the Weir camp but his last couple of runs have had merit, firstly in the Kilmore Cup when making ground behind Manuel before a solid sixth against a moderate tempo in a race won by Beauty Way at Pakenham. 1700m looks ideal, no depth at all…surely.

1 Torgersen (Bet Now: $3.00) is just racing so well at the moment for Chris Waller. Solid second in the Kilmore Cup before going to the Beauty Way race where he got back and finished off nicely to run second to the well backed Grahame Begg runner. He was a bludger once upon a time but these days, he’s very consistent and racing well. Has to be respected here.

5 Balf’s Choice (Bet Now: $4.50) is an absolute beauty for the Ryan Balfour team who registered another win on the board at the Morphettville mile just over two weeks ago, sitting last in the field of four before Parish brought him out wide, built up the revs and that move won the race. Harder here, but he’s only third up, so he should have upside and for mine is a live threat.

No surprise at all there has been money for 1 Intelligence Cross (Bet Now: $23.00). If he brings his best, I think he’ll be far too good for this lot. Failed in three runs for Aidan O’Brien in the Spring but was tardy away each time. Now with Weir, he had a jumpout at Terang and looked outstanding behind Gina’s Hope. Took a slice of $19, now into $13/thereabouts. Here’s hoping.

6 George Patton (Bet Now: $5.50) is a talented galloper for the Snowden camp that resumes. Former French galloper who had one run in the Summer and was down the track behind Lanciato. Been gelded, the tongue tie goes on and his two Flemington jump outs have looked great. Fascinating runner and I’ll be keen to see what the market does with him.

9 Manolo Blahniq (Bet Now: $7.00) would have clearly been on top had it not been for the first two. Tony Noonan has him flying. Resumed over 1000m on Pakenham Cup Day where he was unwanted in betting but produced a lovely finale to run an eye catching third to Prezado. Would love him at 1400m, but a fast run 1200m from a soft gate looks an ideal recipe.

Looks to be only two winning hopes. 10 Laure Me In…(Bet Now: $5.00). I had enough of him after two placings at Morphettville. He then turned it up at Sandown before backing up a few days later at Pakenham and he bolted in. Now his confidence is high, he could well go on with it now. Hopefully gets three wide cover and has last look at the key threat, the Weir runner.

6 Casino Fourteen (Bet Now: $3.80) is the key threat. Thought he was disappointing in that race won by Laure Me In at Pakenham before going back to the provincials at Bendigo and he bolted in after sitting on speed. If he had ticked the 1600m box, he’d be on top. I’m just not sure about him at the trip and he meets Laure Me In at level weights despite being well beaten by him at Pakenham.

14 The Passage (Bet Now: $21.00) could be an improver at odds. Didn’t appear to handle the bog first up at Warwick Farm before going to the Valley where the market said he was legless and he ran accordingly behind Macrobius. He has a really good third up record and has placed in his lone run here at Caulfield. Does no work from the inside gate and can run top four.

BEST BET: Race One Number 5 Gina’s Hope

NEXT BEST: Race Eight Number 10 Laure Me In

LONG SHOT: Race Seven Number 1 Intelligence Cross

Quaddie Tips (Races Five Through To Eight):

Leg One: 1, 6, 8, 9

Leg Two: 1, 2, 5, 6

Leg Three: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9

Leg Four: 6, 10

$50 Investment= 31.25% of the dividend if successful

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