Saturday Horse Racing Tips & Best Bets [May 18, 2024]

Check out our tips and best bets for Saturday’s racing around Australia, including meetings at Flemington, Scone, Doomben, Belmont and Morphettville Parks.

BEST BETS

Flemington Race 8 No.12 The Map

The Map (12) could not have been more impressive winning over 2500m at Group 3 level last start. She travelled beautifully throughout and put the race to bed in a matter of strides. There is more depth to this but she’s building a formidable record at 2500m+ and she’ll enjoy being back at Flemington where she scored by 4.3L over this trip last spring.

Damian Lane (56.5kg)
Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray
5yoM (b) Alpine Eagle x This Moment

Scone Race 8 No.11 Banana Queen

Banana Queen (11) was the best run of all 14-horses in the Hawkesbury Crown. Her trial before that was unbelievable so for what it is worth, I am marking her down as being in fantastic shape.

Dylan Gibbons (53kg)
G & S Ryan & Alexiou
5yoM (b) So You Think x Tropicana Lady

Doomben Race 3 No.6 Golden Decade

Staying with Golden Decade (6) which has gone about his business quietly but has built a good record of five wins from 12 starts. He put some handy ones to the sword when resuming, makes his own luck, has won here previously and loves soft ground. With Blake Shinn, he will be hard to hold out.

Blake Shinn (57kg)
Matthew Dunn
3yoG (bay/brown) Sooboog x Sister Emma

BEST VALUE

Flemington Race 7 No.4 It’sourtime

It’sourtime (4) appears to have drawn the right side of the track and there was certainly nothing wrong with his last-start 2nd in the Wangoom. He won this race last year and is also a Group 3 winner over this route.

Jamie Mott (56.5kg)
Danny O’Brien
6yoG (b) Time For War x Zedoble

Scone Race 9 No.7 Kinloch

Wherever there is a fast run race, usually a handicap, around the 1200m to 1400m on a big track, you can always bank on Kinloch (7) being popular and invariably running very well. Me? I think he’s flying this prep. Take his last two for example where he has come home hard but too late behind two much lighter-weighted good horses in good races. Here is one time Kinloch is the well weighted one. 

Dylan Gibbons (55.5kg)
Kris Lees
6yoG (b) I Am Invincible x More Beautiful

Doomben Race 7 No.2 Bubble Rock

The most interesting runner is the American mare Bubble Rock (2) which has won a Group 2, Group 3 and Listed race in the USA with her most recent success over 1200m on the turf at Belmont. That form stacks up strongly here and Tony Gollan has an excellent record with horses from other stables. She trialled well, rarely runs poorly and with Blake Shinn is the knockout hope.

Blake Shinn (59kg)
Tony Gollan
5yoM (br) More Than Ready x Reef Point