| What | Townsville Races |
| Where | Cluden Park Racecourse – Racecourse Rd, Cluden QLD 4811 |
| When | Thursday, December 2, 2021 |
| First Race | 12:05pm AEST |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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HorseBetting’s Queensland form analyst brings you his best bets, value pick and quaddie numbers for Thursday’s nine-race card at Cluden Park, Townsville. After a bit of rain in the state’s north, the track is rated a Soft 6; however, clear conditions are predicted across Wednesday and Thursday, so we could see an upgrade. The rail has been moved out 6m from the 1000m to the winning post and then just 3m for the remainder of the course. The first race of the afternoon is scheduled to jump at 12:05pm AEST.
Best Bet – Gamboa
Winning form is good form, and that is exactly what four-year-old gelding Gamboa brings to race two. The Mick Bannon-trained son of Not A Single Doubt has won back-to-back races to kick off this campaign, winning convincingly in both. Apprentice jockey Tahlia Fenlon did the steering last time and rode the horse very well, booting him home to a 1.8-length win over subsequent winner Moreno, so if she adopts similar tactics in this 1000m scamper, the gelding should be hard to beat again. Gamboa has won seven of his 15 career starts, with his maiden win coming at this track and distance in November last year when leading all of the way. Fenlon claims 3kg, so her mount will only carry 55.5kg out of barrier six, meaning it should be a case of jumping, leading and winning.
Next Best – Proximate Cause
Terry Butts’ Proximate Cause had his colours lowered here on November 21 when running 1.8 lengths behind Big Jake as a heavily backed $1.65 favourite, but we are happy to be on him again. The son of More Than Ready is a full brother to Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon and looks to possess a similar will to win, albeit at lesser grade. The four-year-old won by 4.8 lengths in his North Queensland debut over this track and distance on October 14, before replicating that performance with a 3.5-length win at Mackay on November 11 over 1200m. Graham Kliese has done all of the work with this gelding since he has been in North Queensland, so he has once again been rewarded the ride. He stays at the 1000m but drops from a Benchmark 65 back to a Benchmark 58, which should be a lot easier, although he does rise 3.5kg in weight to 59.5kg – only 0.5kg more than he carried in both of his wins. Proximate Cause shouldn’t have to do any work from barrier three, so we expect him to control the race from in front and put the burners on once again. He has ability, this boy.
Best Value – Malawi Gold
It is not often you see a North Queensland meeting run without a horse saluting in Tom Hedley’s orange silks made famous by Tyzone and The Harrovian, so we are putting our trust in a newcomer to the Stephen Massingham stable in the final race of the afternoon. Malawi Gold has only had one start in North Queensland, when fourth at Cairns over 1250m on November 14, but after going forward early, he had his turn of foot taken away from him. Now out slightly to 1300m and drawn wide in barrier nine, Marnu Potgieter will hopefully look for some cover early, take him back and really allow him to stretch out and wind up. The six-year-old son of Smart Missile placed in the Ballina Cup back in January, while he also boasts form around Love Express, Hail Manhattan and Zigallene which is competitive enough for this. The double-figure quote makes this a tasty each-way shout.
Thursday quaddie tips for Townsville
| Townsville quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-2-8-13 |
| Leg 2: | 4-5 |
| Leg 3: | 1-2-4-6-7 |
| Leg 4: | 1-3-4-6-7 |
| Investment: | $200 for 100% |
