Townsville tips and results

Our price $5.00 · SP $6.50 · Sean Cormack

Won first-up this preparation at Cairns and is a second-up winner in the past. He handles soft ground well, with a win and a placing from three tries, which matters on today's surface. Draws a favourable middle gate and maps to sit handy.

Our price $6.00 · SP $8.50 · Fiona Sandkuhl

An improving stayer who ran second over a similar trip last start, beaten only half a length, and whose closing sections were the best in this field. He saves two kilos through the claim and looks suited by the step to the mile. The concern is his racing style: he concedes a start and has to weave through, and he has no wet-track placing to point to. Still, on ability and recent form he is right in this.

Our price $6.50 · SP $5.50 · Nathan Thomas

The likely leader and the one who can control this from the front, which carries extra value at Townsville where forward runners are favoured. He is improving, having placed over the mile last start, and there is not much other early speed to pressure him. The knock is that he fades late and has to work from a wide gate, so he is a speculative each-way play rather than a safe one.

Our price $6.50 · SP $10.00 · Ben Kennedy

Last-start maiden winner who did it the tough way over this track and trip on soft ground, settling back and running on strongly. Draws the inside gate, which suits a Townsville 1000m sprint, and the Button/Kennedy combination is firing. The rise out of maiden grade is the query, but the race is a low-grade one and her winning effort was the strongest last-start run in this field.

Our price $7.00 · SP $9.00 · Fiona Sandkuhl

Genuine on-pacer who maps to lead or sit outside the other speed horse, which is where you want to be in a Townsville 1000m. Drops in grade and two starts back ran a narrow second over this trip here. The concern is a modest record on rain-affected going and a slightly awkward draw, but the stable is only lightly represented and he should give a sight.

Our price $9.00 · SP $11.00 · Amy Graham

Soft-track specialist who has placed repeatedly on rain-affected ground and is proven at 1000m, including a win here. He settles well back, so the predicted fast tempo up front is a plus for his sweeping finish.

Our price $5.00 · SP $6.00 · Wanderson D'Avila

Consistent front-runner who has placed in four of his last five at Open level, including a win and a second over this trip at Townsville. He'll roll forward from a good middle draw and a moderate tempo helps him control the race, and he handles soft ground.

Our price $6.50 · SP $5.50 · Ashley Butler

Improving galloper who won last start over 1400 and is well treated at 54kg. He races midfield, which suits a soft track that has favoured on-pace and forward types, and his jockey-trainer combination is firing. The step from Bm72 company into Open grade is the obvious question, and he's yet to win on a rain-affected track despite three soft-ground placings.

Our price $5.00 · SP $4.40 · Chris Whiteley

Dark Fae has yet to win at 1400m or on soft and folded here last start, so she must rate herself better.

Our price $6.00 · SP $12.00 · Ben Kennedy

She's A Sweet Star has the best wet-track profile in the field, with a win and two placings from six soft-track starts, and a strong 7:1-2-1 record at Townsville. She gets in-form hoop Ben Kennedy, who rides this track at 28%, and comes from a stable with a 20% strike rate. She was only fair last start and tends to settle off the speed, so she needs the race run to suit, but she is a genuine contender.

Our price $15.00 · SP $21.00 · Tasha Chambers

She is a soft-track winner and ran a strong fourth in a Class 1 over 1400m on a rain-affected track last summer, and she has had a recent trial to top her off. Her overall record is poor and she has never won or placed at Townsville, so she is a speculative each-way play rather than a win proposition.

Our price $4.00 · SP $5.50 · Ryan Wiggins

She ran a close third at this track and 1200m two runs back and gets the services of the best jockey at the meeting.

Our price $7.00 · SP $7.50 · Aidan Holt

Consistent galloper with the best track-and-distance credentials in the field, having won three and placed in two more of his six starts over 1200m. His recent runs have been at shorter trips but the form lines hold up to a winning standard and he maps to settle handy.

Our price $11.00 · SP $14.00 · Fiona Sandkuhl

Thrown in on class after competing in much stronger races, and she is the horse most likely to take up the running from a handy barrier. Her soft-track record is respectable and she has produced a winning-standard effort at Townsville in the wet.

Our price $5.00 · SP $7.00 · Ryan Wiggins

Vouchers is the pick. He races on the speed and from a good middle draw in a race that shapes slowly run, he should get the perfect trail behind the likely leader. Lately he has mixed it in stronger company and ran a sound second over 1400m here two starts back. He drops a touch in grade, has the leading local rider up and maps best of the on-pace division. The knocks are the step to the mile and an ordinary soft-track record, but he is the one to beat.

Our price $4.00 · SP $3.60 · Brandon Lerena

She is consistent and race-fit, and the stable can get them ready. But she rises sharply from maiden grade and, more importantly, draws gate 16 at the mile, the worst possible alley at Townsville, where wide barriers are all but shut out. She has never raced beyond 1400m and meets hardened older horses. A place chance at best.

Our price $9.00 · SP $9.00 · Aidan Holt

Twin Turbo is the value. He drops out of better races and was far from disgraced last start at this track and trip on a soft track, closing late into a stronger field. He has a good draw and handles the ground. The negatives are obvious: he gets back in a race that suits the speed, and he carries much more weight this time.

Our price $11.00 · SP $26.00 · Sean Cormack

He races forward and gets a lovely draw in gate four, which fits a track where on-speed runners hold a clear edge. He has been placed over this course and distance in open company and is generally reliable. He comes off a plain effort, though, and his overall 1000m record is modest, so he will need to be at his best early to be in the finish.