Mackay Turf Club race meet: Best bets, value picks revealed

The Mackay Turf Club will host a race meet on Melbourne Cup Day, with plenty of regional horses in the running. Read the best bets and value selections ahead of the day.

While the bright lights of the Melbourne Cup carnival are shining down south, Mackay will host its own carnival for the race that stops the nation.

Mackay Turf Club will hold five races at the meet on Tuesday, while the race that stops a national will be shown on television screens around the venue.

Here are the best tips to walk away from Mackay’s race meet a winner.

R1: TAB Long May We Play Benchmark 70 handicap 1100m

Best bet: Gamboa

Gamboa will return from a 12-week absence, but is a proven winner at Mackay with four wins from seven races on the track.

The four year old has also won four of its five races at the 1100m distance, so Gamboa should feel comfortable racing in the six-horse field.

Value Pick: Hurricane Fighter

Won over 1300m in Mackay four starts back, so knows the track pretty well.

Hurricane Fighter has finished third three times from five starts at the distance, with two of those at Mackay.

With a 48.5 per cent place record, the six year old is well positioned for an each-way bet.

Hurricane Fighter is a value selection for Race One in Mackay on Tuesday. Picture: Contributed

R2: Professionals Real Estate Ratings Band 0-58 Handicap 1100m

Best bet: Zeblan

The four-year-old mare finished second in the last race in Mackay, but that was Zeblan’s first place at the track or the distance.

Zeblan has won twice and ran second once in her four races running counterclockwise.

Value Pick: Champagne at Dawn

The five-year-old mare won in Mackay four weeks ago at 1050m, just 50m shy of Tuesday’s run.

Champagne at Dawn has placed 10 times from 16 races, including twice at the 1100m distance.

R3: Next Accounting Maiden Plate 1200m

Best bet: Seclusion

Race three has no previous winners racing, but Seclusion is the most likely out of gate five.

The five year old has placed twice from eight starts at the distance, but has never raced at Mackay.

Value Pick: Girl on Top

The four-year-old mare has only placed once from four starts at the distance, but she has placed three times in her last five starts.

Girl on Top finished fifth in her only race in Mackay, but is a genuine chance as an each-way selection.

R4: Key Solutions Group Benchmark 55 Handicap 1300m

Best bet: Scent of Fear

The five-year-old mare has been in strong recent form, with top three placings (second, first and third) in her last three races.

Scent of Fear has won three of six races in 1300m events at Mackay, with all four wins at the track coming in the dry.

Value Pick: Schatzi

The four year old won its first career race at Mackay last week, coming in at big odds.

Schatzi took the lead with 150m left and ran away strongly.

With an extra 100m, the mare is in with a chance for another win.

The runners in the Enlightened Financial Services Maiden Plate 1300m race at the Melbourne Cup Day event at Mackay Turf Club, Ooralea, November 3, 2020. Picture: Heidi Petith

R5: Gardian Group Benchmark 65 Handicap 1560m

Best bet: Bernie’s Tiger

The seven-year-old gelding has two wins from the last four starts, with a third-placed effort last time out.

Bernie’s Tiger has not raced in Mackay before, but has two wins and two placings at the distance.

Value Pick: Quidni

The six year old has placed eight times from 12 starts in Mackay, but has never won a race at the track.

Quidni does have one win and two placings at the distance, and two placings in the last five starts.

A strong chance for a place, and could be a decent each-way option.